Stolen Stash: Billie B Mystery #5

Sally Rippin is a best-selling and beloved author for children, and the eighth Australian Children's Laureate. Her most popular series include Billie B Brown, Hey Jack! and School of Monsters, and she has over 10 million books in print worldwide. She has also written one book for adults: Wild Things: How We Learn to Read and What Can Happen If We Don’t. As the Australian Children’s Laureate, Sally is the national ambassador for reading and Australian children’s literature. Appointed every two years to promote the importance and transformational power of reading, creativity and story in the lives of young Australians, the Children’s Laureate spends extensive time speaking directly with children, education specialists, government ministers and librarians, in both metropolitan and regional communities across the country. They speak on behalf of all creators and for the entire industry representing reading advocates, educators, librarians, booksellers and publishers. Every Laureate has a mission for their two-year term. For Sally, it is: All kids can be readers. Through this mission, she works towards creating public awareness around learning difficulties as well as the most effective practice in teaching children to read. Sally's work spotlights the reading challenges faced by millions of Australian children – including but not limited to discussions around neurodiversity, disability, mental health, access to books and language barriers. Currently, as well as working on new books and her Laureate duties, Sally is working with an Australian production house to adapt her work for screen.

Aki Fukuoka always tries to find the magic around her. Born in Japan, Aki moved to Auckland at eight, where she has lived ever since. Aki graduated from the Elam School of Fine Arts and has illustrated over 80 books, including award winning children's picture books, chapter books and educational itles. Her work has also featured in magazines, t-shirt designs, stationary, posters and murals.