The Australian Children’s Laureate on parental panic, ending up in medical journals and an unexpected remarriage.
Each week, Benjamin Law asks public figures to discuss the subjects we’re told to keep private by getting them to roll a die. The numbers they land on are the topics they’re given. This week, he talks to Sally Rippin. The author, 54, has written more than 100 books for children and young adults, including the Polly and Buster trilogy and the Billie B Brown and Hey Jack! series. She’s the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2024-25.POLITICSIt’s tricky.
Have you ever had your books subjected to a moral panic over whether the content was age-appropriate? Not so much; I think I’m very tuned in to our current environment. But a couple of my books weren’t picked up by my American publisher because they depict rainbow families. I find that really sad. In Polly and Buster, there’s very clearly a beautiful gay relationship between Polly’s aunt and her teacher. If you’re a child questioning your identity in the middle of a very conservative part of America, you might see it reflected in the love between these two women.
It’s important to stress that it’s the education system, not the teachers, but I feel really hopeful that schools individually are changing. The system is going to have to catch up. More and more people now are tuning in to what neurodivergency – autism, dyslexia and ADHD – looks like. Once we become more aware and trained, the more we’ll be able to recognise behaviour in the classroom and get kids support as soon as possible.Condom on a banana. Ridiculous, really.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘So much younger’: Author Sally Rippin on the startling age kids first view pornThe Australian Children’s Laureate on parental panic, ending up in medical journals and an unexpected remarriage.
Read more »
‘So much younger’: Author Sally Rippin on the startling age kids first view pornThe Australian Children’s Laureate on parental panic, ending up in medical journals and an unexpected remarriage.
Read more »
Dyslexia helped this bestselling author rewire his brainBritish novelist Jasper Fforde’s new novel is a sequel to a book he wrote in 2009.
Read more »
Dyslexia helped this bestselling author rewire his brainBritish novelist Jasper Fforde’s new novel is a sequel to a book he wrote in 2009.
Read more »
Bestselling US author Kristin Hannah honours Vietnam War nurses in new novel, The WomenA new novel by bestselling US author Kristin Hannah remembers the forgotten nurses of the Vietnam War, whose service went unrecognised for decades.
Read more »
Chinese Nobel-winning author Mo Yan targeted in patriotic lawsuitA patriotic blogger in China is suing prominent novelist Mo Yan over claims his books smeared the ruling Communist Party's reputation, 'beautified' enemy Japanese soldiers and insulted former revolutionary leader Mao Zedong.
Read more »