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Join SCBWI creators for a stimulating and fun day of professional development. Learn from some of Australia’s most talented kids’ book creators and publishing professionals, and gear up for a nail-biting pitch to the publishers. It will be fun, fascinating and a great excuse to hang out with SCBWI friends.
Venue
Dixon Room, Ground Floor, Mitchell Library,
State Library of New South Wales
1 Shakespeare Place Sydney NSW 2000
Tickets
SCBWI Members—$80
Non-members—$120
Optional lunchbox—$25
There aren’t many lunch options nearby and to reduce time searching for food and maximise time together, we suggest bringing your own lunch or opting for the lunchbox option offered by the library, who will do their best to cater to your dietary needs. The Library Café will be open for tea/coffee from 9:30am.
Enter the FREE Pitch to Publishers
As well as a fascinating day listening to kids’ book creators divulge the secrets of their success, you will also have the chance to pitch your ideas to two publishing professionals… live!
A limited number of members will be given three minutes to pitch their projects to publishers in front of a live audience followed by feedback from the publishers. This is a chance for you to get to the essence of your story and fine tune what makes your manuscript special.
Free for SCBWI members who have bought tickets to attend our PD Day.
There are a limited number of spots, so if you’d like to be considered for Pitch to Publishers, please carefully follow the guidelines and submit your application by May 13, 2026. SCBWI Members Only.
Program (draft)
10.00am
Library Opens
10:15am-10:30am
Opening and welcome by Pauline Fitzgerald and Deborah Abela
10:30am-11:00am
The Art of Creating Kids’ Books: Binny Talib
With her whimsical, wonderful and warm words and art, author/illustrator and designer, Binny Talib, has created over forty books adults and kids love. Sit back and prepare to be delighted by this award-winning creator, as she shares her passion and tips for the wonderful world of kids’ books.
11:05am-11:35am
Creating Graphic Novels: Mick Elliott and Serena Geddes
Hear from two accomplished and popular authors and illustrators as they talk us through the joyous, creative, but sometimes gruelling process of creating graphic novels, from small idea to glorious final book.
11:35am-11:45am
Readings
11:45am–12:25pm
Lunch and Book Sales
12:30pm-1.00pm
Swing, Dance, Sing: On the Magic of Making Picture Books
A picture book is a tender meeting place. It’s the place where a text meets with the illustrations and the illustrations with a text. It’s the place where a child meets with an adult and an adult with a child. It’s the uniquely special place where a child meets with themselves, and also the world. So much in so little time! Where do great ideas for picture books come from then? And what really makes a picture book swing, dance, sing? Enjoy this inspiring and engaging session exploring some of the fun and the serious magic of making picture books.
1:05pm-1:35pm
The Magic of Middle Grade Fiction: Carla Fitzgerald and Peter Baldwin
Join us as we hear from creative partnership, Carla and Peter, talk about the magic of middle grade fiction and bringing award-winning stories to life in words and pictures.
1:40pm-2:10pm
Top Three Secrets to Make Your Book Shine: Ashleigh Barton and Kris Darell
These two best-selling authors will open the vault and share their top secrets to creating their beloved and highly popular books.
2:10pm-2:20pm
Readings
2:20pm-2:50pm
Afternoon Tea and Book Sales
2:55pm-3:05pm
Readings
3:05pm-3:35pm
What Makes a Kids’ Book Stand Out: Suzanne O’Sullivan and Laura Harris
3:40pm-4:10pm
Pitch to Publishers: Suzanne O’Sullivan and Laura Harris
In our final nail-biting session, watch SCBWI creators get their chance to pitch their projects live to two industry professionals.
4:10pm-4:15pm
Wrap up
Presenters
Binny Talib—Illustrator & Author
Binny Talib is an award winning author/illustrator and surface pattern designer based in inner city Sydney. She has a whimsical, contemporary style and has illustrated over 40 books in Australia and internationally, ranging from picture books and baby board books to non fiction and chapter books. Her awards include The Letter Writer being selected by The Society of Illustrators New York for their annual exhibition and book, a CBCA Honour, and a shortlist medal for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. A career highlight was seeing one of her books turned into a braille edition for visually impaired readers. Binny’s book Sam Francisco, published by Rocket Bird UK, featured at Glastonbury Festival and now is a UK TV CBeebies Bedtime Story. Binny also creates wallpaper and porcelain mugs for grown ups. She works with her Border Collie at her feet, and there has never been a dessert she hasn’t liked, seriously.
Mick Elliott—Author & Illustrator
Mick Elliott is an acclaimed author, illustrator, TV producer, screenwriter and literacy ambassador whose books have been published in six international territories. He has written and illustrated picture books, junior fiction and middle grade series. His debut series, The Turners was nominated for an Aurealis Award and features on the NSW Premiers’ Reading Challenge. His picture book Mums and Dogs won a prestigious cover design award at the Whitsunday Writers Festival. Mick has written and produced acclaimed children’s TV shows for the ABC, Paramount, the Sesame Workshop and Channel TEN. He was head of creative at Nickelodeon Australia for two decades. His new graphic novel, Uranus FC – The Greatest Goal in the Galaxy from Scholastic is inspired by his love of soccer, space and hilarious stories.
Serena Geddes—Author & Illustrator
Serena Geddes is the author and illustrator of the graphic novel series Ella Forever, the highly anticipated follow-on to the beloved Ella Diaries. An internationally published children’s book creator, she is best known for popular series including Howzat Pat and Lulu Bell, along with picture books such as We Are Matildas and Hope Is a Spark. Having illustrated over eighty books, Serena has built a career around visual storytelling and empowering young readers. Now working in graphic novels, Serena explores how the form bridges the gap for readers who struggle with traditional text. She shares the creative leap into her first long-form graphic novel School Rivals navigating script writing, pacing, concept development, final artwork and the self-doubt that comes with stepping into this new format. She reflects on how graphic novel storytelling expanded her ability to express emotion and narrative momentum through visual imagery and text.
Lisa Shanahan—Writer
Lisa Shanahan is an award-winning writer of seventeen picture books and novels for young people. Some of her much-loved picture books include; Hark, It’s Me, Ruby Lee! (ill. Binny Talib), awarded the 2018 CBCA Honour Book of the Year for Early Childhood and shortlisted in the 2018 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards for Children’s Fiction, Big Pet Day (ill. Gus Gordon), the 2015 Speech Pathology Book of the Year for 5-8 years, and Bear and Chook by the Sea (ill. Emma Quay), the 2010 CBCA Book of the Year for Early Childhood. Her picture book Hello World (ill. Leila Rudge), was awarded the 2022 Speech Pathology Book of the Year for Birth-3 years, and was also a 2022 CBCA Notable Book. Lisa loves moon-gazing, making up words, black cockatoos, and hot cups of tea. She loves inspiring others to see the world, through her stories, with a vivid, new freshness.
Carla Fitzgerald—Children's Author
Carla Fitzgerald is a writer and a recovered lawyer from Sydney. Carla is the author of middle-grade novels, How to Break a World Record and Survive Grade Five (a 2025 CBCA Notable book) and How to be Prime Minister and Survive Grade Five. A final Survive Grade Five novel will be published this year and then she hopes to have well and truly survived Grade Five! She also has a picture book and a middle-grade series out with Scholastic in 2027. Carla’s favourite things to do are write, walk, read, eat and hang out with her family. Not necessarily in that order. She also has a weakness for donuts and reality TV.
Peter Baldwin—Illustrator
Peter Baldwin is a Sydney-based illustrator and primary school teacher with a lifelong passion for drawing. His work spans children’s books, educational publishing, and commercial illustration, with titles including Lucky (Affirm Press), Granbad (UQP), the Maxi the Lifeguard series (Affirm Press), and the TC series (Scholastic). He has also created artwork for a wide range of clients, including Little Learners Love Literacy, Little Fox Inc., the Australian Museum, Educational Assessment Australia, and the NSW Department of Education. Before becoming a full-time illustrator, Peter worked in wildlife conservation education at the Australian Museum and Taronga Zoo, experiences that continue to influence his environmentally themed work. In 2019, his book Maxi the Lifeguard: The Stormy Protest won The Wilderness Society Environment Award for Children’s Literature. His background as a teacher has also shaped his approach to visual storytelling for young readers.
Credit: Syl Marie Photography
Ashleigh Barton—Children's Author
Ashleigh Barton is a bestselling children's author and copywriter. Before writing full time, she pursued her love of books (children's books especially) by working in some of Australia's biggest publishing houses, running marketing and publicity campaigns for globally renowned authors and illustrators. Ashleigh is the author of nine highly acclaimed picture books, two junior fiction series and a standalone middle grade novel, How to Sail to Somewhere. Ashleigh's work has been recognised on the CBCA Notables and/or Shortlist in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025 and 2026. Her next middle grade novel, Eighty-nine Questions for After will be published in August 2026. Ashleigh lives in Sydney with her husband, three children and their dog.
Kristin Darell—Children's Author
Kristin Darell is a Sydney-based writer and the best-selling author of nine books for children, including her new middle grade series It’s a Twin Thing, and the popular junior fiction series Football Fever and Taronga presents. After working as a broadcast journalist for more than twenty years, Kristin is now a passionate advocate for children’s literature and loves visiting schools and libraries, helping kids find new ways to share the stories of their time and their world. When she isn’t writing or spending time sharing her love of stories and creativity, Kristin is working behind the scenes as the Program Director for the Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation and is on the ASLA DANZ Children’s Book Awards Committee.
Suzanne O'Sullivan—Senior Editor, Penguin Random House
Suzanne O'Sullivan is a Senior Editor at Penguin Random House, working across all areas of children’s literature, from picture books to YA. Over the past twenty years, she has edited or published books by Jessica Townsend, Gabrielle Wang, Shaun Tan, Nick Bland, George Ivanoff, Mick Elliott and many others. Some of these books have won awards, some have become bestsellers, and some have achieved the greatest success possible for a kids’ book: becoming a child’s favourite.
Laura Harris—Managing Director, Laura Harris Publishing
Laura Harris taught High School for approximately six months before landing an Editorial Traineeship at the prestigious NSW School Magazine. After five years there, Laura moved to HarperCollins Publishers as a Senior Editor and in 1995 became Publisher, Adult and Children’s books. She joined Penguin Books Australia in 1999 as Publisher, Books for Children and Young Adults and became Publishing Director in 2003 and joined the Penguin Board that year as well. In March 2016, she was appointed Publishing Director at Penguin Random House Australia where she worked until 2023. In 2023 and she was a recipient of the George Robertson Award for her long and distinguished service to the Australian Publishing Industry. In 2024 she established Laura Harris Publishing, a Children's book author and illustrator services company. Laura proudly sits on the Board of WestWords and was a previous Board member of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.