The Story House
Lalee’s world has no books, no teachers, no schools. But there are stories.
The stories hush the rumbles that echo across the sand. The stories spark and shimmer, filling Lalee with possibility. And one story – hers – begins to unfold. A lyrical, heart-filled tribute to imagination, hope and the magic of books by multi-award-winning creators Vikki Conley and Jennifer Falkner.
Vikki Conley’s multi-award-winning books whisk young readers away to other worlds through curiosity, playfulness and wonder. An intrepid traveller, nature lover and creative all-rounder, she has worked as a professional writer and photographer, with diverse communities in Africa, Asia and Australia for over 20 years. Vikki is the winner of the 2023 CBCA Book of the Year (Where The Lyrebird Lives) and has Honour and Notable books including Amira’s Suitcase and Little Puggle’s Song. Her title, On The Way To School was shortlisted for the 2023 Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year. In search of incredible stories, Vikki has eaten goats’ tongues with African chiefs, climbed inside Icelandic glaciers and entered war-torn countries. During her 10 years working for World Vision, she hand-delivered readers to children in Somalia who had never seen a book. Vikki’s stories connect budding minds to the experiences of people around the globe, inviting them to discover the magic in both the extraordinary and the ordinary. Vikki can be contacted on Instagram and Facebook @vikkiconleyauthor
Jennifer Falkner is a critically acclaimed illustrator and graphic designer based in Perth, Western Australia. Since graduating from Curtin university with a major in illustration she has spent the last sixteen years of her career in art direction, textile design, brand development and illustration. Before returning to Perth in 2018, Jennifer lived and worked in Canberra, Bangkok, Jakarta and Singapore. Picture books she has illustrated include Fairy Beach, The Cheeky Toddler Alphabet, Tardigrades: Nature’s Toughest Survivor, and The Lucky Shack which was a CBCA Notable Picture Book of the Year in 2023. Jennifer finds inspiration in the daily antics of her two boys, independent bookshops, her local museum, the cinema and the rich biodiversity of Australia’s south west. Her favourite mediums are gouache, watercolour, ink, pencils and photoshop. She is represented by the Bright Agency. You can contact Jennifer on her website: www.jenniferfalkner.com, Instagram: @jennifer_falkner_illustration and through the Bright Agency.
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