Wang, Gabrielle (1950?-…), is an Australian author and illustrator. She has written more than 20 books for children and young adults. In March 2022, Wang was named Australian Children’s Laureate by the Australian Children’s Literature Foundation (ACLF). A laureate is a person who is honored for outstanding achievement in a particular field. The ACLF is a private organization that promotes the importance of reading, creativity, and stories in the lives of young Australians. The laureate position is appointed every two years to an Australian author or illustrator who has made an important contribution to Australian children’s literature. Wang was appointed to serve as laureate for 2022 and 2023. 
Wang’s works are influenced by her Chinese and Australian heritage and are often based on Chinese folklore. Her first children’s novel was The Garden of Empress Cassia, which was published by Puffin Books in 2002. It won the 2002 Aurealis Award. Some of her most popular children’s works include A Ghost in my Suitcase (2009), The Race for the Chinese Zodiac (2010), The Wishbird (2013), and The Beast of Hushing Wood (2017). Wang has contributed The Poppy Stories (2016) and The Pearlie Stories (2018) for the Our Australian Girl series, writing four books for each character. Wang has illustrated the majority of her children’s books. Wang’s young adult novel Little Paradise (2010) portrays life in Shanghai and Melbourne during World War II (1939-1945) and is based on a true story. Her books often portray children and adolescent characters encountering magic and fantasy worlds.
Gabrielle Wang was born around 1950 in Melbourne, Victoria. She is the descendant of Chinese immigrants, with her mother’s family moving to Australia from China during the gold rush of the 1850’s. Wang’s father moved to Australia from Shanghai, China. Wang graduated from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) with a degree in graphic design. After graduating, she worked as a graphic designer. She moved to Taiwan in 1979 to study Chinese painting and calligraphy. She moved again in 1984 to study Chinese language and painting at the Zhejiang Academy of Fine Art in Hangzhou, China. After returning to Melbourne, Wang taught Chinese language at RMIT. She also took courses at Melbourne University and the Holmesglen Institute of Technical and Further Education.
