French, Jackie (1953-…), is an Australian writer best known for her books for children. The Australian Children’s Literature Alliance named French the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2014 and 2015. A laureate is a person who is honored for outstanding achievement in a particular field. The Alliance is a private organization that promotes the importance of reading, creativity, and stories in the lives of young Australians.
French’s children’s writings include picture books, fantasies, histories, and fiction. One of her most popular children’s works is the picture book Diary of a Wombat (2002). She retold the history of Australia in a series of eight books (2005-2011) called “Fair Dinkum Histories.” Fair dinkum is Australian and British slang for good or true. The historical fantasy Somewhere Around the Corner (1994) tells about a homeless girl of the 1990’s who returns to the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Hitler’s Daughter (1999) is a historical novel about the secret daughter of the German Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. It was followed by two other books set in this historical period, Pennies for Hitler (2012) and Goodby, Mr. Hitler (2017).
French’s books for adults include novels and nonfiction works on such topics as ecology, gardening, and history. Let the Land Speak (2013) traces how the land has influenced Australian history from prehistoric days to the present and into the future.
Jacqueline Anne French was born on Nov. 29, 1953, in Sydney. She grew up on the outskirts of Brisbane. French attended the University of Queensland. Her first book was a collection of stories for children called Rainstones. The book was published in 1991, when French was almost 40 years old. She has since written more than 200 books. French has regularly contributed to Australian magazines and newspapers. She is also a strong advocate of help for children with learning disabilities. French has written about her own reading disability, called dyslexia.
