Rippin, Sally (1970?-…), is an Australian author and illustrator. She has written more than 70 books for children and young adults. In 2024, Rippin 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. Every two years, an Australian author or illustrator who has made an important contribution to Australian children’s literature is appointed to the laureate position. Rippin was selected to serve as laureate for 2024 and 2025. 
Rippin’s first published book was Speak Chinese, Fang Fang! (1996). It tells the story of a Chinese-Australian girl, Fang Fang, who learns about the importance of her Chinese heritage. Her other works about Fang Fang include Fang Fang’s Chinese New Year (1996) and What a Mess, Fang Fang! (1998). Rippin has also illustrated works by other Australian authors, including Too Many Monkeys (2004), by Margaret Wild, and The Rainbirds (2006), by David Metzenthen.
Rippin has become known for her many best-selling book series for children. The “Billie B Brown” series, featuring the title character’s adventures, began in 2010 with the publication of The Bad Butterfly (2010). The Crazy Cousins (2012), was the first book in the “Hey Jack!” series, which stars one of Billie’s friends, Jack. Meet Lina (2013) is the first in a historical fiction series about an Italian-Australian girl that takes place in the 1950’s. Rippin’s “School of Monsters” series, which began with Mary Has the Best Pet (2021), is a popular series for early readers. The books feature the schoolyard adventures of various young monsters. Rippin’s first non-fiction book for adults, Wild Things: How We Learn To Read and What Can Happen If We Don’t, was published in 2022. It relates her experiences as the parent of a child who struggled with reading. The book also provides guidance for supporting children with various learning abilities.
Rippin was born on Feb. 21, 1970, in Darwin, in Australia’s Northern Territory. She moved frequently throughout her childhood. Growing up, she attended schools in various parts of the world, including Southeast Asia. Rippin lived in China from 1989 to 1992. She studied traditional Chinese painting at fine arts schools in Shanghai and Hangzhou. She taught writing at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Australia, from 2006 to 2011.
