First Friend

Christobel Mattingley was the author of more than thirty-five books for children, films scripts, short stories and poetry. She won the inaugural Children’s Book Council of Australia Junior Book of the Year Award for Rummage. Other award-winning books include Windmill at Magpie Creek, The Miracle Tree, The Angel with a Mouth-Organ and No Gun for Asmir. The Race was an Honour Book in the Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year Awards. She received an Advance Australia Medal for her contribution to literature in Australia. Battle Order 204, a biography of her husband David was published by Allen & Unwin. Christobel Mattingley died in 2019.

Stig Wemyss is Australia’s most loved audiobook narrator for children and young adults. He has lent his voice to the work of some of Australia’s most accomplished authors, including Andy Griffiths, Paul Jennings, Tim Winton, Marcus Zusak, Margaret Clarke and, most recently, Andrew Daddo. For the last three years he has been the recipient of the ABIA audiobook of the year award, including for the Trent Dalton's widely acclaimed debut novel Boy Swallows Universe. Stig has also written his own successful audiobook series entitled, The Tripp Diaries, which he narrates himself. His success and popularity have led him to develop a one-man comedy show for kids, Stig Live @ The Library, which he has performed in schools and libraries around Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.