Dip Teach, BA (Comm)
Children’s Author, Teacher, Speaker, Workshop Leader
Deborah Abela trained as a teacher and completed a BA (Comm) UTS, before becoming writer/producer of a national children’s TV show on Network TEN. She left after seven years and has since written 30 award-winning, internationally published book. They include the Max Remy Superspy series and her best-selling, climate change trilogy, Grimsdon, New City and Final Storm. The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee and The Most Marvellous Spelling Bee Mystery were inspired by Deb’s stupendous grade 4 teacher. Her latest picture books are the CBCA Notable, Bear in Space and No More Room in the Bed.Her CBCA notable novel, The Book of Wondrous Possibilities,is about how books can save us when we feel lost and her latest novel is The Kindness Project, where four kids try to change the world with a school project.
Deborah’s won awards for her books, including the USBBY Outstanding International Book Award in the USA, Children Book council Awards USA and Australia, the Maurice Saxby Award for Services to Children’s Literature, best book in Translation Malta, and many children’s choice awards.
Deborah Abela has visited tens of thousands of children, their teachers and librarians over the past 20 years. She has spoken at international schools, conferences and festivals across Australia, encouraging children to love books and reading, and equipping teachers with practical activities to foster a joy of writing in their students.
She believes that every child has the right to an education and to the ability to read. She has been an ambassador for the National Year of Reading, the Premier’s Reading Challenge and Spelling Bee, Room to Read and Books In Homes. She is the Assistant Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Australia.
Most Recent Awards
- 2024 Shortlisted REAL Awards (Kid’s Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT) The Book of Wondrous Possibilities
- 2023 Shortlisted REAL Awards (Kid’s Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT) The Book of Wondrous Possibilities
- 2023 Notables The Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards The Book of Wondrous Possibilities
- 2023 Shortlisted REAL Awards (Kid’s Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT) New City
- 2023 Speech Pathology Book of the Year Awards The Book of Wondrous Possibilities
- 2021 Best Book in Translation, Malta, Bear in Space
- 2021 REAL Awards(Kid’s Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT) Final Storm shortlisted (3rd book Grimsdon Trilogy)
- 2020 REAL Awards (Kid’s Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT) New City shortlisted (2nd book Grimsdon Trilogy)
- 2020 Best Book in Translation, Malta, The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee
- 2019 Shortlisted REAL Awards (Kid’s Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT) The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee
- 2018 REAL Awards (Kid’s Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT) Grimsdon shortlisted.
- 2017 REAL Awards (Kid’s Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT) Grimsdon shortlisted.
- 2017 Teresa: A New Australian Shortlisted for WAYBRA Awards WA
- 2017 Teresa: A New Australian Best Book in Translation, Malta
- 2017 KOALA Legend award
- 2017 The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee – Australian Family Therapists Awards
To see a FULL list of Deborah’s awards, please visit her site.
