Dr Helen Edwards Australian Children's Author
Dr Helen Edwards 2
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Meet Dr Helen Edwards, Children's & YA Author, Speaker & Psychology PhD.

Dr Helen Edwards is an Australian children's & YA author and speaker who weaves diverse stories of nature, magic and history.

Helen is a mid-career SA Literary Fellow in 2025, supported by Writers' SA and the State Library of South Australia. She will be working on a new magical historical novel featuring the wreck of the S.S Admella in South Australia and the Cape Jaffa lighthouse, as well as exploring themes of ocean conservation. This project is also supported by the History Trust of South Australia’s South Australian History Fund.

On Gallant Wings is coming on 2nd April 2025 with Riveted Press. It's a sweeping WWII adventure about family, courage and knowing when to break the rules. If you lived your life by rituals and rules, would you break them to save your best friend? Pre-orders now open via bookshops and at Helen's online shop here.

Legend of the Lighthouse Moon is out now with Riveted Press. Rich with folklore and brimming with adventure, it's a dazzling tale of family, resilience, and the enduring magic of the sea. You can buy your copy at bookshops across Australia and at Helen's online shop here.

The Rebels of Mount Buffalo, is out now with Riveted Press. It's a captivating time-slip tale about a girl lost to grief who meets a daring rebel on a misty mountain, who guides her to rediscover her courage and find her way home. This middle-grade novel was shortlisted in the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards. It was also longlisted in the DANZ Children's Book Award. You can buy your copy at Helen's online shop here.

With thanks to Arts SA for supporting the writing of The Rebels of Mount Buffalo and Legend of the Lighthouse Moon.

History Trust grants
On Gallant Wings by Helen Edwards, Australian Children's Author
Legend of the Lighthouse Moon by Helen Edwards
speech pathology awards 2024 (3)

Latest from Helen's Blog

The Other Side of the Clouds by Matt Samuel & Tamlyn Teow

By Helen Edwards | November 11, 2024

All Finn can hear is the voice of his own sadness and at times it is overwhelming. The faint pulse of hope visits but never stays. Longing to find it, Finn rides a kite into the dark sky, calling its name. He sails over crashing waves, searching for it, but loneliness is his only reply.…

SA Literary Fellowships 2025 & SA History Trust Grants!

By Helen Edwards | November 11, 2024

I am delighted to share that I have been awarded a mid-career Fellowship with the SA State Library, supported by Writers’ SA, AND a grant from History Trust of South Australia to research and write my magical historical middle-grade novel, A Light on the Rocks. I can’t believe I am going to be a Fellow…

PD McPem’s Agency For Mysterious Mysteries: The Wild Whodunnit, by Anna Battese and Ruth-Mary Smith

By Helen Edwards | September 29, 2024

Children’s author Anna Battese describes herself as a ‘bookworm, baker, and children’s book maker’. From the minute you read these words, you know you’re in for a lovely ride when you enter into the world of PD McPem and her Agency for Mysterious Mysteries. The latest in this series – The Wild Whodunnit, published by…

Spies in the Sky by Beverley McWilliams

By Helen Edwards | September 23, 2024

When Adelaide-based children’s author Beverley McWilliams and I first met, we discovered that we were both writing WWII stories featuring war pigeons – Bev’s set in Europe and mine in Australia. We couldn’t believe it – TWO people who were fascinated by pigeons!! We soon shared our love for animals and birds, our interest in…

The Other Shadow by Tania Ingram

By Helen Edwards | September 4, 2024

Tania Ingram is a talented South Australian children’s author who has released a number of fabulous books over the past 12 months. The Other Shadow, published by Scholastic Australia, is her latest middle-grade novel. A contemporary story about eleven-year-old Thomas and his little sister Tilly, it draws you inside Thomas’s complicated world and inside his…

Legend of the Lighthouse Moon

Legends of Living with Type 1 Diabetes – Sandra

By Helen Edwards | August 13, 2024

In the next edition of Legends of Living with Type 1 Diabetes, I am sharing Sandra’s story. Every person’s experience of diagnosis and of the years that follow, is different. It’s fascinating to see how people grapple with the ups and downs, and find their way to living with diabetes. Sandra’s story is one of…

Being Jimmy Baxter

Being Jimmy Baxter by Fiona Lloyd

By Helen Edwards | August 1, 2024

Fiona Lloyd’s debut middle-grade novel Being Jimmy Baxter is a shortlisted book for the Speech Pathology Awards and the CBCA Book of the Year. With a voice that is quirky, engaging and endearing, Jimmy will steal your heart with his shiny approach to life. A gently funny yet powerful coming-of-age middle grade novel about surviving…

Legend of the Lighthouse Moon by Helen Edwards Book Launch

Legend of the Lighthouse Moon Launch Events

By Helen Edwards | July 31, 2024

Events for Legend of the Lighthouse Moon are getting lined up! We will be having an Adelaide launch on Saturday 5th October at the wonderful Burnside Library launched by local children’s author Beverley McWilliams. This will be followed by a launch on Kangaroo Island at the bookshop, Big Quince, in Kingscote on Saturday afternoon 12th…

National Diabetes Week 2024

Legends of Living with Type 1 Diabetes – Amy

By Helen Edwards | July 15, 2024

As part of the lead-up to the release of Legend of the Lighthouse Moon, I am sharing stories of people who live with type 1 diabetes. Today, I am sharing Amy’s story. It also happens to be National Diabetes Week. The theme this year is centred around the fact that all people living with diabetes should be…

Awards & Memberships

Member logo colour
Individual Project Grant 2023
Individual Project Grant 2023
AOTY_2016_logo_Semi-Stacked (1)
1st Place Winner
Recipient Richard Llewellyn Deaf and Disability Grant 2021
Recipient Richard Llewellyn Deaf and Disability Grant 2021
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