Dr Helen Edwards Australian Children's Author
Dr Helen Edwards, Australian Children's Author

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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. She also offers a social media marketing and grant writing consultancy for Australian Authors - The Author Fairy.

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 author
Legend of the Lighthouse Moon by Helen Edwards
speech pathology awards 2024 (3)

Latest from Helen's Blog

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…

Legend of the Lighthouse Moon by Helen Edwards coming 2nd October 2024

Legends of Living with Type 1 Diabetes – Helen Mc.

By Helen Edwards | July 2, 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 – in particular, their diagnosis, how they felt, how they managed, how they coped, and what happened as they moved forwards, including what helped. I kicked off last week with…

My Brother, Finch by Kate Gordon

My Brother, Finch by Kate Gordon

By Helen Edwards | June 26, 2024

Kate Gordon is one of those authors who makes you feel things, all sorts of things. She notices the big and the small moments in life and she draws all of your senses into the worlds she builds for her characters. Kate is not afraid to confront pain and darkness, and yet, she does so…

Legend of the Lighthouse Moon by Helen Edwards coming 2nd October 2024

Legends of Living with Type 1 Diabetes -Annabelle

By Helen Edwards | June 25, 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 – in particular, their diagnosis, how they felt, how they managed, how they coped, and what happened as they moved forwards, including what helped. This is because my main…

Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards The Rebels of Mount Buffalo

The Rebels of Mount Buffalo Shortlisted in Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year

By Helen Edwards | June 13, 2024

I’m proud and delighted to announce that The Rebels of Mount Buffalo has been shortlisted in the Speech Pathology Australia Children’s Book of the Year Awards 2024! It’s a stellar list to be on! A very special award and one that changes children’s lives. Congratulations to my fellow shortlisters! The Speech Pathology Australia Book of…

The Beehive by Megan Daley and Max Hamilton

The Beehive by Megan Daley & Max Hamilton

By Helen Edwards | May 27, 2024

Megan Daley is well-known in the Australian kidlit community. She’s a multi-award winning Teacher Librarian, former national vice-president of the Children’s Book Council of Australia, a regular literary judge, curator of 2023 Brisbane Writers Festival Word Play program, a workshop presenter, the creator of the popular website Children’s Books Daily and co-creator of the Your Kid’s…

Australian Sea Lions Seal Bay Kangaroo Island in Legend of the Lighthouse Moon by Helen Edwards. Photo Nikki Redman

Australian Sea Lions of Seal Bay

By Helen Edwards | May 20, 2024

** Image by Nikki Redman Photography There’s a strong environmental and conservation theme running through all of my stories. In Legend of the Lighthouse Moon, the endangered Australian Sea Lion takes centre stage. I’ve learned a lot about these incredible creatures and the history of Seal Bay on Kangaroo Island during my research. The amazing…

Scar Town by Tristan Bancks

Scar Town by Tristan Bancks

By Helen Edwards | May 2, 2024

Author Tristan Bancks is well-known for his books for kids and teens, including Two Wolves, The Fall, Detention, the Tom Weekly series, Nit Boy and Ginger Meggs, a 100th anniversary book of short stories based on characters created by his great-great uncle, Jimmy Bancks, in 1921. Tristan’s books have won and been shortlisted for many…

Cape Willoughby Lighthouse

Legend of The Lighthouse Moon, by Helen Edwards

By Helen Edwards | April 8, 2024

I’m very excited to announce the title for my next middle-grade novel – Legend of the Lighthouse Moon! I absolutely love this story about 13-year-old Mona McKenna, a girl living in 1970 with type 1 diabetes in an island lighthouse, featuring the stunning backdrop of Kangaroo Island and the gorgeous and endangered sea lions, as…

Awards & Memberships

1st Place Winner
Member logo colour
Individual Project Grant 2023
Individual Project Grant 2023
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Recipient Richard Llewellyn Deaf and Disability Grant 2021
Recipient Richard Llewellyn Deaf and Disability Grant 2021
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