Libby Hawthorn author page

Libby Hathorn biography

Libby Hathorn (Elizabeth Helen Hathorn) is an Australian writer and poet whose work spans picture books, poetry, drama and novels for children and young adults. A former teacher and librarian, she began publishing in the late 1970s and has since produced numerous titles that have been translated and adapted for stage and screen. Her best-known young adult novel, Thunderwith, was adapted for television as The Echo of Thunder for Hallmark Hall of Fame in 1998.

Hathorn’s picture-book and middle-grade collaborations include The Tram to Bondi Beach with Julie Vivas, the wordless narrative Way Home with Gregory Rogers, and the US-published Sky Sash So Blue. Other notable works include Grandma’s Shoes and poetry-led texts used widely in schools. Her books are frequently used in classroom settings and have been recognised in Australia and overseas for literary merit and suitability for reading aloud.

Hathorn has received a range of honours, including the Centenary Medal in 2001 for service to children’s theatre, the Alice Award in 2014 for her contribution to Australian literature, and the Asher Peace Prize in 2017. In 2022 she received the ABIA Pixie O’Harris Award for excellence and dedication to children’s literature.