Leigh Hobbs was the 2016-2017 Australian Children's Laureate. The theme for Hobbs’s term as Children’s Laureate was ‘to champion creative opportunities for children, and to highlight the essential role libraries play in nurturing our creative lives’.

Leigh has been shortlisted for the CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award (for Mr Chicken Goes to Paris, Horrible Harriet and Old Tom's Holiday), and his books have won every major children’s choice award in Australia. His published children's books include: 

Old Tom (1994), Old Tom at the Beach (1995), Old Tom goes To Mars(1996), Old Tom’s Guide to Being Good (1998), Old Tom’s Holiday(2002), Old Tom Man of Mystery (2003), Old Tom’s Big Book of Beauty (2007), A Friend For Old Tom (2008)

Horrible Harriet (2001), Hooray For Horrible Harriet(2005), Horrible Harriet’s Inheritance (2012)

Fiona The Pig (2004), Fiona The Pig’s Big Day (2006)

4F For Freaks (2006), Freaks Ahoy (2007)

Mr Chicken Goes To Paris (2009), Mr Chicken Lands on London (2014)

Mr Badger and The Big Surprise (2010), Mr Badger and The Missing Ape (2010), Mr Badger and The Difficult Duchess (2011), Mr Badger and The Magic Mirror (2011).

Leigh's books have been adapted beyond the page, with the Old Tombooks becoming an animated ABC cartoon TV series (1998-2002) and Mr Chicken Goes To Paris becoming a play adapted by the National Institute Of Dramatic Art (2012). 

Leigh is best known for the humorous children’s books he writes and illustrates. However, he is also an accomplished artist and part of the Australian artistic and cultural fabric. He also taught art at secondary school for more than two decades and was a freelance contributing cartoonist for The Age newspaper for 15 years.

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Alison Lester is also an Australian illustrator and children's book author and former Australian Children's Laureate.

Morris Gleitzman was named Australian Children's Laureate for 2018 and 2019.

About The Garret

The Garret is committed to accessibility and education. The transcript and interactive show notes of Leigh's interview are available at www.thegarretpodcast.com/leigh-hobbs.