Jackie French is one of Australia's best loved story-tellers. She has written over 200 books across a variety of genres from children's picture books, to chapter books for middle-grade readers, young adult novels and adult fiction along with a swag of non-fiction titles.

Jackie's writing and services to Australian literature and literacy has earned her over 60 book awards. And in 2016, Jackie's work was recognised with the award of Member of the Order of Australia. She was Australian Children's Laureate for 2014-2015 and Australian Senior of the Year in 2015.

In the southern summer of 2019/2020, when Australia was ravaged by devastating bushfires, Jackie almost lost her family home. Much of the land around her property was burnt before a flood reached them making their property the main source of food and water for hundreds of animals such as wombats, quolls, possums, owls and wallabies to name a few.

Inspired by the survival of one wombat who walked out of the fires on charcoaled feet onto her property, weak with thirst and hunger, Jackie penned her latest children's picture book.

The book is called "The Fire Wombat" (published by HarperCollins). A brilliant story of survival which was beautifully illustrated by Danny Snell.

And I was thrilled to have the opportunity to chat to Jackie about this book and so much more. A fun and wide-ranging chat covering wombats, dyslexia, bushfires and the power of catastrophes to bring humans and animals together, this is an interview you shouldn't miss.