Biography

Mem Fox was born in Australia, grew up in Africa, studied drama in England and returned to Adelaide in 1970 where she has lived happily ever after with husband Malcolm and daughter Chloë. She is one of Australia’s most highly regarded picture-book authors. Her first book, Possum Magic, has sold over three million copies and is the highest selling children’s book ever in Australia. Her title Time for Bed is on Oprah’s ‘twenty best children’s books of all time’ and has sold over one million copies in the US alone. She has written 30 picture books for children and five non-fiction books for adults, including the bestselling Reading Magic, aimed at parents of very young children.

Mem Fox was an associate professor in Literacy Studies at Flinders University in Adelaide for 24 years until her early retirement in 1996. She has received many civic awards, honours and accolades in Australia, including two honorary doctorates. She has visited the United States over 100 times as a literacy expert and well-known author. She is an influential international consultant in literacy – but pretends to sit around writing full-time. [updated 3rd Feb, 2009]

Possum Magic | Hattie and the Fox | Harriet, You'll Drive Me Wild! | Time for Bed [Board Book] |Boo to a Goose| Where is the Green Sheep?

Bibliography

Possum Magic (1983) illustrated by Julie Vivas

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge (1984) illustrated by Julie Vivas

A Cat called Kite (1985) illustrated by K. Hawley

Zoo-Looking (1986) illustrated by Rodney McRae

Arabella, the Smallest Girl in the World (1986) illustrated by Vicky Kitanov

Hattie and the Fox (1986) illustrated by Patricia Mullins

Just Like That (1986) with Kilmeny Niland

Sail Away: The Ballad of Skip and Nell (1986) illustrated by Pamela Lofts

The Straight Line Wonder (1987) illustrated by Meredith Thomas

A Bedtime Story (1987) illustrated by Sisca Verwoert

Goodnight Sleep Tight (1988) illustrated by Helen Semmler

Guess What? (1988) with Vivienne Goodman

Koala Lou (1988) illustrated by Pamela Lofts

With Love at Christmas (1988) illustrated by Fay Plamka

Night Noises (1989) illustrated by Terry Denton

Feathers and Fools (1989) illustrated by Lorraine Ellis

Shoes from Grandpa (1989) illustrated by Patricia Mullins

Sophie (1989) illustrated by Craig Smith

Time for Bed (1993) illustrated by Jane Dyer

Tough Boris (1994) illustrated by Kathryn Brown

Wombat Divine (1995) illustrated by Kerry Argent

Boo to a Goose (1996) illustrated by David Miller

Whoever You Are (1998) illustrated by Leslie Staub

Sleepy Bears (1999) illustrated by Kerry Argent

Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild! (2000) illustrated by Marla Frazee

The Magic Hat (2002) illustrated by Tricia Tusa

Where Is The Green Sheep? (2004) illustrated by Judy Horacek

Hunwick’s Egg (2005) illustrated by Pamela Lofts

Fairy, Fairy Quite Contrary (2005) illustrated by Greg Swearingen* Where the Giant Sleeps (2007) pictures by Vladimir Radunsky

"Ten Little Fingers & Ten Little Toes" illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (Sept. 2008)

Non-fiction

Thereby Hangs a Tale (1980)

How to Teach Drama to Infants Without Really Crying (Australian title) (1984) (Teaching Drama to Young Children (USA title) (1987))

Mem’s the Word (1990 - Australian title) (Dear Mem Fox (1992 - USA title)

English essentials : the wouldn’t-be-without-it guide to writing well (1993) with Lyn Wilkinson

Memories : an autobiography (1992)

Radical reflections : passionate opinions on teaching, learning, and living (1993)

Reading Magic (2001)