Since being handed a tin of chalk to draw on her grandparents’ concrete paths at 2 years of age, Mandy has never stopped drawing. In between then and now, she has completed a Bachelor of Design (Illustration), illustrated for the Adelaide Zoo Education Service for 12 years (drawing enough animals to fill an encyclopedia), may have hung out with Anacondas, all in the name of research (until they got too friendly), received a heartfelt letter from Sir David Attenborough and went mustering in Outback Australia where fly sandwiches are a real thing!

She is an award-winning Author and Illustrator of 28 children’s books, PBParty Finalist 2024, an Ambassador for Raising Literacy Australia, SCBWI SA Illustrator Coordinator, mentor and an accomplished presenter, sharing her passion in schools and at Children’s Literature Festivals. With 2 border collies under her feet in her Adelaide Hills studio, she loves to paint traditionally, particularly animals in watercolour and marvelling at all the happy accidents this medium creates.

Her books include the Children’s Book Council of Australia Honour Book 2023 and SCBWI Crystal Kite Winner 2023, Bev and Kev and the heart-warming Joey and Riley and Lucy and Copper (both titles as Author and Illustrator)