Old Fellow

About the Author

Within the old (and new) walls of an inner-city Sydney terrace dwells Christopher Cheng. He is the author of many children’s books including his previous Nature storybook title Python (illustrated by Mark Jackson) which was shortlisted for the Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year awards. Passionate about animals, particularly those native to Australia, it's fitting that he established the Zoomobile and taught at Taronga Zoo in Sydney for many years, celebrating his background in education. He has always loved to write (he mostly always carries his notebook and pens) but he never thought he would be a full-time children’s author.


Illustrator Liz Anelli previously lived and worked in England but now resides in Newcastle, NSW. She has a huge passion for drawing and keeps rows of sketchbooks in her studio. In 2017, her book Desert Lake: The Story of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre (written by Pamela Freeman) was a CBCA Notable Book and was short-listed for the NSW Premier’s Literary Award, NSW Premier’s History Awards, the Environment Award for Children’s Literature and the Educational Publishing Awards. Her other picture books with Walker Books include Ten Pound Pom (written by Carole Wilkinson) - shortlisted for CBCA Picture Book of The Year and winner of the Educational Publishing Awards in 2018 - Maddie’s First Day (written by Penny Matthews) as well as Dry to Dry (written by Pamela Freeman) and The Biscuit Maker (written by Sue Lawson), both of which were CBCA Notables.