Our Country: Where History Happened

About the Author

Mark Greenwood is a history hunter. His award-winning books include The Legend of Lasseter’s Reef and The Legend of Moondyne Joe, both winners of the West Australian Premier’s Book Award. Mark often teams with his wife, illustrator Frané Lessac, to produce titles such as Midnight – the story of a light horse, Ned Kelly & The Green Sash and Simpson and His Donkey, a CBCA Honour Book and a USBBY Outstanding International Book. Jandamarra, illustrated by Terry Denton, was shortlisted for the CBCA Eve Pownall Award, the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature and the West Australian Young Readers’ Book Awards. The Happiness Box, illustrated by Andrew McLean, was a 2019 CBCA Honour book.

Frané Lessac is an author and illustrator of international renown, having nearly fifty children’s books published throughout the world. She was born in the USA and lived on the Caribbean island of Montserrat, as well as in London, before moving to Australia. Frané loves to travel and create books based on her worldwide journeys. She has contributed her distinctive paintings to many critically acclaimed children’s picture books including, The Legend of Moondyne Joe which won the West Australian Premier’s Children’s Book Award, and Simpson and His Donkey, a CBCA Honour Book that was also selected as a USBBY Outstanding International Book. In 2019, We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga, written by Traci Sorell, was awarded the Robert F. Sibert Honor Book Honor medal, the Orbis Pictus Honor Book medal and the Boston Globe Horn Book Honor medal.