Corinne Fenton Shares Her Love For Picture Books

Corinne Fenton is the author of 25 books for children but her passion is picture books about social history. Her classic picture book Queenie: One Elephant’s Story, illustrated by Peter Gouldthorpe, was an Honour Book in the 2007 Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year Awards. The Dog on the Tuckerbox, also illustrated by Gouldthorpe, was named a Notable Book in two categories of the 2009 CBCA Awards. Flame Stands Waiting, illustrated by Sebastian Ciaffaglione, was on the 2011 Queensland Premier’s Reading Challenge. Corinne has also published many educational books, some translated into other languages.

For me the best way I can describe my passion for picture books is by reminding everyone that picture books can be read and shared by 0–95 year olds. I regularly speak to babies and pre-school groups about my picture book Hey Baby! and, at the other end of the spectrum, to seniors groups about Queenie: One Elephant's Story, The Dog on the Tuckerbox and Flame Stands Waiting.

Whether it's the joy of watching a baby smile at the images of baby animals (in Hey Baby!) or watching an elderly lady sigh as she remembers her ride on Queenie, 80 years ago, the feeling for me is the same. Only picture books can do that.