Christopher Cheng

Christopher Cheng is the award winning author of more than 40 children’s books in print and digital formats. The picture book New Year Surprise! is his latest publication. Other titles include the picture books One child, Sounds Spooky and Water, the historical fiction titles New Gold Mountain and the Melting Pot and the non fiction titles 30 Amazing Australian Animals and Australia’s Greatest Inventions and Innovations. His narrative non-fiction picture book Python, was shortlisted in the 2013 Children’s Book Council of the Year awards, and was listed as of “Outstanding Merit” in the 2014 edition of Best Books of the Year for Children and Young Adults, selected by the Bank Street College of Education Children’s Book Committee. In addition to his books, Christopher writes articles for online ezines and blogs and he wrote the libretto for a children’s musical.

He is co-chair of the International Advisory Board for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), an International Advisory Board Member for the Asian Festival of Children’s Content (AFCC) and a recipient of the Lady Cutler Award for Children’s Literature. He is also the director of the digital publishing company Sparklight. He presents in schools, conferences and festivals around the world and he established the international peer voted SCBWI Crystal Kite Awards. Christopher is also (along with the wonderful Jackie French) an Ambassador for the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature.

He dwells with his wife in an inner-city Sydney terrace and is often heard to say that he has the best job in the world!

Christopher is an award winning author of many children’s books including non fiction (he once worked in a zoo living with real animals), picture books and Chinese themed historical fiction titles. He wrote the libretto for a children’s musical, is co-chair of the Advisory Board for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), an ambassador for National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature, a recipient of the Lady Cutler Award for Children’s Literature and he presents in schools and at festivals around the world.