The Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation (ACLF) is thrilled to announce Australian children’s author Andy Griffiths as the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2026 and 2027. Andy will be officially introduced as the ninth Australian Children’s Laureate during an online announcement on Tuesday, 10 February 2026 at 12.00pm AEDT. He will then launch his Laureate Program at a special ceremony at the State Library of NSW on Tuesday, 24 February at 12:00pm AEDT to a live audience of children, invited guests and streamed online around Australia.
Speaking of his appointment, Andy said, “I am honoured to have been chosen as the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2026-2027. My passion for connecting children to the power of books, reading and literacy has been the driving force for my work as a children’s author over the past three decades and the Laureateship is both an opportunity to extend that work and, at the same time, to be a proud representative and advocate for the vibrant community of equally passionate Australian children’s book creators.”
The Children’s Laureate is the national ambassador for reading and Australian children’s literature, championing important issues affecting the entire industry, including creators, reading advocates, educators, librarians, booksellers and publishers. Appointed every two years to promote the importance and transformational power of reading, imagination and story in the lives of young Australians, the Children’s Laureate spends extensive time speaking directly with children, families, education specialists, government ministers and librarians, in both metropolitan and regional communities across the country.
Every Laureate has a mission for their two-year term. Andy’s mission statement for 2026 and 2027 is Reading is an Adventure.
“Reading has always been an adventure to me,” Andy said. “As a child, books were like portals to other worlds that I might never otherwise have visited—or even imagined. As Australian Children’s Laureate for 2026 and 2027, I’m looking forward to travelling to every state and territory to share some of my favourite ways to have adventures with words, pictures and ideas in the hope that I can encourage as many young people as possible to experience the horizon-expanding and life-enhancing joys of reading, writing, drawing and imaginative play.”
The Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation (ACLF) is a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2008. Since launching the first Laureateship in 2012, this important role has been held by Australian children’s literature powerhouses including Gabrielle Wang, Alison Lester, Jackie French, Leigh Hobbs, Morris Gleitzman, Boori Monty Pryor, Ursula Dubosarsky and outgoing Laureate, Sally Rippin. Children’s Laureates are active in Italy, The Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden and Wales. There are Reading Ambassadors in New Zealand and the United States.
Andy’s new book LET’S GO, a writing and drawing book, will be released on 24 February 2026 through Pan Macmillan to coincide with the start of his Laureate term. For more information on Andy please visit https://andygriffiths.com.au/
For further information on the Australian Children’s Laureate please visit www.childrenslaureate.org.au.
