Penguin Books Australia

Penny Matthews is a freelance writer and editor based in Adelaide. She has written three junior novels, several chapter books for beginning readers, and picture books for all age groups. Her picture books include Pudding and Chips (a Children's Book Council of Australia Notable Book in 2005), Little Red Bear (shortlisted for the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards in 2004) and A Year On Our Farm, which was the CBCA's 2003 Book of the Year (Early Childhood) and an Honour Book in the Picture Book of the Year awards. In 2010 Something About Water was joint winner of the Wilderness Society's Environment Award for Children's Literature. A Girl Like Me, her first young adult novel, was also a 2010 CBCA Notable Book and won the Sisters in Crime's 2011 Davitt Award for Young Adult Fiction.

As well as being an author of note, Penny is a much-valued member of the Books for Children and Young Adults team at Penguin Australia.  She co-ordinates and edits the highly regarded Puffin Aussie Bites and Nibbles program.