Tune in live on YouTube on Thurday 16 July (7pm NZ / 5pm SYD / 3pm HK / 8am UK / 3am NYC (Weds)) to hear from authors Y.Y. Chan, Jean Lau, and Claire Mabey as they discuss their writer journeys and lives, what drew them to writing kid lit, and why they think kid lit is not just for kids but for everyone.
Can’t tune in live? Full recording will be available to catch up on YouTube later. Make sure you’ve subscribed so you don’t miss a thing!
Y. Y. CHAN
Y. Y. Chan is a multi-award-winning children’s book author based in Hong Kong. In 2020, she made a New Year’s Resolution to write and publish a book and has not looked back since. Her first two books have each received international book awards.
As a child, Chan grew up in sunny Brisbane, Australia. After graduating from university with First Class Honours in Primary Education, she returned to Hong Kong to teach English. She also has an M.A. in English Language Teaching, and has been teaching English for over ten years.
When her father passed away, she took a break from teaching to travel, read, and write. She now tutors English, works freelance as an editor, writer, and instructor for various educational institutes, and runs writing workshops. When she is not writing or teaching, she is either reading or looking for more books to add to her overflowing bookshelf.
To see news and updates on her work, visit https://www.yychani.com. You can also send an email to yy@yychani.com to let her know what you think of her books.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yychanauthor
Instagram: @yychan_author
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/yychan_author
JEAN LAU
I'm a proud mum, English teacher and author from Liverpool, UK.
I wrote The Super Quirks to raise awareness of ADHD in a humorous and relatable way. To show children what makes you different can also make you powerful. Each of us has a unique talent waiting to be discovered, nurtured and shared with the world, just like The Super Quirks!
The Super Quirks (ages 5-9) are three funny, adorable, superhero animals who are different! They have the strongest friendship and the kindest hearts. Using their unique superpowers and working as a team, The Super Quirks save the day!
The book series was inspired by my wonderful son, who has ADHD.
Website: www.superquirks.com
Instagram: @thesuperquirks
CLAIRE MABEY
Claire Mabey is writer, founder of Verb Wellington, LitCrawl Wellington and books editor at The Spinoff. Her first novel, The Raven's Eye Runaways, published by Allen & Unwin, is a middle grade adventure novel about the magic of books, the importance of friendship and the secrets buried deep in families. The sequel, The Raven's Eye Rebellion, was published in April 2026.
Claire is also a book reviewer on RNZ and on The Bookshelf podcast on the ABC; when she has a spare few minutes she writes a sporadic Substack newsletter called Domestic Animals.
Claire is mum to Charlie and lives by the wild South Coast in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Her first picture book, Cass and the Beast, is out in August 2026.
Website: https://www.clairemabey.com
Instagram: @clairemabey
Bluesky: @clairemabey.bsky.social