NSW Premier's Reading Challenge 2026 author interviews

Join Tilly from Lindfield Public School as she chats with much-loved Australian author R.A. Spratt in this lively student-led conversation, recorded backstage at the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival.

R.A. Spratt is the author of some of Australia’s funniest and most memorable children’s books, including the Nanny Piggins, Friday Barnes and The Peski Kids series. In this entertaining conversation, she discusses her approach to writing, the characters and stories that have captured her readers’ imaginations, and what keeps her returning to books that make children laugh.

This conversation explores R.A.’s journey as an author, her love of humour, and the importance of creating stories that keep readers turning the pages. She also offers advice and encouragement for young people who dream of becoming writers themselves.

A huge thank you to the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival team for making this special student interview possible.

Jasmine from Lindfield Public School sits down for a student-led interview with fantasy author Yxavel Magno Diño to uncover the inspiration behind her writing journey and her thoughts on reading, recorded backstage at the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival.

Yxavel shares insights into her creative journey and the ideas, experiences, and inspirations that shape her work. She discusses how her Filipino background influences her writing and the folklore she has incorporated into building her fantasy worlds, including some interesting monsters.

She reflects on her relationship with reading and her thoughts on finding the perfect book to represent every reader. This conversation offers an inspiring glimpse into the work behind the books and encouragement for young readers and budding creators.

A big thank you to the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival team for making this wonderful interview possible.

In this entertaining student-led interview, Lindfield Public School student Noah chats with bestselling authors Matt Cosgrove and Eva Amores about reading, writing, illustrating, and costume choices, recorded backstage at the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival.

Matt and Eva share insights into their creative processes and the ideas behind their popular books, exploring how stories grow from those first sparks of an idea into finished books and why they think reading is so important.

From characters and comedy to superhero powers and the challenges of creating stories that connect with young readers, Matt and Eva offer behind-the-scenes insights into their work, along with encouragement for readers who might be thinking about creating their own stories.

A huge thank you to the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival team for making this special interview possible.

Join Amara from Lindfield Public School as she speaks with bestselling Australian author Kate Forster in this thoughtful student-led conversation, recorded backstage at the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival.

Kate shares insights into her journey as a writer and the experiences and ideas that inspire her stories. She talks about the importance of representation in children's books and explains her choice to include characters with autism in many of her works.

The conversation offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at her creative life, with Kate reflecting on reading, writing, and the importance of finding stories that speak to you. She also shares her love of dogs and how it has influenced her writing, particularly her Harriet Hound series. 

A big thank you to the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival team for making this conversation possible.

Lindfield Public School student Ryan heads backstage at the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival to interview author and illustrator Mick Elliott in this enthusiastic and creative student-led conversation.

Mick shares the stories and inspirations behind his books and talks about his distinctive approach to combining humour, illustration and storytelling. He reflects on how he felt about reading as a child and what makes him want to write books for young people.

The conversation also offers a glimpse into a few of Mick’s favourite things, his most-read books, and how he got into writing. With plenty of encouragement for readers and aspiring creators, this is a fun behind-the-scenes look at the author, the imagination and the work that goes into creating books.

A huge thank you to the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival team for making this special student interview possible.

Join Evangeline from Galston High School as she chats with award-winning author Tristan Bancks in this engaging student-led conversation, recorded backstage at the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival.

Tristan talks about his much-loved books, including Two Wolves, Detention, Scar Town and his latest middle-grade thriller, Raised by Wolves, the sequel to Two Wolves. He also shares the books and stories that have stayed with him as a reader and what he looks for in a great page-turner.

Evangeline asks Tristan about his experiences as a reader and what led him into writing. This conversation is full of personal insights, reading recommendations, and some challenging questions about what Tristan would choose if he faced the same decisions as some of his characters.

A huge thank you to the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival team for making this special student interview possible.

Gabrielle from Galston High School sits down for an interview with bestselling Australian author Amy Doak in this exciting student-led conversation, recorded backstage at the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival.

Amy is the author of the incredibly popular mystery series Eleanor Jones and the YA thriller What Have They Done to Liza McLean? The conversation takes a closer look at Amy's life as a reader, the books she loved growing up and the stories she recommends to young readers. Gabrielle also asks about Amy's own characters, her love of mysteries and what inspired her to fill her books with secrets, danger and plenty of twists.

With great reading recommendations and plenty of personal stories along the way, this is a fun introduction to the author behind some of Australia's most popular YA mysteries.

A big thank you to the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival team for making this conversation possible.

In this student-led interview, Rachel from Galston High School gets to know author Jasmin McGaughey and finds out about the themes and inspirations behind her YA fantasy novel Moonlight and Dust, recorded backstage at the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival.

Jasmin chats about her love of reading and what motivated her move into fantasy writing for teens. She also discusses the importance of diverse representation in YA literature, and the different kinds of readers and stories that inspire her. From favourite reads to personal experiences and recommendations for young readers, this relaxed conversation takes you behind the books and into the author's mind. Jasmin’s enthusiasm for books shines through as she shares insight into her writing process and her passions.

A huge thank you to the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival team for making this special student interview possible.

Go behind the scenes at the 2026 Sydney Writers' Festival with student interviewer Paige from Galston High School as she sits down to interview YA romance author Alexandra Moody. Alexandra shares what she likes about reading and writing romance and the stories she would recommend to readers looking for their next romantic read.

Alexandra writes romance for young adults and has published more than twenty novels, including Rival Darling, Grumpy Darling and the latest instalment in her Darling Devils series, Wild Darling. Her books explore romance, friendship, ambition and self-discovery, with her newest stories taking readers into the world of high-stakes YA ice hockey romance.

In her interview, Alexandra shares some of the books she enjoys, what she likes about reading and writing romance and the experiences that have shaped her journey as an author. She also discusses her favourite characters, what she enjoys most about being an author and the stories she would recommend to readers looking for their next romantic read.

A big thank you to the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival team for making this conversation possible.

Join Izzy from Galston High School as she leads a fascinating interview with UK author Josh Silver about his thrilling YA dystopias and the experiences that led him into a career in writing, recorded backstage at the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival.

In this student-led interview, Josh talks about the books and reading experiences that have stayed with him, his favourite stories and what he enjoys discovering as a reader. He also discusses his journey from acting to writing and how working with young people as a mental health nurse influenced his writing in HappyHead and Traumaland. With details on his world building and the reasons he was drawn to dystopian worlds, this interview provides insight and inspiration for both current readers and aspiring young writers.

A huge thank you to the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival team for making this special student interview possible.