Alison Lester's studio, located in Nar Nar Goon, an hour southeast of Melbourne, reflects her long-standing affinity for nature, which pervades her picture books. The studio features a drafting table adorned with paint palettes, brushes, and sketches, set against the backdrop of her garden and a paddock where her four ponies—Lily, Honey, Tom, and Sailor—grazed. Two guinea fowl also roam freely around the area.
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Lester, one of Australia’s first children’s laureates, shares that she rarely draws entirely outdoors. Instead, she absorbs her surroundings and later translates those memories onto paper. Her studio walls showcase a variety of art collected over time, including a linocut from South America and originals from her acclaimed career spanning over four decades.
Four of her 50-plus books are finalists in Guardian Australia’s best children’s picture book poll. Lester expressed her surprise at having multiple nominations, stating, “I would be happy to have one, but to have four seems to be a bit of a miracle.”
Recently, Lester returned from a trip to South Gippsland, where she operates a gallery and gift shop in Fish Creek. Her childhood experiences on a coastal farm are captured in her 1992 book, My Farm. Summers spent at Walkerville South, a locale near Wilsons Promontory, inspired her beloved work, Magic Beach, which has sold over 500,000 copies and is set to be adapted into a feature film in 2024. Although its success grew slowly, she believes the book’s strong Australian roots contribute to its enduring appeal.
Lester often incorporates animals from her life into her art. She mentions her cats and dogs, particularly the late Bigsy, who inspired a 2022 publication. Her distinctive illustration style features cheerful, soft pencil drawings that she describes as looking like “a stuffed toy.” She primarily draws by hand and photocopies her sketches onto watercolor paper, having found digital art challenging.
The concept for Kissed by the Moon emerged during a full moon night, inspiring her to reflect on the valuable gifts the natural world offers to children. While she holds a deep connection to several of her books, she admits that Kissed by the Moon is her favorite.
Lester's journey as a children’s author began in 1985 with Clive Eats Alligators. Now, she is finalizing her latest work, Nicky Catches Koalas, which features children helping endangered animals worldwide. Her passion for nature and storytelling continues to flourish as she explores diverse wildlife and conservation efforts in her art.