CHRIS CHENG
Chris worked as a teacher before moving to Taronga Zoo in 1987 where he worked in education and public relations. He was at Taronga for 8 years before becoming National Children's Development Manager at Dymocks. Chris then spent a total of 6 years at Purdue University, Indiana, USA working in a science laboratory as the Education Advisor for the BioScope Initiative, a science based CDROM project. Back in Australia he is now writing full time, conducting workshops and visiting schools. In 2007 Chris is the Literacy Ambassador for the Federal Government’s Literacy and Numeracy Week Initiative.

Chris has acquired an extremely broad knowledge of children's books and teachers' needs and is published widely. His work includes teachers' resource packs, articles, songs and many books for trade and education publishers, including Scholastic’s Eyespy series - Rainforest Animals, Party Animals, Endangered Animals and Night Creatures, as well as Rainforests and Alpine Regions, for Heinemann’s Ecosystems of Australia series. He is well known for One Child, illustrated by Steven Woolman, described by reviewer Margaret Dunkle as 'a thinking, caring message in picture book format'. This book was winner of the Wilderness Society Environment Award for Children's Literature (Australia), Skipping Stones Picture Book of the Year (USA), nominated as a Notable Book by the CBC and shortlisted for the Koala Awards. Chris's other titles include Zoo You Later, a collection of funny animal escape stories he gathered at the zoo, and is illustrated by well known cartoonist Kerry Millard.

His latest book is the historical novel New Gold Mountain, published by Scholastic Australia in the My Australian Story series, exploring the racially-based conflicts on the New South Wales goldfields, during the 1860s. In 2007 Chris has a number of new titles being published including The Melting Pot (My Australian Story series), a novel exploring the impact of the Immigration Restriction Act on the Sydney's Chinese community in 1903-4. Other titles include The Sewing Basket (continuing his exploration of Chinese people in early Australia), Locally Wild, and 30 Amazing Australian Animals.

Teaching notes for some of Chris’ books are available on his website.

Since 1992 Chris has been a regular guest at book fairs, libraries, schools and children's book events, including Nestlé Write Around Australia, the Sydney Writers’ Festival and has been a mentor for The Children’s Book Council Frustrated Writers competition. He has been a judge of the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and he holds a Master of Arts in Children's Literature at Macquarie University,

He is a popular speaker, panelist and presenter for both children and adults. He has also presented talks both here in Australia and in American Universities on Australian Children’s Literature and being a children’s author. In 2000 he participated in the Read Around Australia Celebration Day. He has appeared on television and radio on a number of occasions. He has also hosted and MC’d many children’s literature functions including those for NSW CBC branches and the 2006 National Literacy and Numeracy Week luncheon. From 2004-2006 Chris was a National Champion for Literacy and Numeracy Week joining in the Simultaneous Reading time and other activities.
 
Chris says 'I have the best job in the world … and I rather enjoy talking about it! I have many stories to tell. Kids are fantastic. I love their honesty, their openness and they are real. I get a huge buzz from writing and making it fun for kids – which I never thought it could be at school. I love sharing some of that fun and the joy of writing and the game of playing with words to the kids I work with.'
 
Chris is happy to discuss school needs and requirements and fit in where appropriate. His visits and writing workshops include the writing process; his work; writing historical fiction and the processes involved in research. He is also available for seminars and conferences.
 
Chris lives with his wife in Sydney and lots of the inner city animal life. He rather enjoys a fine latte in the King Street coffee shops.

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