Deborah Abela

Children’s Author, Teacher, Speaker, Workshop Leader
Deborah trained as a teacher and completed a BA (Comm) before becoming writer/producer of a national children’s TV show. She left after 7 years and has since written 28 books for children, including her climate change trilogy, Grimsdon, New City and Final Storm. Teresa A New Australian, was inspired by her dad, who, with a million other refugees, made the journey to Australia after the devastation of WW2. The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee and sequel, The Most Marvellous Spelling Bee Mystery, are dedicated to her grade 4 teacher who inspired her love of words. Her picture books are Wolfie, An Unlikely Hero and the 2021 CBCA Notable Bear in Space. The Book of Wondrous Possibilities (Aug 2022), is a love letter to booksellers, books and librarians about how books can save us when everything feels dark.
Deborah’s awards include CBCA Notables, US IBBY Outstanding International Book Award, Best Book in Translation in Malta, the Maurice Saxby Award for Services to Children’s Literature and many children’s choice awards. She’s been an ambassador for the National Year of Reading, the Premier’s Reading Challenge, the Premier’s Spelling Bee, Room to Read and a role model for Books In Homes.
Deborah has spoken to tens of thousands of children, their teachers and librarians since 2002 at international schools, conferences and festivals across Australia. She is passionate about getting kids excited about books and reading, and equipping teachers with activities to spark a love of writing in their students.
Future Titles
The Book of Wondrous Possibilities,
Published Titles
Bear in Space, Walker Books, 2020
2021 CBCA Notable

Final Storm, 2019, Random House Australia

Wolfie - An Unlikely Hero, 2019, Penguin Australia

The Most Marvellous Spelling Bee Mystery, 2018, Random House Australia

The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee, 2016, Random House Australia
2019 Shortlisted REAL Awards (Kid's Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT)
2017 Australian Family Therapists Awards
2017 Australian Family Therapists Awards

Teresa: A New Australian, 2016, Omnibus Books
2017 WAYRBA (Western Australia Children's Choice Awards)
2017 Best Book in Translation, Malta

New City, 2014, Random House Australia
2015 Honour Book YABBA Awards
2015 Shortlisted KOALA Awards
2020 Shortlisted REAL Awards (Kid's Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT)
2015 Honour Book YABBA Awards
2015 Shortlisted KOALA Awards

Grimsdon, 2010, Random House Australia
2018 Shortlisted REAL Awards (Kid's Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT)
2017 Shortlisted REAL Awards (Kid's Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT)
2012 Shortlisted READ Awards (Kid's Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT)
2011 Speech Pathology Book of the Year Awards
2011 Most Enthralling Junior Fiction Award, Kids Book Review
2011 Shortlisted Aurealis Awards
2011 Shortlisted REAL Awards (Kids Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT)

Jasper Zammit, 2014, Random House Australia

Ghost Club,
Random House Australia
2013 Sisters in Crime Davitt Awards
2015 Shortlisted REAL Awards (Kid's choice Vic, NSW, ACT, NT)



Max Remy, Superspy,
Random House Australia



2005, 2007, 2010 KOALA Awards shortlisted Best Series
2007, 2010 YABBA Awards shortlisted Best Series
2008 Angus & Robertson's Top 50 Kids' Books
2007 Shortlisted CBC Children's Choice Awards (USA)
2007 WAYRBA (Western Australia Children's Choice Awards)
2007 CROC Awards
2006 Annual Ellie Awards, (Madison Alabama, USA - Honor Book)
2005 Winner Gold Oppenheim Award, New York: Max Remy Part 1
2004 Australia Council Literary Grant New Work/Developing Writer
2003 Shortlisted Aurealia Awards: Max Remy The Hollywood Mission
2002, 2003 Winner of Read and Write Award by Vocaleyes Narrator of Audio Books