Melissa Keil

We’re thrilled to welcome Melissa back for her third year as a Pawsome Stories judge!

Melissa is the author of the Barkly Mansion series, The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl, and Life in Outer Space. She has been recognised in numerous awards including the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, and the teens’ choice Gold Inky Awards.

Melissa loves reading, writing, buying comic books, watching YouTube, and hanging out with her dog, Hugo.

Learn more about Melissa here.

Wendy Orr

With a string of awards and accolades, including the CBCA Book of the Year and Prime Minister’s Award for Children’s Literature, Wendy Orr has written over 40 books for children, teenagers and adults and been published in 29 languages.

She has appeared on some of the biggest conference stages and wrote the first Australian children’s book to be adapted for a Hollywood feature film – Nim’s Island, starring Jodie Foster, who was passionate about the book because it had turned her son into a reader. Wendy believes that every child deserves to find the books that fuel their passion for stories, encourage empathy and connection and empower them for the future.

Her latest book is Honey and the Valley of Horses (Australia), or Out of the Valley of Horses in North America: “A beautifully executed, fantastical what-if tale for right now.” (Kirkus Reviews, Jan 2025)

Learn more about Wendy here.

Dr Liz Walker

Our own Dr Liz Walker, CEO of RSPCA Victoria, joins Pawsome Stories to award the CEO Prize

She was inspired to become a veterinarian through a deep love of animals that started with her childhood companions, Hamish the Cocker Spaniel and Melody, the lovable but slightly grumpy cat.

Her two cats, Mumicat and Redicat, love to curl up beside her while reading her favourite books – animal stories, of course!