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Deborah Abela
Author, Online - Virtual Visits
Dip Teach, BA (Comm)
Children’s Author
After completing a teaching degree, Deb went to Africa where she was caught in a desert sandstorm, harassed by monkeys and thrown in jail…twice! She produced and wrote a national kids’ TV show before leaving to become an award-winning, internationally published author. Her books include the Max Remy Superspy series and her best-selling, climate change trilogy, Grimsdon, New City and Final Storm. The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee and The Most Marvellous Spelling Bee Mystery were inspired by Deb’s stupendous grade 4 teacher. Her latest picture books are the CBCA Notable, Bear in Space and No More Room in the Bed. Her CBCA notable novel, The Book of Wondrous Possibilities, is about how books can save us when we feel lost and her latest novel is The Kindness Project, where four kids try to change the world with a school project.
Deb’s presentations are informative, interactive and fun. As a trained teacher, Deb loves leading author talks and writing workshops for the reluctant writer to the gifted and talented. She also presents at staff development days, sharing ideas on activities to get kids excited about writing. Deb’s won awards for her books but mostly hopes to be as brave as her characters.
Click below to see a video for Deb’s very popular online school visits.
For teachers’ notes on Deborah’s books click here.
Deb’s latest awards include:
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2024 Shortlisted REAL Awards (Kid’s Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT) The Book of Wondrous Possibilities
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2023 Shortlisted REAL Awards (Kid’s Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT) The Book of Wondrous Possibilities
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2023 Notables The Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards The Book of Wondrous Possibilities
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2023 Shortlisted REAL Awards (Kid’s Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT) New City
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2023 Speech Pathology Book of the Year Awards The Book of Wondrous Possibilities
- 2021 CBCA Notable, Bear in Space
- 2021 Best Book in Translation, Malta, Bear in Space
- 2021 REAL Awards (Kid’s Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT) Final Storm shortlisted (3rd book Grimsdon Trilogy)
- 2020 REAL Awards (Kid’s Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT) New City shortlisted (2nd book Grimsdon Trilogy)
- 2020 Best Book in Translation, Malta, The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee
- 2019 Shortlisted REAL Awards (Kid’s Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT) The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee
- 2018 REAL Awards (Kid’s Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT) Grimsdon
- 2017 REAL Awards (Kid’s Choice Victoria, NT, NSW, ACT) Grimsdon
- 2017 Teresa: A New AustralianShortlisted for WAYBRA Awards WA
- 2017 Teresa: A New AustralianBest Book in Translation, Malta
- 2017 KOALA Legend award
- 2017 The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee– Australian Family Therapists Awards
To check out Deborah’s latest awards https://www.deborahabela.com/debs-awards
See videos of Deb’s other books https://www.deborahabela.com/videos
Below is the video for Deb’s picture book, Bear in Space, a story about being different and finding friends who love you just the way you are.
Testimonials
Deborah was engaging, funny, attentive and talented. I couldn’t recommend her highly enough. No one wanted the writing workshop to end! I would love to have her return for an author talk in the future.
Deborah Abela was absolutely amazing. She was engaging, funny and considerate of her audience. Deborah entertained all of our students in different sessions and ignited passion for reading and writing from Prep to Yr6. Brilliant! Thank you Deborah Abela.
Deb Abela’s presentation to the Years 3 – 6 students was nothing short of awesome! Her engaging style not only captured the students’ attention but also ignited their enthusiasm for reading her books. I highly recommend Deborah Abela if you are considering an author visit in the future. She undoubtedly left a lasting, positive impression on our students.
Thank you so very much for your BRILLIANT presentation. Your enthusiasm, passion and pure joy about writing and all things book related, was so infectious we had all the students and staff just buzzing!
We so appreciated your enthusiasm and energy in our classes today. The students loved your sessions and were so inspired to go back to their own stories – and there were, of course, so many requests for your books!
Without exception every teacher and child who was part of your ZOOM visit to our school was excited and impressed by your energetic, well-prepared and fun talk. Thank you so much!!!!!!
Hi Deb, The kids AND the staff have absolutely loved working with you! Excitement levels have been very high! I can’t believe we’ve never done this virtually before!!
‘What an amazing opportunity for our students Deb! Thank you so, so much. The engagement was high level and our students haven’t stopped sharing their ideas and writing.’
You were incredibly engaging, interesting and educational. So very inspiring to all of us. I actually don’t think I have ever seen the children so completely absorbed. The four adults in the room all looked at each other afterwards and said we had goose bumps!