Hazel Edwards is an Australian author of children's literature, including There's a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake (1980).

Early life and education

Melbourne-born and based, Hazel Edwards attended Ashburton Primary and Camberwell High School, graduating in 1961.

Career

After working in a bank and studying at night, Edwards entered Toorak Teachers' College. She taught at Westall High School and was invited to lecture at Frankston Teachers' College while studying at Monash University at night. Later she lectured in children's literature and psychology at Toorak Teachers' College, and the Institute of Early Childhood Development, then became a freelance author-lecturer after the publication of 'General Store' (1977) and There's a Hippopotamus On Our Roof Eating Cake (1980) which toured nationally with Garry Ginivan productions as 'Hippo Hippo the Musical' (2016). As 2001 Australian Antarctic Division writer, awarded the Antarctic Fellowship, Edwards travelled to Casey Station, Antarctica on the Polar Bird. Literary output based on her experience includes Antarctica's Frozen Chosen (a young adult eco-thriller), Antarctic Writer on Ice (her expedition diary), Antarctic Dad (a picture book), Right or Wrong (a play co-written with fellow author Goldie Alexander), Grandma Leaps the Antarctic (an Auslan-signed DVD) and Antarctic Closeup, a National Museum initiative. Edwards was a 2012 National Year of Reading Ambassador, and has been a director on the Australian Society of Authors’ board. In 2010, Edwards wrote the young adult novel f2m; the boy within with co-author Ryan Kennedy about transitioning from female to male. In 2018, she launched her book Like Me about a child involved in the Yarra Plenty Regional Library's literacy program "Doggy Tales". Her 2016 novel Hijabi Girl, co-written with Ozge Allan, is about a diverse group of school friends in modern Australia, and has been turned into a musical puppet show. May 2024 Wisepreneurs Podcast Episode https://www.wisepreneurs.au/a-lifes-work-hazel-edwards-oam-extraordinary-writing-journey/ Hazel Edwards OAM website https://hazeledwards.com/

Awards and honours

Published works

Cake Eating Hippo series

Antarctic related works

Works in collections

The National Centre for Australian Children's Literature has a finding aid for Edwards, which includes a detailed bibliography.