In the tranquil setting of her home studio in Nar Nar Goon, a town nestled an hour south-east of Melbourne, the celebrated Australian children's book author and illustrator Alison Lester creates the enchanting worlds that have captivated young readers for decades. Surrounded by her dog Poppy and ponies Lily and Honey, Lester's creative sanctuary is a testament to her deep connection with nature, which permeates every page of her beloved picture books.
The Idyllic Studio and Creative Process
Alison Lester's drafting table, adorned with paint palettes, brushes, and preliminary sketches, offers a picturesque view of her garden and the paddock beyond where her four ponies graze. This art-filled environment is where the doyenne of Australian children's literature brings her illustrations to life. "I hardly ever draw when I'm outside," Lester reveals. "I tend to just be out there in nature and then remember it ... and then I do my version of it."
The walls of her studio are lined with a collection of artwork gathered from travels across the globe, including a linocut from South America and a watercolour from Mount Sonder in the Northern Territory. Among these treasures are original illustrations from her prolific four-decade career, such as a piece from the 2013 book Kissed by the Moon, depicting a baby smiling among flowers. A distinctive broad-brimmed watermelon hat hangs in a corner, a recurring motif in both Are We There Yet? and the 1990 classic Magic Beach.
Magic Beach: A Wild and Woolly Inspiration
The much-loved picture book Magic Beach was born from Lester's childhood summers at Walkerville South, a rugged stretch of coastline near Wilsons Promontory. "It's very wild and woolly," she describes. "It's on the edge of Bass Strait, so you get big storms coming through. But I guess it's like any place that you know so well, that you've been wandering around since you were a little kid, that you have your favourite little spots."
Originally, the story centred on a girl named Meg who believes in a mermaid at the beach. "I still really love that story," Lester admits. "It's got a very sweet ending." However, her editor suggested broadening the focus, leading to the book's collective chorus that imagines adventures "at our beach, our magic beach." Despite selling over 500,000 copies and being adapted into a 2024 feature film, its success was a gradual process that bolstered Lester's confidence in her artistic vision.
Distinctive Style and Improvised Creativity
Alison Lester's illustrations are instantly recognisable for their softly grainy pencil drawings of cheerful characters and animals. "I think everything I do looks a little bit like a stuffed toy," she remarks with a smile. Her creative process begins with hand-drawn sketches using a 2B or 6B pencil, which are then photocopied onto watercolour paper. "I've tried to be a digital artist, but I'm really just terrible at it," Lester confesses.
Her readiness to improvise is exemplified by a memorable moment on a flight from Perth, where an idea for the child in Kissed by the Moon struck her. "All I could find to draw on was the air sick bag," she recalls. That vomit bag, now preserved in the archives of the National Centre for Australian Children's Literature, underscores her spontaneous approach to creativity.
Personal Favourites and Enduring Legacy
While books about family, such as Magic Beach, Are We There Yet?, and My Farm, hold a special place in her heart, Lester openly admits that Kissed by the Moon is her favourite. The concept came to her one night under a full moon: "I was running through this dappled moonlight, and I thought: this is kind of like being kissed by the moon." She reflects on the natural world's gifts to children, emphasising their value beyond material possessions.
Lester's career began in 1985 with Clive Eats Alligators, following stints as a secondary art teacher and illustrator for other authors. Now, over forty years later, she is completing the final instalment in a series, Nicky Catches Koalas, which follows children helping endangered animals worldwide. "I have been working on this for easily 10 years," she shares, highlighting her dedication to conservation themes.
With four of her fifty-odd books as finalists in Guardian Australia's best children's picture book poll, Lester expresses humble amazement. "I would be happy to have one, but to have four seems to be a bit of a miracle," she says. Her work continues to resonate across generations, with Magic Beach particularly cherished for its quintessentially Australian portrayal of coastal summers. "Of all the books, it hasn't been translated many times," she notes. "I think it's very Aussie."
In her studio, surrounded by sketches of sloths, Mexican wolves, and white seahorses, Lester's passion for the natural world remains undimmed. "I love the natural world and being part of it," she affirms, a sentiment that continues to inspire her timeless contributions to children's literature.
