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About the Author
Josephine Opie was born and raised in a small country town in South Australia, enjoying life on a small ‘mixed’ farm. Obsessed with reading and books, she gained her teaching degree and has taught in juvenile justice and special education schools in South Australia and NSW and across Aboriginal communities in Arnhem Land in Northern Territory. Josephine has always found reasons to write; journals, blogs and children’s books. She self-published her first children’s book, Once Upon a Billabong, inspired by her time living and learning about the people, culture, and flora and fauna of Arnhem Land. This interest continues in The Fancy Dress Ball, where Josephine explores the fauna of the Top End in an engaging and fun way.
About the Illustrator
Billy Rose is a very proud First Nations Autistic young man, living in Oak Flats, NSW. One of six children, Billy was born on the family kitchen floor, just before his twin brother, Darcy. Growing up in a big and busy family in regional NSW, Billy has always had the gift of drawing. He has illustrated his own characters for t-shirts and has sold many at markets across the region. He was employed to design a mascot for PosAbilities, his local neurodiverse support provider, and named him PosaDude. This is Billy’s first time illustrating a children’s book, and he has loved the opportunity to share his art. He is hoping that it will lead on to many more opportunities.