From Elisa with Advice & Kangaroos; Lessons from a Creative Life

Elisabeth MacIntyre (1916 - 2004) — called Australia’s best-known picture book writer and illustrator by The Sydney Morning Herald in 1966 — travelled the outback the hard way, won awards for her children’s books and wrote YA novels set in three different countries. Yet nothing in her life came easily.

Elisa’s story is about finding ways to thrive despite the hardships she faced: an absent father, an incompatible marriage, never much money and – perhaps her biggest challenge – profound deafness. Her struggles to gain both creative and personal self-confidence are told here in her own words, with humour and compassion, and illustrated by her distinctive and charming artwork. Filled with insights and advice about art, creativity and living life to the fullest, this is a fascinating memoir of an unconventional, adventurous and uniquely Australian life.

Jane Eldershaw's books have been translated into German, Spanish, Arabic and Estonian.