Tania Ingram
I’ve always loved reading. When I was growing up, I had a terrific Little Golden Book collection. I’d take them down to the chook shed and read to my chickens. I was very lucky to have had a mother who understood the importance of reading (and chickens who didn’t mind being read to!). Without these early experiences, I doubt I would have ever become an author.
Fact File
The best thing about my job:
The best thing about being an author is that I get to spend my days playing in imaginary worlds and sharing my love of words.
My favourite food:
My favourite foods are chilli and chocolate. And especially chilli chocolate!
My favourite colours:
My favourite colours are purple and green. Purple, because it reminds me of all things magical and green, because I love being in nature.
My favourite movie:
This is a hard one because I love so many movies. I am a big fan of Studio Ghibli movies, and I’ll happily watch My Neighbour Totoro over and over.
My favourite book:
I have so many favourite books! How do I choose? One book I adore is The Girl who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill. It’s a wonderful adventure and the language is gorgeous and lyrical. I highly recommend it.
My hero and why:
It’s no surprise that my heroes are mostly writers and poets. If I had to pick one, I’d say Roald Dahl because he gave us so many splendiferous stories.
My favourite possessions:
My favourite possessions would be books, books and more books! I also have a collection of wooden chickens, hand carved by my husband, which are very precious to me.
If I wasn’t doing my current job, I would like to be:
A librarian. I’d love a job where I’m surrounded by books every day.
The most important things in life:
Family, friends and doing things that make you smile.
My Ambassador Reading Tip:
Try something new. People sometimes get stuck in a rut when reading and they limit themselves to the types of books they’ll try. There are so many ways to fall in love with words and stories. Try poetry, graphic novels, verse novels, picture books, series books, non-fiction books, magazines, newspapers, fantasy serials and short story compilations. If you haven’t found a book that you love yet, keep looking. I guarantee that there is something out there for everyone.
Other Information
Tania Ingram is an internationally published author who writes bestselling books for children, including the magical Jinny and Cooper Series, the hilarious Aggie Flea books and the heartfelt mid-grade novel, The Other Shadow. Prior to becoming an author, she was a child psychologist specialising in brain injury, disability and adolescent mental health. Tania’s work has been shortlisted for Speech Pathology Book of the Year (Jinny & Cooper #1) and won a CBCA Notable (Aggie Flea is NOT a Liar!).
Tania has sat on the SCBWI SA committee, acted as a peer assessor on the literature panel for Arts South Australia’s grants program, and is an active ambassador for the Premier’s Reading Challenge. She enjoys sharing her love of books and writing through school visits, workshops and festivals. When not writing you can find her reading, crocheting crooked rugs and singing to her chickens, who pretend to be oblivious to her talent.
