Ayla’s Christmas Wish is inspired by the small, south-west Victorian town of Tarrington, which runs a hay bale design competition each year.

This book compares European Christmas traditions with the reality of a hot, dry Australian summer. Behind the story of Ayla wishing for a snowman, there is a town wishing for rain.

This story celebrates a community at Christmas-time, and highlights the importance and beauty of small-town resilience.

About the author

Pamela Jones is a British-born Australian children’s author, poet and podcast host.

She co-hosts and edits the podcast Middle Grade Mavens for which she has interviewed some of the UK and Australia’s most successful children’s authors.

Her poetry and short stories have appeared on the Australian Children’s Poetry website and in The School Magazine and she has written for various publications about expat living, motherhood and home education.

Pamela lives in Melbourne/Naarm with her family and far too many books and old ballet shoes.

This is her debut book.

About the illustrator

Lucia is an award-winning children’s book illustrator born and bred in Livorno, Italy.

She moved to Australia in 2007 and she now lives and works on the beautiful Gold Coast.

Her last book with the National Library of Australia was The Imagineer.