Jane Godwin

Jane Godwin (born 1964 in Melbourne, Australia) is an Australian author, and is a publisher at Penguin Books Australia for children and young adult books.

She was inducted into the Australian Book Industry Awards Hall of Fame on 9 May 2024; she also won the 2024 Pixie O’Harris Award.

She lives in Melbourne and works with school pupils and Indigenous children through the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.

Recognition and awards

Godwin has sole-authored many books which have been published internationally, and she has earned many commendations.

1999: shortlisted for New South Wales State Literary Award Patricia Wrightson Prize - Sebby, Stee, The Garbos and Me

1999: finalist Young Australian Best Book Award - Sebby, Stee, The Garbos and Me

2000: winner of the Queensland Premier's Literary Award - The Family Tree

2006: shortlisted for CBC Book of the Year Awards in the Younger Readers category - The True Story of Mary

2021: shortlisted for the Children's prize at the Indie Book Awards - Sing Me The Summer

2021: shortlisted for CBCA Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers - When Rain Turns to Snow

2024: winner of Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) - Children's Picture Book of the Year (ages 0–6) - A Life Song

2025: shortlisted for the Colin Roderick Award

She lives in Melbourne with her husband and has two children, including Wil Wagner.