FLYNN, Rachel

2018 Alumna of the Year

Degree

Diploma of Teaching – Primary, Ballarat Teachers College

Graduation year

1973

Rachel has made an impressive contribution to children’s literature as both an author and a teacher and is one of Australia’s favourite authors for young people. She trained as a primary school teacher at Ballarat Teachers College, now part of FedUni, from 1971-1973 and began teaching children in 1974.

While taking a break from teaching to bring up her own children, she became a writer of books for children and has since published numerous picture books and novels which have been translated into Dutch, French, Spanish, Korean and Chinese.

She is best known for her I Hate Fridays series and her most widely read book, Sacked. Her most recently published book, Collecting Sunshine, was published in 2018.

Rachel is also an occasional poet with a list of occasional publications. Since 1995 she has taught in TAFE Professional Writing Programs around Melbourne. She is currently doing a PhD in creative writing.