with Davina Bell and Jess McGeachin

Join children’s book creators Jess McGeachin and Davina Bell as they use their books to explore the treasures we have inside us and those we are excited to seek out in the world. Together we will celebrate the delights of our own uniqueness as we explore what’s important and precious to us, and craft something that reflects our passions and gifts.

This workshop is part of the Melbourne Kids Book Festival Day 2 program for Bookworms (Ages 5-8)

Davina Bell

Davina Bell is a children's book editor and a writer for young people of many ages. Her picture books include All the Ways To Be Smart, All of the Factors of Why I Love Tractors, Under the Love Umbrella, What to Say When You Don't Know What to Say and What to Do When You're Not Sure What to Do. What to Say When You Don't Know What to Say was the winner of the ABIA Children's Picture Book of the Year Award 2023 and a CBCA Notable Picture Book of the Year 2023.

Jess McGeachin

Jess McGeachin is an author and illustrator from Narrm, Melbourne. His debut picture book, Fly, was shortlisted for the Children's Book Council of Australia and Queensland Literary Awards. Since then, Jess has written and illustrated 15 fiction and non-fiction picture books that have been published in Australia and around the world. His book Deep won the CBCA Eve Pownall Award in 2023. He was awarded an Australian Antarctic Arts fellowship to write South with the Seabirds, which was a CBCA Honour Book in 2025.  Jess draws quite literally from nature and has a day job at a museum, where he occasionally gets lost in the basement.

Jess will also be appearing in the epic Battle of the Illustrators!