24 Mar 2025
Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing is thrilled to announce it will publish the second picture book from award-winning creators Eliza Hull, Australian Children’s Laureate Sally Rippin, and illustrator Daniel Gray-Barnett in May 2025. Their new book, The World We Can Build, follows two children – one of whom uses a wheelchair – who discover there’s no place in their neighbourhood where they can play together.
The creative trio's first picture book, Come Over to My House, is the best-selling Australian picture book about disability of the last decade, and has also been published in the US, UK and Korea. It won the inaugural DANZ Award (Diversity in Australian and New Zealand) for its portrayal of the home lives of Deaf and disabled children and their parents, and was shortlisted for Picture Book of the Year in the prestigious CBCA Awards (Children’s Book Council of Australia).
Their new children’s book, The World We Can Build, will publish in Australia in May 2025. It was inspired by the social model of disability, which shows that people are disabled by the world around them, not by their own bodies.
“As a kid, when I was using a wheelchair, I felt more disabled when there were stairs or a classroom I couldn’t get into," said author Eliza, an award-winning musician, writer and disability advocate. “When I discovered the social model of disability as an adult, it was a real 'aha' moment. It made me realise that the world is disabling, and that I don’t need to change.”
The social model of disability enables families and educators to understand that it’s the world that needs to change, not the person. “It focuses on the barriers the world creates and shows children that we can all do our part to make the world more accessible,” said Eliza. “When we do, people with disability feel more included.”
“The mixed response to Hugh van Cuylenberg’s recent open letter on parenting neurodivergent children proves the need to educate Australian families about the social model of disability,” says Publishing Director Marisa Pintado. “The World We Can Build is not just an entertaining picture book for children and their parents, caregivers and educators – it’s also a brilliant resource for showing kids that we can all can help build a more compassionate and inclusive world together.”
Co-author Sally Rippin agrees. “As the current Australian Children’s Laureate, my mission statement has been All Kids Can Be Readers. I am passionate about promoting learning environments that are inclusive and supportive and ensuring that all children can have access to education that meets their needs. It’s been heartening to witness the development of a genuine curiosity and interest in how we can all work harder to create a world where all kids can reach their potential. After all, the kids are perfect as they are. It’s the world that needs to change.”
The World We Can Build will release into all Australian bookshops on 29 April 2025, and is available for pre-order now.
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PUBLICATION DETAILS:
Title: The World We Can Build
Co-authors: Eliza Hull and Sally Rippin
Illustrator: Daniel Gray-Barnett
ISBN: 9781761213601
Format: Hardback
Price: AU$24.99
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Hardie Grant Children's Publishing
Publish Date: 1 May 2025
ABOUT THE CREATORS:
Eliza Hull is an award-winning writer, disability advocate and musician based in Victoria, Australia. She has written music for TV shows Awkward, Teen Wolf and Saving Hope, and is currently writing the score for a British Film. Eliza produced an eight-part podcast series, We've Got This, on parenting with a disability, for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) – as well as a podcast series on disability and relationships for ABC Radio National. Eliza has appeared on The Drum, Q&A, ABC NEWS, The Today Show and on the BBC. Eliza is a disabled woman, with a physical disability. She is currently the Arts and Disability reporter for ABC Radio and is producing a podcast for SBS on Disability and Intimacy. She has written for the ABC and The Guardian and had her work published in several anthologies including Growing Up Disabled in Australia.
Sally Rippin is a best-selling and beloved author for children, and the eighth Australian Children's Laureate. Her most popular series include Billie B Brown, Hey Jack! and School of Monsters, and she has over 10 million books in print worldwide. She has also written one book for adults: Wild Things: How We Learn to Read and What Can Happen If We Don’t.
Daniel Gray-Barnett is an award-winning illustrator and author from the Huon Valley in lutruwita/Tasmania whose children’s books have been published around the world. He likes to think of himself as someone who was put on this planet to tell a few stories before he turns into a grumpy old man. His clients include Disney, Kiehl’s, Sydney Opera House and The New York Times. When he’s not in the studio, he can be found daydreaming in the garden with his husband, German pointers and chickens.
Key Facts:
From the creators of Come Over to My House: Australia’s best-selling picture book about disability in the last decade
Inspired by the social model of disability. Showing kids that it’s the world – not the person – that needs to change
Award-winning team: Eliza Hull, Sally Rippin (Australian Children’s Laureate) and Daniel Gray-Barnett
About us:
ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:
Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing is the children’s division of the largest independent publisher in Australia, and the home of innovative, inclusive, award-winning and entertaining books from tots to teens. With modern families and children at the core of everything we do, we have built our success on stories of kindness, diversity, resilience and courage to reflect the world we live in, and the world we want to build.
Contact details:
For more information, please contact Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing
Steve Shepherd Spargo E: [email protected]
