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Kate Foster
Grade 4-7
Queensland

Kate Foster is an internationally published, bestselling and award short-listed children’s author writing about friends, family, and dogs. Originally from a small town in the southeast of England, she now lives on the stunning Gold Coast in Australia with her family and second-hand dogs. She is passionate about encouraging and teaching a wider understanding of autism and mental illness via a positive approach and representation in both her books as well as her presentations and talks.

Kate is the co-creator of Author Pen Pals, an initiative pairing authors and illustrators with schools across the country to encourage a love of storytelling, inspire creative minds and raise literacy levels. She is also the creator of The Diversity in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand Children’s Book Award, which celebrates and highlights diversity in children’s literature throughout Australia and New Zealand. As a speaker, Kate is authentic, passionate, and friendly in her approach. She talks sensitively but always positively and sincerely with children, with the help of an interactive PowerPoint, about autism and mental health, encouraging them to understand the internal, invisible struggles others may be having, to recognise behaviours, and how they can be a better friend to those around them, just like our canine buddies. She shares her own diagnoses with the children with the aim of smashing harmful stereotypes and misinformation, ending stigmas, and passing on her confidence and belief that every child she meets has an important story to tell and deserves to be heard. She provides some insight into the day-to-day life of one autistic person and is comfortable discussing mental health and wellbeing with children if requested.  

Kate has experience running workshops and speaking to children from Prep through to Year 12, both in-person and virtually, as well as adults, be that parents and carers, teachers and librarians, or other.

Books by Kate Foster

The Unlikely Heroes Club

2024 CBCA Book of the Year Notable

Best Suited 8-12 Years
Eleven-year-old Oli is spending his school holidays at Heroes Club, where kids can build friendships and learn about their emotions, but Oli just wants to be home … where it’s familiar, not-so-boring and he can play his favourite game.

But when Oli and the other kids at the club see a stray dog who keeps disappearing into a soon-to-be-demolished building across the street, Oli and his four fellow heroes hatch a daring rescue plan to save the dog before it’s too late.

It’s going to take bravery, some seriously smart teamwork … and a few broken rules.

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Harriet Hound

2024 CBCA Book of the Year Notable

Best Suited 6-10 Years
Meet Harriet Hound. She’s eight years old and loves dogs!

But Harriet has something else that makes her super … the power to summon the dogs from her family’s rescue shelter every time there’s trouble afoot.

Whether it’s a carnival catastrophe, a sudden storm, or vanishing vegetables, Harriet and her best dog friends use their super special talents and problem-solving skills to save the day!

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The Bravest Word

Best Suited 9-12 Years
When eleven-year-old Matt finds Cliff, a hurt, neglected dog abandoned in the bush, he knows the brave little pup needs saving. He wants to help. But can he? Lately, Matt has had way more bad days than good days. The pieces of his life just don’t seem to fit together any more and he doesn’t understand why. He’s finding it impossible to concentrate at school and has lost interest in the activities he used to love. Plus, he’s tired all the time. Matt’s too afraid to share what’s really going on in his own head with anyone. His friends and family will never understand . . . maybe it’s not only Cliff who needs saving.

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Paws

Best Suited 9+ Years
At home, Alex’s best friend is Kevin the cockapoo, although what he wants most of all is a friend at school. But that is harder than he ever expected. A touching story about learning that friendship isn’t one size fits all and is often found where you least expect it.

Everything is changing for 11-year-old Alex and, as an autistic person, change can be terrifying. With the first day of high school only a couple of months away, Alex is sure that having a friend by his side will help. So, he’s devised a plan – impress the kids at school by winning a trophy at the PAWS Dog Show with his trusty sidekick, Kevin. This should be a walk in the park . . . right?

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