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Her son was diagnosed with dyslexia at the age of seven, and she thought he would never be able to learn to read. So not only has she spent years proving herself wrong, but she has also paved the way so that no child is left on the margins of reading. And she has done so by creating a universe of mischievous creatures with a formula that combines humor, accessibility, and rhyme. 鈥淔unny and a little silly,鈥� is how Australian author Sally Rippin (Darwin, 1970) sums up School of Monsters (Montena), a series for pre-readers written in capital letters which, along with illustrator Chris Kennett, has captivated thousands of young children around the world. With ten million books sold, Rippin set a trend followed by authors from many countries. The books are even used in language schools to help children start learning English.

Her visit to Spain coincides with the release of the 19th title in the series, Explosive Snacks, in which a little zombie fox brings some snacks to school that cause some noisy and smelly mishaps. 鈥淚n children's literature, we say we work very hard to make it look very easy,鈥� says the author, who has been named Australia鈥檚 Children鈥檚 Laureate for 2024鈥�2025, a kind of ambassador for children鈥檚 literature with a mission to fulfill during her term. We spoke with this inspiring woman about that mission, her commitment to literature, schools and parents, and how not being able to read affects children.

鈥業n children's literature we say that we work very hard to make it look very easy鈥�

How was 'School of Monsters' born?

My youngest son is dyslexic and really never managed to learn to read properly. So, since he was about seven, I鈥檝e been working on writing books for kids like him. In Australia, there鈥檚 a lot of recent neuroscience research about what happens in our brains when we learn to read. For a long time, there was a kind of war among literacy educators about the best way to teach kids to read. One method involves deep immersion in literature, and many believed that was enough. But now we know that reading needs to be taught explicitly. When I set out to write this series, I read a lot about best practices in teaching reading. So each book is written using the most easily decodable words for children. My initial aim was to create a series to help kids learn to read, but its success is because it's fun and kind of silly. It's like secret learning.

How has your son鈥檚 dyslexia influenced your other works?

I used to think dyslexic kids would never learn to read. And what we now know is that if a child doesn't learn to read, it not only affects their ability to learn, but also their self-esteem, self-expression, communication, and mental health. So when my son was diagnosed with dyslexia at age seven, I started writing books using early reader language鈥攂ut really for slightly older kids. I'm talking about the Billie B. Brown series. But now, after talking with many educators and parents about the importance of teaching reading, I realized that even the Billie books are too sophisticated for this purpose. So School of Monsters is for the youngest readers of all.

You were recently named Australia鈥檚 Children鈥檚 Laureate for 2024鈥�2025. What does that mean?

It鈥檚 a position held for two years鈥�2024 and 2025鈥攁nd it makes you a representative for children鈥檚 and young adult books. Each laureate chooses their mission鈥� a sort of statement. Mine is: 鈥淎ll kids can be readers.鈥� So first, it鈥檚 about working on literacy from the earliest years. But there will always be kids who fall through the cracks of the system. And for these children, we need to understand that they can also access stories through audio, audiobooks, or comics. The idea is that every child should be able to read books themselves. But if they miss that opportunity, we must create other ways for them to access stories.

I thought dyslexic kids could never learn to read.

What happens when not all kids want to be readers?

That鈥檚 exactly my challenge as a writer. I want to create books that children want to read. And as laureate, I talk to children, families, booksellers about how children can access books, and how parents also need to be role models鈥攍et their children see them reading. It鈥檚 about creating a culture where books are valued.

Ten million books sold is an amazing achievement, but I imagine it brings responsibility too.

It gives me more confidence in what I do. When I started writing, like any author, I wanted to test my voice. But now I understand how hard it is for some children to learn to read. And every book I write, I think of my son. Because there are so many kids who find reading difficult. In Australia, 30% of children finish primary school unable to read properly.

What role does the school play in that?

In Australia, we have three years to teach kids how to read. After that, they need to read to learn. If they don鈥檛 reach that level within those three years, they鈥檒l have to catch up later. One of my most important messages to parents is: it鈥檚 not your job to teach your children how to read. It鈥檚 a teaching skill. But we can do many things at home to make kids want to read. For example, reading aloud to babies. Talking about books. Maybe even cooking with them and inviting them to read the recipe. Walking through the city and reading signs. And having books at home鈥攖hat鈥檚 important whenever possible. So for me, and for my publishers, it鈥檚 crucial that books are affordable.

It is important to respect children's tastes, because reading should never be a punishment or a chore

How do you choose a good book?

Start by watching the child鈥攍et them choose. It鈥檚 important to respect their tastes, because reading should never feel like punishment or homework. When my son was little, he鈥檇 come home from school with books he found extremely boring, and he鈥檇 say: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to read this.鈥� That鈥檚 why my books need to look fun and appealing. That鈥檚 also why my illustrator, Chris Kennett, is such an important part of the project.

You originally wanted to be a painter. What happened?

I studied Fine Arts in Australia and China, and came back from China speaking Mandarin. I started teaching Chinese children in Australia鈥攂oth in English and Mandarin鈥攂ut I couldn鈥檛 find any books about Chinese-Australian kids. So I started writing them. I always have someone in mind when I write each book鈥攁 Chinese-Mandarin student, an English learner, or my son.

Your father鈥檚 work as a civil engineer led you to live in several Southeast Asian countries. How has that shaped your worldview?

I think it made me very observant, which is an important skill for any writer. I鈥檓 good at watching people and listening to them speak. And even more important, I understand that children are children everywhere. A kid from 1970 isn鈥檛 that different from a kid today. When I write for kids, I remember what it was like to be a child, thinking adults didn鈥檛 understand me. So I believe that when children read my books, they know that I get them.

How much of yourself is in your books?

All of it. Look, this little monster here鈥攕he might be on the autism spectrum, because she likes things in a certain order. My son is also neurodivergent. And this other monster has big, exaggerated feelings, right? And I do too. So all the characters reflect aspects of myself. But they鈥檙e more than me鈥攖hey鈥檙e braver than me, they speak louder than me, they鈥檙e a bit more scared than me鈥�

What鈥檚 your view on overly 鈥渆ducational鈥� books?

I believe there鈥檚 a need and a place for all kinds of books. Just like adults鈥攕ometimes we read to escape, sometimes to learn. But people forget that we learn as much from books that teach as from books that spark imagination. We learn through imagination, through empathy鈥� and we also see ourselves reflected in books. For example, Chris and I have tried to create as much diversity as possible in our monsters: one is blind, but her superpower is her tentacles; another uses a wheelchair, but his superpower is his inventiveness. What we know is that every child is perfect as they are, and when you change the environment, that鈥檚 when they can truly grow. That鈥檚 what we call the social model of disability, not the medical model.

If a child has access to education and yet does not succeed in reading, it is the education system that is handicapping the child.

Can you explain that?

I also write books with a friend who knows the world of disability well鈥攕he uses a wheelchair. She says that if there鈥檚 no ramp to access a place, then it鈥檚 the environment that鈥檚 disabling her. So if a child has access to education but still can鈥檛 learn to read, then it鈥檚 the educational system that is disabling the child.

'School of Monsters' is becoming a TV series. How is that going?

It鈥檚 in the works. We鈥檙e in the process. Nothing鈥檚 signed yet, but it鈥檚 close. Australia is famous for the Bluey series鈥攖his is going to be like the next Bluey.

A mandatory question: screens.

I have two perspectives. My older two children are great readers, and I used to be so proud to say: 鈥淢y kids read books, I鈥檓 such a great mom.鈥� But the youngest one doesn鈥檛 read, and that was humbling. I have to accept that there鈥檚 a place for technology for kids like him. During the pandemic, thanks to the internet, he self-taught himself about the things he was passionate about. He didn鈥檛 do well in school because he couldn鈥檛 write an essay about Shakespeare, but now he鈥檚 self-studying university-level calculus. So I have to accept that for some kids, technology is a great way to access what interests them. I used to be quite anti-screens, especially thinking about older kids, because even I have to be careful with how I use my phone. But it鈥檚 a tool I also use for research and to connect with other creators. So it鈥檚 two sides of the same coin. Ideally, especially for the little ones, the more time they can spend playing with physical things, the better. Because once they enter the screen world, there鈥檚 no turning back.

What are you working on now?

I鈥檓 writing the script for a trilogy that will be released here with Planeta. I think it will be called Monstrous Friendship in Spanish.