About | Helen Chapman

About the Author

Helen Chapman

For Young Readers

Hi, I'm Helen - and I really love writing books.

I write mysteries, adventure stories, and books that are just plain weird and funny – plus non-fiction that’s actually interesting, about strange pets, wild experiments, and even what it was like to go to war.

Favourite Subject

Reading - obviously.

Best Skill

Not getting caught reading in class.

Childhood Pet

A Shetland Sheepdog and partner-in-crime.

Weekends

Horse riding, biking, and backyard cricket.

For Adults, Teachers & Librarians

With over 100 fiction and non-fiction books published worldwide as well as Australia, Helen Chapman is a popular established writer. She sees her future as one in which she will strive further to develop her skills. Especially in the immediate and forceful communication to students and young people of her ideas and research.

Younger readers love her books. Why? Because Helen writes fun and informative books and books packed with exciting adventures. This quality turns hesitant children onto reading, as well as providing a great read for keen readers.

Helen is meticulous in her research, so that her readers may learn to trust the information they find in books. Her mission is to inculcate a love of reading as great as that which she remembers from her own childhood.

As a private collector of first editions, Helen has the classics of children’s literature always before her. It is to their achievement that she aspires, while never forgetting the crucial importance, in today’s world, of writing in an accessible way.

Australia's Heritage Series

Four books on Australian history - one shortlisted for the CBCA Eve Pownall Award.

101 Cool Science Experiments

A ten-week Australian bestseller, still going strong in classrooms and homes.

Also Known As "Harold"

Wrote as the giraffe mascot for Life Education's drug-safety program, 1988–91.

Memberships

Favourite Historical Fiction

Deadly Waters

This juvenile fiction is a teenager’s account of serving in the Royal Australian Navy during WWII. As a work of fiction it’s meant to be read and enjoyed as such – a ripping adventure!

But it might interest teachers and librarians to know that the narrative is based on firsthand accounts from her father Cliff, his navy mates, as well as documented experiences from other sailors. For authenticity, Cliff’s war recollections were corroborated by historical records, government web sites, books and testimonials.

‘Deadly Waters’ has many creative elements too – for example Cliff served on many ships but this was reduced to three. Accordingly some events and experiences on board didn’t happen on just one ship, but several and at different times. Also, events and stories were not all Cliff’s but adapted from the written accounts from other seamen.