Cirrus@Austlit

Krista Bell grew up in Sydney, then attended university and took up residence in Melbourne. She has written for children and young adults, and has published picture books, novels, and educational texts. She has described herself as 'a professional sticky beak' who tirelessly observes people and situations around her to fuel her imagination and her writing. For five years Bell hosted a radio programme about books for young people, and wrote Where Do You Get Your Ideas?, a series of interviews with authors of children's books about the writing process.

Bell has travelled around Australia giving talks and running writing workshops for children and adults. For fifteen years she was a book reviewer on ABC radio, as well as reviewing for newspapers and literary magazines, but since 2001 has been a full-time writer of books for young people.