Further Information
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Valerie Gent is a Speech Pathologist with 18 years of experience. Her private practice, Let’s Eat! Feeding Therapy is a feeding assessment and therapy-based service for babies, toddlers, and children with feeding difficulties. Valerie has worked in both hospitals and disability services, as well as schools. She is passionate about supporting families with fussy/restricted eating in a way that builds on responsive attachment-based pathways for the child now and long into adulthood. But I’m NOT Hungry for My Dinner (illustrated by Kirrili Lonergan)is Valerie’s first book, which came about as an idea when she saw many families struggling with how to support their fussy eater. Valerie wanted a kids’ book that was entertaining for little preschoolers, but also supportive in giving their caregivers a more evidence-based approach in helping their child get through this tricky age of food refusal. Valerie lives in Newcastle, NSW with her husband, two kids, and a little dog. She is currently doing her Masters in Medical Research at Griffith University, looking at children with Autism and feeding difficulties.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Kirrili Lonergan is a picture book illustrator and art therapist residing in Newcastle, NSW. She has a passion for visual storytelling and self-expression through art. She loves sharing her skills with children and relates warmly to their needs through her former years working as a paediatric nurse. Her book, Ollie’s Treasure (written by Lynn Jenkins), was shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards in 2018.
