Elena de Roo

Elena is an award winning children’s writer and poet. She has had poetry, plays, readers, picture books and junior fiction published. In 2010 she was awarded the Todd New Writer’s Bursary, and began her first children’s novel (The Name at the End of the Ladder, 2014) while on the NZSA mentor programme. Three of her books have received Storylines Notable Book Awards. In 2018, Elena completed a Master of Creative Writing at AUT.

Genre:

  • Children's Fiction

Skills:

Branch:

Auckland

Location:

Auckland

Publications:

The Rain Train, illustrated by Brian Lovelock (Walker Books Australia, 2010; Candlewick Press/Walker Books UK, 2011)

The next time the rain is thundering down on the roof at night, climb aboard the mysterious Rain Train... Rhythmic text with onomatopoeic train sounds makes this picture book perfect for reading aloud.

Ophelia Wild, Secret Spy, illustrated by Tracy Duncan (Walker Books Australia, 2012)

Ophelia Wild, Secret Spy, is open for business! From her headquarters in the tree house, Ophelia and her assistant, Albert, solve all the toughest cases. Three fun stories told in verse.

Ophelia Wild, Deadly Detective, illustrated by Tracy Duncan (Walker Books Australia, 2014)

Banish those gremlins! Ghosts on the go! Deadly detectives, O. Wild and co. Always up for anything, Ophelia Wild and sidekick Albert expand their secret service agency to tackle zombies and monsters … with some surprise results. Sequel to Ophelia Wild, Secret Spy (2012).

The Name at the End of the Ladder (Walker Books Australia, 2014)

Win the game to choose your name and free the players who remain. Twelve-year-old September is determined to choose an adventurous name for herself from the Name Bank – not like all her friends, who are named after flowers or trees. Soon she discovers that she has no choice, unless she can win an ancient and mysterious board game. And every roll of the dice leads her further into danger.