Bethany Loveridge is a passionate educator and children’s author-illustrator who has always loved storytelling and the natural world. Her past jobs include youth worker, film, TV and visual art teacher, curriculum specialist and museum nerd (not the official title).

Published in September 2025 (as the result of several awards and mentorships and many, many years of work), Harper Wells: Renegade Timeline Officer was Bethany's debut novel and the first in an adventurous historical-fantasy trilogy. Harper Wells is an official selection for the 2026 Queensland Readers Cup.

HARPER WELLS: RENEGADE TIMELINE OFFICER (Book #1)

Publisher: Wombat Books
Publication date: 3 September 2025
ISBN: 9781761112928

Harper Wells finally gets a bedroom of her own, away from her annoying big brother. But on the first night in her new bed, she wakes up in the past and meets a troubled young girl named Edie (none other than THE Edith Cowan).

Has befriending Edie changed the course of Australia’s history? Who does this strange time-travelling bed really belong to? And what will happen when the rightful owner discovers Harper using it?

Harper is thrown into a world of time-travelling spies as she risks her life to find a missing girl before time runs out.

The first in a trilogy perfect for readers 9+ and fans of Jackie French!

Teachers notes for HARPER WELLS: RENEGADE TIMELINE OFFICER

In February 2026, Genie Snail was born! With a clever plot twist and colour-popping artwork from iconic illustrator, Chris Kennett, Genie Snail has been a lot of fun to bring to schools!

Little Book Press are the publishing arm of not-for-profit initiative, Raising Literacy Australia (RLA). RLA’s vision is to see every child thrive in the early years. To this effect, RLA gifts a book pack to each preschool student in South Australia, and in 2026, Genie Snail is included.

GENIE SNAIL

Publisher: Little Book Press
Publication date: 24 February 2026
ISBN: 1923141449

Give this regular garden snail a rub and … POOF! He turns into Genie Snail – a finicky critter who leaves a trail of magical mayhem wherever he goes.

A funny tale full of clever rhymes, silly surprises and one tiny plot twist – this slippery genie only grants wishes that rhyme with ‘snail’.

Illustrated by best-selling, award-winning Chris Kennett, illustrator of The School of Monsters and Brunocorn.

Teachers notes for GENIE SNAIL

June 2026 marks the start of the Josie Mack trilogy! Written for children developing reading independence, they are illustrated throughout (by the incredible, Jade Goodwin) and about ten-thousand words each. Bethany often says this is the story she dreamed of writing as a young girl.

JOSIE MACK AND THE MEGA DIVISION (Book #1)

Publisher: Wombat Books
Publication date: 1 June 2026
ISBN: 9781761112829

The FUN need help!

When a wombat knocks on her window one night, Josie hopes her lifelong wish for a pet has come true. But Ursula the wombat is on an important mission for the Fellowship of Underground Nocturnals (the FUN). The FUN need human-help to solve their wildlife woes.

After proving how well they work as a team, Josie and Ursula are invited to join the FUN’s MEGA Division, which will make them mega-sized. But will joining the MEGA Division be a mega mistake?

There’s more excitement ahead! Late 2026 will see another picture book (The Picture-Perfect Present) and a graphic novel (Doggy Dash: The Trial) released. A teen novel called Fix it in Post will launch in early 2027.

When she’s not writing or teaching in a secondary classroom, Bethany is Publisher at Perentie Press, an independent Australian publisher of graphic novels for kids. She is also the state director of the Queensland branch of SCBWI Australia East and enjoys supporting Queensland's burgeoning children's literature community.