About Renae

Renae Hayward was born during a cyclone in Western Australia’s Pilbara region, but grew up by the beaches of Perth’s northern suburbs. She has authored five books for children – What Can I Get For Mother’s Day?, Barking Mad, Say Goodnight, Say Hooray and Say Hello, and was the inaugural recipient of the Ray Koppe Young Writers Residency (Australian Society of Authors/Varuna). She has also contributed as a poet to The School Magazine (NSW Department of Education) and has poems published in the anthologies Right Way Down and If I Could Eat The Stars.

When she’s not writing, Renae is a passionate advocate for early literacy and a familiar face at storytime sessions across WA.

Renae now lives near Fremantle with her husband, James, their two children and Frankie the Labrador in a house overflowing with books.

Photo by Jess Gately. Click for high-res version

Find Renae on social media

Contact Renae

You can email Renae via the Contact page.

Publications

  • 2026: poems in If I Could Eat The Stars, edited by Rebecca Newman and Sally Murphy, illustrated by Briony Stewart – Alphabet Soups Books and Fremantle Press
  • 2026: What Can I Get For Mother’s Day?, illustrated by Susan Joy Lu – Larrikin House
  • 2025: Say Goodnight, illustrated by Rebecca Mills – Fremantle Press
  • 2024: Say Hello, illustrated by Rebecca Mills – Fremantle Press
  • 2024: poems in Right Way Down, edited by Rebecca Newman and Sally Murphy, illustrated by Briony Stewart – Alphabet Soups Books and Fremantle Press
  • 2023: Say Hooray, illustrated by Rebecca Mills – Fremantle Press
  • 2013: Barking Mad – Walker Books Australia

Awards

  • 2026: Notable – Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards – Say Goodnight
  • 2025: Shortlisted – Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards – Say Hello
  • 2024: Shortlisted – Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards – Say Hooray
  • 2011: Winner – Ray Koppe Young Writer’s Residency
  • 2009: First place (young adult category) – Children’s and Young Adult Writing and Illustrating Contest

Memberships

  • Society Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
  • Australian Society of Authors
  • Children’s Book Council of Australia
book-signing
Renae at the launch of ‘Barking Mad’.