Jemima Shafei-Ongu

Jemima Shafei-Ongu is a Sydney-based writer, psychologist and teacher, with a passion for picture books and a strong commitment to inclusion and diverse representation in children’s literature.

Jemima’s writing is dedicated to fostering connection, well-being, and a sense of belonging by depicting diversity as a natural way of being in the world. She enjoys sharing stories from her family’s rich West Asian heritage and the communities she is connected to.

Jemima’s picture books include Aslan and Benny (illustrated by Jade Goodwin, Penguin Random House); A Lemon for Safiya (illustrated by Nisaluk Chantankom, Hachette); Midnight Creep (illustrated by Hanoka Taki, sung by Karim Nagi, Barefoot 2026) and Shirin and Amir and the Dragon Smoke (with Liz Drummond, illustrated by Magie Khameneh, Little Steps). Watch out for her new picture book with Allen & Unwin in 2027.

When she’s not writing, Jemima enjoys watercolour painting, learning to play the derbakke and the ney, and having lip-sync battles with her adult daughters. She resides on unceded Dharug country with her partner, their mini schnauzer, and whichever of their three daughters is in the country at the time.