Melina Marchetta is a renowned Australian writer and teacher, born on March 25, 1965. With a distinguished career in young adult literature, Marchetta has become well-known for her compelling teen novels, such as Looking for Alibrandi, Saving Francesca, and On the Jellicoe Road. Her outstanding contributions to the literary world have earned her multiple accolades, including the CBCA Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers, which she received in 1993 and 2004.

Marchetta's excellence in writing was further recognized when she won the prestigious 2009 Michael L. Printz Award from the American Library Association, highlighting her as the author of the year's best book for young adults. Her debut novel, Looking For Alibrandi, not only garnered critical acclaim but was also adapted into a major film in 2000. The adaptation won the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Film and Best Adapted Screenplay, a script that Marchetta crafted herself.

Following her success, Marchetta continued to create influential works, including Finnikin of the Rock in 2008, which won the Aurealis Award for YA fantasy, and The Piper's Son in 2010, a novel that was shortlisted for several literary awards including the Qld Premier's Lit Award, NSW Premier's Lit Award, and the Prime Minister's Literary Awards.