Valerie: Australia’s Bravest Sausage Dog
PUBLISHED BY ALLEN AND UNWIN, FEBRUARY 2026
Inspired by the amazing true story of the tiny dog who captured the heart of a nation
I had so much fun writing and illustrating this book about the darling Valerie, and imagining what she may have got up to in the time she was missing and ‘on the lam’ on Kangaroo Island.
“In this gloriously warm-hearted romp of a picture book, bestselling author and illustrator Lucinda Gifford has imagined Valerie's adventures and brought them to vivid and hilarious life, as she befriends dolphins, eats her fill, and explores the wilds... before finding her way safely home again..”
Out soon!
Here are some of my development sketches and story building process sketches for Valerie (later on I changed her ears, which were a bit long – even for a dachshund!):
Read the actual, true story of Valerie, her wild 529-day Kangaroo Island adventure, and her amazing rescue here.