Close-up of a red and black skateboard with white wheels.
A colorful illustration of a rabbit with a trail of green leaves and a large carrot, alongside the phrase 'Get lost, loser!' written in red text.

My debut children’s book is out October 2026!

Handwritten text saying "Get lost, Zoomer!" in orange-brown color.
Illustration of a chameleon with yellow and orange colors and green tail, blending with orange and green leafy elements.
Pre-order today!
Pre-order today!

Hello! I'm Katina Nadebaum.

Children's author and neurodiversity advocate, based in Perth, Western Australia.

After years in the corporate world, I now write picture books for children — playful, heartfelt stories about big feelings, misunderstood behaviours, and the beauty of embracing exactly who you are.

I write picture books for children who have been made to feel they're "too much". Too loud, too busy, too emotional, or too different.

Every child deserves to feel understood. That's the belief at the heart of every story I write.

So many children who think and feel a little differently spend their days masking who they are, just to fit into a world that wasn't built with them in mind. I know this world — not as a teacher or a clinician, but as a mum with lived experience. I don't have all the answers. But what I do have are stories.

And a story can do something advice can't. There's a special kind of comfort in finding yourself in one — watching a character muddle through and realise the answer was within them all along. It's why you won't find labels or diagnoses in my books. Big emotions belong to everyone; my stories are simply about belonging, and the wonderful strengths hiding inside the traits the world misunderstands.

So if a child closes one of my books feeling understood and a little more confident in exactly who they are — then I've done what I set out to do.

Life Outside Writing

From the shores of Perth and a true Pisces at heart, I’m happiest by the ocean or wandering along a riverbank. Water has always felt like home — a place to dream, reset, and let my imagination drift with the tide.

When I’m not writing, I’m exploring life with my family, who remind me to embrace life’s surprises.

MEET JEFF! Most writing days, you'll find Jeff, my faithful Tamaruke, curled up beside my desk — quiet company, timely walking breaks, and occasional quality control (usually in exchange for treats).

Beyond that, it's the simple things: getting lost in a good book, tending my garden, discovering the perfect coffee spot, and planning my next travel escape. I'm forever collecting the small moments that might just become my next story.

  • A woman in a white shirt and blue jeans, wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat, holding a black dog with curly fur. The woman is smiling and standing against a light background with bokeh light effects.
  • Woman sitting with feet submerged in a swimming pool beside a garden area with succulents and white rocks, smiling and holding a notebook.
  • A woman sitting at a desk in a home office, smiling at the camera and writing in a notepad. There is a black dog sitting on the floor in front of her, looking up. The desk has a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and a green mug. The background features a green wall with artwork, shelves with decorative items, and a small table lamp.
  • A woman sitting on the floor reading a book while a black dog sits beside her, looking up at her. The woman is smiling and wearing glasses and gray shirt. The background is a green wall with a framed piece of art depicting blonde hair.

Professional Roles & Memberships

My path to picture books ran through the corporate world, where I spent years in boardrooms focused on governance and crafting words with precision. Today, that experience fuels my advocacy, helping ensure neurodivergent children and their families are seen, supported, and celebrated.

Professional Roles

Director, ADHD Foundation Limited (National)

Simple red sketch of a head or face outline on a white background.

Role Model, Books in Homes Australia

A simple black outline of a circle with a red irregular shape inside.

Member, Neurodiversity Advisory Board, Scope Psychology

A simple drawing of a red circle on a white background.

Former Judge, CYA Conference

Red circle outline on a white background
Logo of the ADHD Foundation featuring a pink gemstone above the text 'ADHD Foundation'.
Logo with two overlapping circles, one green with a leaf, and a gray one, followed by the word 'SCOE' and the tagline 'Your decision, your story.'
Logo for Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators with the acronym 'SCBWI' in large green and black 3D letters above the full organization name.
A round logo with the initials CYA at the top, a tree with leaves in the middle, and an open book at the bottom, all enclosed within a circular border.
Logo of The Children's Book Council of Australia, featuring a stylized child reading a book with the organization's acronym CBCA and full name.
Logo of Books in Homes featuring an orange open book icon and the text "Books in Homes" with the tagline "Empowering Kids, Literally".
Logo for the Australian Society of Authors with stylized text
  • A teacher and a young boy reading a colorful book together in a classroom.
  • Group of young students holding books in a classroom with teachers behind them and educational decorations on the walls.
  • Library with bookshelves filled with children's books, a young girl sitting on the floor, and a green armchair near a window.

Endorsed by ADHD Foundation Limited

My debut picture book, Get Lost, Zoomer!, is proudly endorsed by the ADHD Foundation Limited as a valuable resource for families and professionals supporting neurodiverse children.

Let’s collaborate.

I'd love to connect with aligned communities and collaborators for podcasts, interviews, panels, speaking engagements, school visits and library events.

Get in touch