“It was a fairly barren campus at Belconnen all those years ago,” says the award-winning children’s author.

“There was barely a Belconnen, I think Lake Ginninderra was being excavated the first year I was studying there.

“What is now the University of Canberra was about four buildings in the middle of the bush with kangaroos as our companions. For a city kid it was an amazing place.”

He’s never lost his sense of wonder about the nation’s capital. He’s visited here countless times, most recently for the Canberra Writers’ Festival in August, and always thought he would eventually set a book in Canberra.

As the current Australian Children’s Laureate he’s travelled the country talking to thousands of school age children and they’ve impressed him with their social conscience.

“I've been doing a lot of thinking in recent years, and particularly in recent months as children’s laureate, how our young people think and feel about the world today and their place in it, now and in the future,” he says.

“Part of that thinking is seeing how the adult community is shaping the world for them. Obviously kids these days are very aware of some of the big problems in the world and are asking how are its current custodians managing with the problems.

“I've always wanted to write a book set in Canberra … and when some of these ideas started to coagulate I thought this was my opportunity to do that.”

Help Around the House is the story of young Ludo, whose father gets elected to Federal Parliament and how they both grab the chance to make Australia a better place.

There are some fabulous Canberra references and an insight into the machinations - good and bad - of politics.

It’s the perfect book to pick up for Australian Reading Hour on September 20, the reason why Gleitzman was back in town, along with fellow ambassador author Judy Nunn,  for a launch at Parliament House.

“Reading Hour is a great excuse for all to just stop and read for an hour,” says Nunn, who, while well known for her role in Home and Away, is also the author of several best-selling novels.

“These days it’s more important than ever to encourage everyone to read,” she says.

“Given everything, with social media etc, is so instant … taking some time out of your day is like meditating.”

Indeed research shows that reading reduces stress by 68 per cent, relieving stress more quickly than listening to music, going for a walk or having a cup of tea.

“Children don’t need a lot of reminding about the fun and the pleasure of reading,” says Gleitzman.

“But as adults we’re busy, we’re distracted, we should make time to reprioritise to read to and with children but also take time to read ourselves.”

To help adults he recommends Bleaker House by Nell Stevens and Nunn’s suggestion is Amor Towles' A Gentleman in Moscow.

For the children, pick up a copy of Help Around the House (Puffin Books) and you can't go wrong.