Her works for children included picture books, short stories, poetry and novels as well as radio and television scripts.
Chapman was employed by the Australian Broadcasting Commission as a freelance scriptwriter from 1957, including on radio programs such as Kindergarten of the Air.
[3] The Sugar-Plum Christmas Book was joint winner of the Australia Council's 1978 Visual Arts Board Award.
[4] Chapman won the 1990 Lady Cutler Award which recognises "distinguished service to children's literature".
[5] Chapman died in a Sydney nursing home on 26 June 2012, having earlier suffered a stroke.