Robin Klein

Robin Klein (b. 28 February 1936, Kempsey, New South Wales) is a well-known Australian author of over 40 children's books for both older and younger readers who lives near Melbourne. Several of her books have been short-listed for the Australian Children's Book of the Year Award, including "Hating Alison Ashley" (also a film starring Delta Goodrem) and "Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left" (filmed as a television series for the Seven Network in 1992).

Klein's novel "Came Back to Show You I Could Fly" won a Human Rights Award for Literature in 1989 and also won the 1990 Australian Children's Book of the Year Award for Older Readers. It was filmed as "Say a Little Prayer" in 1993. She wrote her first short story at the age of 16.

Several of her other books have received awards in Australia, including the South Australian Festival Award for Literature, which she won in 1998 with "The Listmaker". Many have also won or been shortlisted for awards selected by children.

Robin Klein suffered an aneurysm rupture, and, while she survived, as of 2005 she lives in a nursing home and is no longer able to write or do significant publicity work for her books.

Awards

* 1978 - Special mention, Critici in Erba Prize at Bologna for "The Giraffe in Pepperell Street"cite web |title = CYSS [NSW] Nancy Booker Honour Lecture 2000 by Margaret Hamilton |publisher= ALIA Children's and Youth Services (NSW)|url= http://www.alia.org.au/groups/cysnsw/awards/nancy.booker.html |accessdate = 2007-08-11]
* 1989 - Human Rights Literature and Other Writing Award for "Came Back to Show You I Could Fly"cite web |title= 1989 Human Rights Medal and Awards |publisher= Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission|url= http://www.humanrights.gov.au/hr_awards/1989.html |accessdate= 2007-08-11]
* 1991 - Canberra’s Own Outstanding List (COOL), Fiction for Older Readers Award for "People Might Hear You"
* 1992 - Canberra’s Own Outstanding List (COOL), Fiction for Older Readers Award for "Came Back To Show You I Could Fly"

Bibliography

* "The giraffe in Pepperell Street" (Hodder and Stoughton, 1978) illustrated by Gill Tomblin
* "Thing" (Oxford University Press, 1982) illustrated by Alison Lester
* "People Might Hear You" (Puffin Books, 1983)
* "Junk Castle" (Oxford University Press, 1983) illustrated by Rolf Heimann
* "Penny Pollard's Diary" (Oxford University Press, 1983) illustrated by Ann James
* "Oodoolay " (Era Publications, c1983) illustrated by Vivienne Goodman
* "Brock and the dragon" (Hodder & Stoughton, 1984) pictures by Rodney McRae
* "Ratbags and rascals : funny stories" (J.M. Dent, 1984) illustrated by Alison Lester
* "Thingnapped!" (Oxford University Press, 1984)
* "Hating Alison Ashley" (Puffin Books, 1984)
* "Penny Pollard's Letters" (Oxford University Press, 1984) illustrated by Ann James
* "Thalia, the failure" (Ashton Scholastic, 1984) illustrated by Rhyll Plant
* "The Enemies" (Angus & Robertson, 1985) illustrated by Noela Young
* "Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left" (Viking Kestrel, 1985)
* "Serve him right!" (Edward Arnold (Australia), 1985) drawings by john Burge
* "You're on your own!" (Edward Arnold, 1985)
* "Good for something" (Edward Arnold Australia, 1985)
* "Separate places" (Roo Books, 1985) illustrated by Astra Lacis
* "Snakes and Ladders : poems about the ups and downs of life" (J.M. Dent, 1985) illustrated by Ann James
* "Games" (Viking Kestrel, 1986) illustrations by Melissa Webb
* "Penny Pollard in Print" (Oxford University Press, 1986) illustrated by Ann James
* "Boss of the Pool" (Omnibus in association with Penguin, 1986)
* "The princess who hated it" (Omnibus Books, 1986) illustrated by Maire Smith
* "Robin Klein's crookbook" (Methuen Australia, 1987) illustrated by Kristen Hilliard
* "Don't tell Lucy" (Methuen Australia, 1987)
* "Birk, the Berserker" (Omnibus Books, 1987) illustrated by Alison Lester
* "The lonely hearts club" (Oxford University Press, 1987) with Max Dann
* "I shot an arrow" (Viking Kestrel, 1987) illustrated by Geoff Hocking]
* "Christmas" (Methuen, c1987) illustrated by Kristen Hilliard
* "Penny Pollard's Passport" (Oxford University Press, 1988) illustrated by Ann James
* "Laurie Loved Me Best" (Viking Kestrel, 1988)
* "Jane's mansion" (Shortland, 1988) illustrated by Melissa Webb
* "The Kidnapping of Clarissa Montgomery" (Shortland, 1988) illustrated by Jane Wallace-Mitchel
* "Penny Pollard's Guide to Modern Manners" (Oxford University Press, 1989)
* "Against the odds" (Puffin Books, 1989) illustrated by Bill Wood
* "Honoured guest" (Angus & Robertson, 1989)
* "Came Back to Show You I Could Fly" (Viking Penguin, 1989)
* "The ghost in Abigail Terrace" (Omnibus Books, 1989) illustrated by Margaret Power
* "Tearaways" (Puffin, 1991, c1990) (First published as "Stories to make you think twice")
* "Boris and Borsch" (Allen & Unwin, 1990) illustrated by Cathy Wilcox
* "Tearaways" (Viking, 1990)
* "All in the Blue Unclouded Weather" (Viking, c1991)
* "Dresses of Red and Gold" (Viking, 1992)
* "Amy's Bed" (Omnibus Books, 1992) illustrated by Coral Tulloch
* "Seeing Things " (Penguin Books Australia, 1993)
* "Turn Right for Zyrgon" (Puffin, 1994)
* "The Sky in Silver Lace" (Penguin, 1995)
* "Thing finds a job" (Hodder Headline, 1996) with Alison Lester
* "Thing's concert" (Hodder Healine, 1996) with Alison Lester
* "Thing's birthday" (Hodder Headline, 1996) with Alison Lester
* "Thingitis" (Hodder Headline, 1996) with Alison Lester
* "The Listmaker" (Viking, 1997)
* "Barney's Blues" (Puffin, 1998) illustrated by David Cox
* "The Goddess" (Lothian, 1998) illustrated by Anne Spudvilas
* "Gabby's fair" (Omnibus Books, 1998) illustrated by Michael Johnson
* "Penny Pollard's scrapbook" (Hodder Children's Books Australia, 1999) illustrated by Ann James
* "Anything happens"

Adaptations

* "Hating Alison Ashley : the play" adapted for the stage by Richard Tulloch
* "Boss of the pool : the play" adapted from the novel by Mary Morris

Notes

References

* [http://nla.gov.au/nla.ms-ms9301 MS 9301- Papers of Robin Klein (1936 - )] National Library of Australia (Retrieved 11 August 2007)
* [http://www.alia.org.au/groups/cysnsw/awards/nancy.booker.html CYSS (NSW) Nancy Booker Honour Lecture 2000 by Margaret Hamilton] (Retrieved 11 August 2007)
* [http://www.answers.com/topic/robin-klein-children-s-author Biography of Robin Klein (1936-)] Answers.com
* [http://www.humanrights.gov.au/hr_awards/1989.html 1989 Human Rights Medal and Awards]

External links

* [http://www.penguin.com.au/lookinside/author-profile.cfm?AuthId=0000001022 Penguin Books author profile]
* [http://hem.passagen.se/danielho/HalfwayAcrossTheGalaxy/ Fan site] for the "Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left" television series
* [http://www.clubtroppo.com.au/2005/04/06/do-audiences-hate-alison-ashley-too/ Sophie Masson describes Klein's illness]
* [http://www.answers.com/topic/say-a-little-prayer-film?cat=entertainment Say a Little Prayer (movie)]