Paul Jennings (Australian author)

Paul Jennings AM (born 30 April 1943) is a best-selling Australian children's book writer. His books mainly feature short stories that lead the reader through an unusual series of events that end with a twist.

Biography

Paul Jennings was raised in Heston, London, and at the age of 6 emigrated to Melbourne, Australia with his family. He attended Bentleigh West Primary School [ [http://www.jubileebooks.co.uk/jubilee/magazine/authors/paul_jennings/paul_jennings.asp "Author Profile - Paul Jennings"] , Jubilee Books, July 2002] and Caulfield Grammar School. [cite news | last=Sullivan | first=Jane | title=How Paul did a dare | date=28 May 2005 | publisher=The Age | url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/Books/How-Paul-did-a-dare/2005/05/27/1116950831646.html] After graduating from school, he went to Frankston Teachers College (now part of Monash University) and became a teacher. He taught students at Frankston State School, Kangaroo Flat State School, the Turana Youth Training Centre, and the Royal Children's Hospital State School in Mount Eliza. He later went on to study at the Lincoln Institute of Health Science (now part of LaTrobe University and became a speech pathologist, then worked as a Lecturer in Special Education at Burwood State College (now part of Deakin University). In 1979 he became Senior Lecturer in Language and Literature at Warrnambool Institute of Advanced Education (now part of Deakin University).

In 1985, Jennings' first book of short stories, "Unreal!" was published, during which he worked as a lecturer and wrote part-time; in 1989, he made the decision to devote his full time to writing. Many of his short stories, published between 1985 and 1991, were also adapted into the first and second series of the popular Australian television show "Round the Twist

Works

Paul Jennings has written numerous books for children. [http://nla.gov.au/anbd.aut-an35755124] [Find Paul Jennings' work in Libraries Australia] - click on the name 'Heading' to find all related works in 800+ Australian library collections.]

He has written the following story books, which are all collections of short stories, unless otherwise stated:

* "Between the Lines of My Diary
* "Unreal!";
* "Unbelievable";
* "Tongue-Tied";
* "Quirky Tails";
* "Uncanny!";
* "The Cabbage Patch Fib" - the first of a trilogy of full-length stories;
* "Round the Twist" - examining the making of the same-name television series (see below);
* "Unbearable!";
* "The Paw Thing" - a full-length story, introducing the character Singenpoo;
* "The Naked Ghost, Burp & Blue Jam" - three short stories;
* "Unmentionable!";
* "Undone!";
* "Unpopular!" [http://arty-farty.8m.com/unpopular.htm] ;
* "Uncovered!";
* "The Gizmo" - the first of a quadrilogy of full-length stories;
* "The Gizmo Again";
* "The Cabbage Patch War";
* "Come Back Gizmo";
* "Wicked! novel series" - a collaboration with Morris Gleitzman;:* "Wicked! 1" (1997):* "Wicked! 2 Battering Rams" (1998):* "Wicked! 3 Croaked" (1998):* "Wicked! 4 Dead Ringer" (1998):* "Wicked! 5 The Creeper" (1998):* "Wicked! 6 Till Death Us Do Part" (1998)
* "Sink The Gizmo";
* "Singenpoo Strikes Again";
* "Unseen!";
* "Singenpoo Shoots Through";
* Deadly (Morris Gleitzman and Paul Jennings Novel Series);
* "Thirteen Unpredictable Tales" - a collection of the best previously-published short stories;
* "Singenpoo's Secret Weapon";
* "Paul Jennings' Funniest Stories";
* "Paul Jennings' Weirdest Stories";
* "How Hedley Hopkins Did a Dare, robbed a grave, made a new friend who might not have really been there at all, and while he was at it committed a terrible sin which everyone was doing even though he didn't know it" - Jennings' first foray into novel-writing.

He has also written numerous picture books:

* "Grandad's Gifts";
* "Spooner or Later" - with Terry Denton and Ted Greenwood;
* "Teacher Eater";
* "Round the Twist #1: Pink Bow Tie & Nails";
* "Duck for Cover"- with Terry Denton and Greenwood;
* "Freeze a Crowd"- with Terry Denton and Ted Greenwood;
* "The Fisherman and The Theefyspray".
* " Funniest storie "
* " Weirdest stories"

He is also the author of a guide for parents on teaching small children to be avid readers:

* "The Reading Bug: and how you can help your child to catch it"

Awards

Jennings has won many awards:

Young Australians' Best Book Award (YABBA):: 1987 "Unreal!" - Winner, best book for older readers;: 1988 "Unbelievable!" - Winner, best book for older readers;: 1989 "Uncanny!" - Winner, best book for older readers;: 1989 "The Cabbage Patch Fib" - Winner, best book for younger readers;: 1990 "The Paw Thing" - Winner, best book for younger readers;: 1991 "Round The Twist" - Winner, best book for older readers;: 1992 "Quirky Tails" - Winner, fiction for younger readers;: 1992 "Unmentionable!" - Winner, fiction for older readers;: 1993 "Unbearable!" - Winner, fiction for older readers;: 1994 "Spooner Or Later" - Winner, picture book section;: 1994 "Undone!" - Winner, fiction for younger readers;: 1995 "Duck For Cover" - Winner, picture book section;: 1995 "The Gizmo" - Winner, fiction for younger readers;: 1996 "The Gizmo Again" - Winner, fiction for younger readers;: 1998 "Wicked!" - Winner, fiction for older readers;: 2002 "Tongue Tied" - Winner, fiction for Younger Readers.

Canberra's Own Outstanding List Award (COOL):: 1991 "Round The Twist" - Winner, Primary Section;: 1992 "The Cabbage Patch Fib" - Winner, Primary Section;: 1993 "Unreal!" - Winner, Primary Section;: 1995 "The Gizmo" - Winner, Primary Section;: 1997 "The Paw Thing" - Winner, Secondary Section;: 1998 "Wicked!" - Winner, Primary Section.

West Australian Young Readers' Book Award (WAYRA):: 1989 "Unreal!" - Winner of Special Award, Highest Ranked Australian Author, Secondary Readers Section;: 1991 "The Paw Thing" - Winner of Hoffman Award, Highest Ranked Australian Author and Primary Readers Section;: 1992 "Uncanny!" - Winner of Hoffman Award, Highest Ranked Australian Author and Primary Readers Section;: 1994 "Unbearable!" - Winner of Hoffman Award, Highest Ranked Australian Author and Primary Readers Section;: 1995 "Undone!" - Winner of Hoffman Award, Highest Ranked Australian Author and Primary Readers Section.

Kids Own Australian Literature Award (KOALA):: 1990 "Unreal!" - Winner Secondary Readers Section;: 1992 "Unmentionable!" - Winner Infant/Primary Readers Section;: 1993 "Unbearable!" - Winner Infant/Primary Readers Section;: 1994 "Undone!" - Winner Infant/Primary Readers Section;: 1995 "Duck For Cover" - Winner Infant/Primary Readers Section;: 1996 "Uncovered!" - Winner Senior Book.

Kids Reading Oz Choice Award (KROC):: 1990 "Uncanny!" - Winner Most Popular Oz Book;: 1991 "Unbelievable!" - Winner Most Popular Oz Book;: 1992 "Unreal!" - Winner Most Popular Oz Book;: 1993 "Undone!" - Winner Most Popular Oz Book;: 1994 "Undone!" - Winner Most Popular Oz Book;: 1995 "The Gizmo" - Winner Most Popular Oz Book;: 1996 "Round the Twist" - Winner Most Popular Oz Book;: 1997 "Wicked!" - Winner Most Popular Oz Book;: 1998 "Wicked!" - Winner Most Popular Oz Book;: 1999 "The Gizmo" - Best Oz Children's Book.

Books I Like Best Yearly Award (BILBY):: 1992 "Unreal!" - Winner Read Alone Primary Section;: 1994 "Undone!" - Winner Read Alone Primary Section;: 1996 "The Gizmo" - Winner Read Australian Primary Section.

Order of Australia:: 1995 - appointed Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia (AM), in the Australia Day 1995 Honours List, for service to children’s literature.

Victorian of the Year — Western Region: 1993 - won Western Region Victorian of the Year Award – presented by the Australia Day (Victoria) Committee, for services to the Victorian Community.

Australian Writers' Guild:: 1990, AWGIE Award – Best Children’s Adaptation (TV) "Round The Twist";: 1993, AWGIE Award – Best Children’s Adaptation (TV) "Round The Twist" - Episode 5.

Gold Puffin Award:: 1992, for selling one million books in Australia.

ABPA Joyce Nicholson Award:: 1993, "Spooner Or Later" – winner, best designed children's book of the year.

Angus & Robertson Bookworld Award:: 1993, Australian Author – Children’s Literary Medal Criteria, 'Best Selling Author' and 'Most Valued Author'.

Wilderness Society Environment Award for Children's Literature:: 1994, Picture Book – "The Fisherman And The Theefyspray".

Prix Jeunesse Award:: 1994 - Winner "Round The Twist" (Television Series).

Australian Publishers Association — Book Industry Awards:: 1997 - Peoples Choice Award for Children’s Books for "Come Back Gizmo".

Christian Schools' Book Award:: 1998 - awarded to Paul Jennings and Jane Tanner for "The Fisherman And The Theefyspray".

Dymocks Children's Choice Awards:: 1998 - Favourite Australian Author;: 1998 - Favourite Australian Younger Reader Book, "Sink The Gizmo";: 1998 - Favourite Australian Older Reader Book, "Wicked".

Queensland Premiers Literary Award:: 1999 - Best Children's Book "Unseen!".

Kroc Awards (2000):: 2000 - No.s 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 10 in the Top Ten Books.

Dromkeen (2001):: awarded the Dromkeen Medal, for significant contributions to the appreciation and development of children's literature.cite web |title= Dromkeen Medal |publisher= Scholastic |url= http://www.scholastic.com.au/common/dromkeen/medal.asp |accessdate= 2007-07-15]

COOL Awards (2001):: awarded 'Coolest Book of the Decade' for "The Paw Thing".

Notes

External links

* [http://www.pauljennings.com.au/ Paul Jennings' official website]
* [http://www.pauljennings.com.au/about/8qzz6cn9.htm Paul Jennings' autobiography]
* [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0421231/ "Paul Jennings"] at [http://www.imdb.com/ The Internet Movie Database]
* [http://www.theage.com.au/news/Books/How-Paul-did-a-dare/2005/05/27/1116950831646.html Profile] from "The Age"