Paul Jennings (Australian author)
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Paul Jennings AM (born April 30, 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 and that ends with a twist.
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[edit] Biography
Paul Jennings was raised in Heston, London, and at the age of six emigrated to Australia with his family. He attended Bentleigh West Primary School and Caulfield Grammar School. After graduating from school, he went to Frankston Teachers College 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 and became a speech pathologist, then worked as a Lecturer in Special Education at Burwood State College. In 1979 he became the Senior Lecturer in Language and Literature of the Warrnambool Institute of Adult Education.
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.
[edit] Works
Paul Jennings has written numerous books for children. [1] [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:
- Unreal!;
- Unbelievable;
- 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!;
- Uncovered!;
- The Gizmo - the first of a quadrilogy of full-length stories;
- The Gizmo Again;
- The Cabbage Patch War;
- Come Back Gizmo;
- Wicked - a collaboration with Morris Gleitzman;
- Sink The Gizmo;
- Singenpoo Strikes Again;
- Unseen!;
- Singenpoo Shoots Through;
- Deadly - another collaboration with Morris Gleitzman;
- Thirteen Unpredictable Tales - a collection of the best previously-published short 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 Ted Greenwood;
- Freeze A Crowd- with Terry Denton and Ted Greenwood;
- The Fisherman And The Theefyspray.
[edit] 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.
South Australian CROW Award:
- 1994 Undone! - Year 6 and 7 category;
- 1995 The_Gizmo - Year 6 and 7 category;
- 1998 Wicked! - Year 6 and 7 category.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
COOL Awards (2001):
- awarded 'Coolest Book of the Decade' for The Paw Thing.
