Paul Jennings (Australian author)

Paul Jennings AM (born 1943), is an English-born 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. Many of his stories were adapted for the cult classic children's television series ''Round the Twist''. Jennings collaborated with Morris Gleitzman in 2000.

Early life and education

Paul Jennings was born on 30 April 1943 in Heston, Middlesex (now part of Hounslow in London). In 1949 his family emigrated to Australia. He first attended Bentleigh West Primary School in Bentleigh, a suburb of Melbourne, and then Caulfield Grammar School.

He graduated with a Bachelor of Education Studies from Frankston Teachers College at Monash University in 1978 and taught 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 then went to the Lincoln Institute of Health Sciences (now part of Monash).

Career

After graduating, he became a speech pathologist that he became a lecturer in special education at the Burwood State College and then, in 1979, Senior Lecturer in Language and Literature at Warrnambool Institute of Advanced Education (both now part of Deakin University).

In 1985, Jennings' first book of short stories, ''Unreal!'', was published, during which he worked as a teacher, lecturer and speech therapist. In 1989, he made the decision to devote himself full-time to writing. He began writing for children when his son, aged 11, was having trouble reading.

Jennings' short stories were adapted for the first two seasons of children's television series ''Round the Twist'' in 1989 and 1992, and then later in 1998 for the only season of series ''Driven Crazy''.

In 2020 Jennings' memoir, ''Untwisted: The Story of My Life'', was published by Allen & Unwin. Jennings started writing it ten years earlier, and is his longest piece of writing. In it, he examines many aspects of his life, including harbouring feelings of guilt about not liking his cold and emotionally abusive father, and having thoughts of attacking him with a hammer.

Personal life

Jennings first married aged 22. He has six children, and is a great-grandfather. His third wife is comedian Mary-Anne Fahey.

Awards and honours

*In 1992, Jennings received a Gold Puffin Award, for selling one million books in Australia.
*In 1993 he won an Angus & Robertson Bookworld Award, as Australian Author – Children's Literary Medal Criteria, "Best Selling Author" and "Most Valued Author".
*In 1993 Jennings was made Victorian of the Year – Western Region, presented by the Australia Day (Victoria) Committee, for services to the Victorian community.
* In 1995 he was 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.
*In 1998 he was named Favourite Australian Author in Dymocks Children's Choice Awards.
*In 2000 he was awarded the Dromkeen Medal, for significant contributions to the appreciation and development of children's literature.
*In 2010 he was made a Fellow of Monash University.
*In 2019 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Children's Book Council of Australia.

Awards for titles

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 (COOL Award):
: 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;
: 2001 ''The Paw Thing'' – Winner, Coolest Book of the Decade.

West Australian Young Readers' Book Award (WAYRBA):
: 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;
: 2000 – No.s 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 10 in the Top Ten Books.

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

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.

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

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 Younger Reader Book, ''Sink The Gizmo'';
: 1998 – Favourite Australian Older Reader Book, ''Wicked''.

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

Bibliography

Short story collections

* '' Unreal! Eight Surprising Stories'' (1985)
* '' Unbelievable! More Surprising Stories'' (1986)
* '' Quirky Tails! More Oddball Stories'' (1987)
* '' Uncanny! Even More Surprising Stories'' (1988)
* '' Unbearable! More Bizarre Stories'' (1990)
* '' Unmentionable! More Amazing Stories'' (1991)
* '' The Naked Ghost, Burp! and Blue Jam'' (1991)
* '' Undone! More Mad Endings'' (1993)
* '' Uncovered! Weird, Weird Stories'' (1995)
* '' Unseen!'' (1998)
* '' Tongue Tied!'' (2002)

Picture books

''Rascal'' series

* ''Rascal The Dragon''
* ''Rascal in Trouble''
* ''Rascal's Trick''
* ''Rascal Takes Off''
* ''Rascal at the Show''
* ''Rascal and the Cheese''
* ''Rascal And Little Flora''
* ''Rascal and the Hot Air Balloon''
* ''Rascal and the Monster''
* ''Rascal Goes Fishing''
* ''Rascal and the Dragon Droppings''
* ''Little Rascal to the Rescue''
* ''Rascal Plays Up''
* ''Rascal Runs Away''
* ''Rascal's Shadow''
* ''Rascal and the Bad Smell''
* ''Rascal Bumps His Head''
* ''Rascal's Big Day''

Miscellaneous

* ''Teacher Eater'' (1991)
* ''Grandad's Gifts'' (1992)
* ''The Fisherman and the Theefyspray'' (1994)

Chapter books

''Cabbage Patch'' series

* ''The Cabbage Patch Fib'' (1988)
* ''The Cabbage Patch War'' (1996)
* ''The Cabbage Patch Pong'' (2002)
* ''The Cabbage Patch Curse'' (2004)

''Gizmo'' series

* ''The Gizmo'' (1994)
* ''The Gizmo Again'' (1995)
* ''Come Back Gizmo'' (1996)
* ''Sink The Gizmo'' (1997)

''Singenpoo'' series

* ''The Paw Thing'' (1989)
* ''Singenpoo Strikes Again'' (1998)
* ''Singenpoo Shoots Through'' (1999)
* ''Singenpoo's Secret Weapon'' (2001)

Miscellaneous

* ''The Spitting Rat'' (1999)
* ''Sucked In'' (2000)
* ''Maggot'' (2003)

Novels

''Deadly'' series (co-written with Morris Gleitzman

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