Paul Jennings AM (born 30 April 1943) is an English-born Australian writer for children, young adults and adults. He is best known for his short stories that lead the reader through an unusual series of events and end with a twist. Many of Jennings' stories were adapted for the cult classic children's television series Round the Twist. He collaborated with Morris Gleitzman on the book series Wicked!, which was adapted into an animated TV series in 2000, and Deadly!.

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.

Jennings graduated with a Bachelor of Education Studies from Frankston Teachers' College 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).

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. He started writing it 10 years earlier, and it is his longest piece of writing. In it, Jennings examines many aspects of his life, including harbouring feelings of guilt about disliking his cold and emotionally abusive father, and having thoughts of attacking him.

Personal life

Jennings first married at age 22. He has six children and is a great-grandfather. Jennings' third wife is comedian Mary-Anne Fahey. He has two stepchildren and two adopted children, who have helped to inform some of his stories about children looking for their biological parents. Jennings currently resides in Warrnambool, Victoria.

Awards and honours

  • In 1992, Jennings received a Gold Puffin Award, for selling one million books in Australia.
  • In 1993, Jennings 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, Jennings 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, Jennings was named Favourite Australian Author in Dymocks Children's Choice Awards.
  • In 2000, Jennings was awarded the Dromkeen Medal, for significant contributions to the appreciation and development of children's literature.
  • In 2010, Jennings was made a Fellow of Monash University.
  • Sucked In (2000)
  • Maggot (2003)
  • The Lorikeet Tree (2023)

Novels

Deadly series (co-written with Morris Gleitzman)

  1. Nude (2000)
  2. Brats (2000)
  3. Stiff (2000)
  4. Hunt (2000)
  5. Grope (2000)
  6. Pluck (2000)

Wicked series (co-written with Morris Gleitzman)

  1. The Slobberers (1997)
  2. Battering Rams (1997)
  3. Croaked (1997)
  4. Dead Ringer (1997)
  5. The Creeper (1997)
  6. Till Death Do Us Apart (1997)

YA novels

  • How Hedley Hopkins Did a Dare (2005)
  • The Nest (2009)

Puzzle and joke books

  1. Spooner or Later (1992)
  2. Freeze A Crowd (1996)
  3. Duck For Cover (1997)
  4. Spit It Out (2003)

Compilations and bind-ups

  • Thirteen! Unpredictable Tales (1995)
  • Wicked: All six books in one (1998)
  • Uncollected: Every Story from Unreal!, Unbelievable!, and Quirky Tails (1998)
  • Uncollected: Volume Two: Every Story from Uncanny!, Unbearable!, and Unmentionable! (1999)
  • Uncollected: Volume Three: Every Story from Undone!, Uncovered!, and Unseen! (2000)
  • Deadly: All six books in one (2000)
  • The Fantastic And Amazing Gizmo (2002)
  • The Many Adventures of Singenpoo (2002)
  • The Cabbage Patch Fibs (2002)
  • Paul Jennings' Funniest Stories (2005)
  • Paul Jennings' Weirdest Stories (2006)
  • Paul Jennings' Spookiest Stories (2007)
  • Paul Jennings' Trickiest stories (2008)
  • Unreal! The Ultimate Collection: 30 Stories in 30 Years (2015)

Miscellaneous

  • Round the Twist (1989)
  • Round The Twist #1: Pink Bow Tie & Nails (a graphic novel) (1993)
  • The Paul Jennings Superdiary 1996
  • The Paul Jennings Superdiary 1997
  • The Paul Jennings Superdiary 2002
  • The Bird Said Nothing (eBook) (2012)

Adult non-fiction

The Reading Bug...and how you can help your child to catch it (2008)

Memoir

Critical studies and reviews of Jennings's work

;Untwisted

Television

  • Round The Twist (1989–2001)
  • Driven Crazy (1998)
  • Wicked! (2000-2001)

See also

  • List of Caulfield Grammar School people

References

  • Paul Jennings's official website
  • Paul Jennings's autobiography
  • Paul Jennings Interview
  • Paul Jennings at The Internet Movie Database
  • Profile from The Age