Morris Gleitzman author page

Morris Gleitzman biography

Morris Gleitzman is an Australian author known for his work in children’s and young adult fiction. Born in England, he moved to Australia in 1969. Gleitzman began his writing career as a screenwriter, contributing to television shows such as The Norman Gunston Show and The Comedy Company.

He published his first children’s novel, The Other Facts of Life, in 1985. Gleitzman is widely recognised for his Once series, which includes the titles Once (2005), Then (2008), Now (2010), After (2012), Soon (2015), Maybe (2017), and Always (2021). The series follows the experiences of a Jewish boy named Felix during and after the Holocaust.

Other notable works include Two Weeks with the Queen (1990), Misery Guts (1991), Worry Warts (1991), Bumface (1998), and Toad Rage (1999), the first in his popular Toad series. Gleitzman’s books have been published internationally and translated into several languages.

He has received multiple awards, including the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award for Younger Readers for Toad Rage and Boy Overboard (2002). Gleitzman was named the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2018–2019.

His novel Once was shortlisted for the 2006 Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award for Younger Readers. Gleitzman’s work is published by Penguin Random House and Puffin Books.

In 2018, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to children’s literature as an author and advocate, and to the community.