Paul Jennings author page

Paul Jennings biography

Paul Jennings is an Australian author known for his children’s books, particularly short story collections. He began publishing in 1985 with Unreal!, a collection of short stories. Jennings has written numerous other collections, including Unbelievable! (1987), Quirky Tails (1988), Uncanny! (1988), Unmentionable! (1991), and Uncovered! (1995). His stories often feature twists and elements of the surreal.

Jennings collaborated with Morris Gleitzman on the Wicked! series, published between 1997 and 1999. He also wrote the Gizmo series and the Rascal books for younger readers. Several of his works have been adapted for television, including the series Round the Twist, which was based on his stories and first aired in 1989.

Jennings has received multiple awards, including the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award for Younger Readers in 1986 for Unreal! and in 1988 for Uncanny!. He was awarded the Dromkeen Medal in 1995 for his contribution to children’s literature. In 2001, Jennings was made a Member of the Order of Australia for service to children’s literature.

His autobiography, Untwisted: The Story of My Life, was published in 2020.