Morris Gleitzman

Morris Gleitzman (born 9 January 1953) is a British-born Australian author of children's and young adult fiction.[1] He has gained recognition for sparking an interest in AIDS in his controversial novel Two Weeks with the Queen (1990).

Morris Gleitzman
Gleitzman in 2011
Gleitzman in 2011
Born (1953-01-09) 9 January 1953 (age 71)
Sleaford, Lincolnshire, England
OccupationNovelist
NationalityAustralian
Alma materUniversity of Canberra
Notable worksThe Toad series, The Once series, Two Weeks with the Queen
Signature
Website
morrisgleitzman.com

Gleitzman has co-written many children's series with another Australian children's author, Paul Jennings. One of Gleitzman and Jennings' collaborations, the Wicked! book series, was adapted into an animated series in 2000.

Gleitzman has also published three collections of his newspaper columns for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald as books for an adult readership, and he used to write for the popular Norman Gunston Show in the 1970s. His latest book in the Once series, Always, was released in 2021.[2] His is also known for his Toad series of books.[3]

In February 2018, Gleitzman was named the Australian Children's Laureate for 2018/2019.[4]

Early life

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Morris was born in the town of Sleaford, Lincolnshire on 9 January 1953. He has one brother and one sister. His dad (Phillip) is an auditor, and his mum (Pamela) was a Bates employee.

Morris Gleitzman went to Chislehurst primary school in England. He then attended Sidcup Grammar school in Bexley, England. [5]

In 1969 when Morris was 16, he and his family moved to Sydney. In Australia he got a job as a paperboy, bottle-shop shelf-stacker, store Santa Claus, frozen chicken defroster, fashion-design assistant and sugar-mill employee.[6] He went to The University of Canberra.[7]

Bibliography

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After university Morris worked for ten years as a screenwriter. Then he had a wonderful experience, he wrote a novel for young people. [8]

Books

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YearTitleImprintISBNNotes
1987The Other Facts of LifePenguin BooksISBN 014008410XFirst novel, adapted from screenplay.
1989Two Weeks with the QueenPan BooksISBN 0330271830
1990Second childhoodMcPhee Gribble/PenguinISBN 014014465X
1991Misery GutsPan AustraliaISBN 0330272314
1992Worry WartsPiper AustraliaISBN 0330272462Sequel to Misery Guts.
1993Blabber MouthISBN 0330273531Adapted into a play of the same name by Mary Morris in 1996.
1994Sticky BeakISBN 0330274066Sequel to Blabber Mouth.
1995Puppy FatPiperISBN 0330342118Sequel to Misery Guts and Worry Warts.
1996Belly FlopPan BooksISBN 0330356844
1997Water WingsPan Macmillan AustraliaISBN 0330358863Loose sequel to Belly Flop.
1998BumfacePuffin BooksISBN 0140387978
Wicked!ISBN 0141300396Co-written with Paul Jennings.
1999Gift of the GabISBN 0140387986Sequel to Blabber Mouth and Sticky Beak.
2000Toad RageISBN 0141306556
Self Helpless: 57 Pieces of Crucial Advice for People Who Need a Bit More Time to Get It RightPenguinISBN 014029256X
2001Adults OnlyISBN 0141308370
Deadly!Puffin BooksISBN 0143300245Co-written with Paul Jennings.
Toad HeavenISBN 014130880XSequel to Toad Rage.
2002Boy OverboardISBN 0141308389
2003Teacher's PetPenguin BooksISBN 0140387994
Toad AwayPuffin BooksISBN 0143300474Sequel to Toad Rage and Toad Heaven.
2004Worm StoryPenguin BooksISBN 0143301969
Girl UndergroundPuffin BooksISBN 0143300466Sequel to Boy Overboard.
2005OnceISBN 0143301950"...Gleitzman delivers a sharp sense of what it must have been like to be a child during the Holocaust, forced to grow up far too quickly."[9]
2006Aristotle's NostrilPenguin BooksISBN 0143301977
Doubting ThomasPuffin BooksISBN 9780143302612
2007Give Peas a ChanceISBN 9780141324111Collection of short stories.

Features characters from Misery Guts, Blabber Mouth, Second Childhood, Belly Flop, Adults Only, Teacher's Pet, Worm Story and Aristotle's Nostril.

2008Toad SurpriseISBN 9780143304166Sequel to Toad Rage, Toad Heaven and Toad Away.
ThenPenguinISBN 9780670072781Sequel to Once.[10]
2009GraceVikingISBN 0670073903
2010NowISBN 9780670074372Sequel to Once and Then "Readers of the first two books will recognize a great deal, and those who have not should read them to gain a fuller picture of the years before and those in which we live."[11]
Tickled Onions and Other Funny StoriesPuffin BooksISBN 9780143305606Collection of short stories. Contains some stories from Give Peas a Chance.
2011Too Small to FailISBN 9780143306429
Pizza Cake: And Other Funny StoriesISBN 9780143305989Collection of short stories. Contains some stories from Tickled Onions.
2012AfterPenguin BooksISBN 9780670075447Sequel to Once, Then and Now.
2013Extra TimeISBN 9780143307754
2014Loyal CreaturesISBN 9780670077427
2015SoonVikingISBN 0670078875Sequel to Once, Then, Now and After.
2016Toad DelightPenguin Random HouseISBN 0143309234Sequel to Toad Rage, Toad Heaven, Toad Away and Toad Surprise.
Snot ChocolateISBN 9780143309222Collection of short stories.
2017MaybeISBN 9780670079377Sequel to Once, Then, Now, After and Soon
2018Funny Stories: and Other Funny StoriesPuffin BooksISBN 0143793381Collection of short stories. Contains all stories from Give Peas A Chance, Pizza Cake and Snot Chocolate, plus one new story.
Help Around the HouseISBN 0143793233
2021AlwaysVikingISBN 9780143793243Sequel to Once, Then, Now, After, Soon and Maybe.

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Morris Gleitzman, AustLit
  2. ^ "Maybe". Trove Books, National Library of Australia. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  3. ^ Morris Gleitzman, Toad series, Random House. Retrieved 28 January 2008.
  4. ^ Morris, Linda (12 February 2018). "Australia's new children's laureate Morris Gleitzman hopes to inspire children in dark, uncertain world". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  5. ^ https://www.answers.com/performing-arts-ec/What_school_did_Morris_Gleitzman_go_to
  6. ^ ://www.morrisgleitzman.com/biographies.htm
  7. ^ https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A22100 !subscriber text! https://www.canberra.edu.au/uc-alumni-canvas/canvas-articles/posts/5-minutes-with...-morris-gleitzman,-beloved-childrens-author
  8. ^ Christopher brenn library https://library.riverview.nsw.edu.au/morrisgleitzman#:~:text=Biography%20%26%20Bibliography&text=After%20university%20Morris%20worked%20for,published%20more%20than%2035%20books.
  9. ^ "Once review". kirkusreviews.com. Kirkus Media LLC. 15 March 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  10. ^ "Then review". kirkusreviews.com. Kirkus Media LLC. 1 April 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  11. ^ "Now review". kirkusreviews.com. Kirkus Media LLC. 28 March 2012. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  12. ^ "COOL Awards 2013 winners announced". Books+Publishing. 25 November 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  13. ^ Book of the Year – Winners 2016, Children's Book Council of Australia
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