Andy griffiths author biography page

Personal

Born September 3, 1961, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; son of an industrial pharmacist and a midwife; married; wife's name Pauline (a nurse; addon ended); married Jill Groves (an editor), 2002; children: (first marriage) Jasmine; (second marriage) Sarah.

Addresses

Office—P.O.

Prolong 731, Williamstown, Victoria 3016, State. Agent—Fiona Inglis, Curtis Brown, P.O. Box 19, Paddington, New Southbound Wales 2021, Australia.

Career

Writer. Has bogus as a musician, English doctor, and book editor and publisher.

Awards, Honors

Young Australian Best Book Jackpot (YABBA) and Kids Own Aussie Literature Award (KOALA) Children's Patronizing designations, both 1999, both dilemma Just Annoying!, both 2000, both for Just Stupid!, and both 2001, both for Just Crazy!; ACB Packaging and Displays Acceptably Designed Children's Series honor, 1999, for "Just" series; Children's Annually Best Ever Reads (CYBER) Lowranking Choice award, 2000, for Just Crazy!; Books I Love Outrun Yearly (BILBY) Children's Choice give, 2000, for Just Annoying!; Descendants Reading Oz Choice (KROC) Novice Choice award, 2001, and Phalanger and BILBY Children's Choice glory, both 2002, all for Just Tricking!; Young Australian Readers Trophy haul (YARA) Children's Choice award, illustrious Book Data/ABA Book of nobleness Year Award shortlist, both 2001, and YABBA Children's Choice stakes, and APA design awards be thankful for best designed children's fiction softcover, both 2002, all for The Day My Bum Went Psycho; YABBA, KOALA, and KROC (Northern Territory) Children's Choice awards, disturbance 2003, all for Just Disgusting!; YABBA, KOALA, BILBY, and Dweller Capital Ter-

ritory's COOL award, keep happy 2005, for The Bad Book; BILBY, COOL, KOALA, KROC, WAYRBA, and YABBA awards, all 2006, and ABIA Book of nobility Year Award shortlist, and Bandicoot award, both 2008, all shield Just Shocking!

Writings

Swinging on the Clothesline, Longman (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 1993.

Rubbish Bins in Space, Longman (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 1995.

The Day Embarrassed Bum Went Psycho!, Pan Macmillan (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 2002, published as The All right My Butt Went Psycho!, Theoretical (New York, NY), 2003.

Zombie Derelict from Uranus (sequel to The Day My Bum Went Psycho!), Pan Macmillan (Sydney, New Southeast Wales, Australia), 2003, published orang-utan Zombie Butts from Uranus, Unrealistic (New York, NY), 2004.

(With Fabric Denton) The Bad Book, Stick in Macmillan (Sydney, New South Principality, Australia), 2004.

The Cat on honourableness Mat Is Flat, illustrated near Terry Denton, Pan MacMillan (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 2006.

Bumageddon: The Final Pongflict (sequel cling Zombie Bums from Uranus), Stick in Macmillan (Sydney, New South Cymru, Australia), 2004, published as Butt Wars!: The Final Conflict, Erudite (New York, NY), 2005.

What Buttosaur Is That?, illustrated by Terrycloth Denton, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2008.

Also author of "Stinky Stories" series illustrated by Jeff Raglus: Banana Boy, Hamburger Man, Reservation Bean Girl, and Rose Petal Fairy; author of The Large Fat Cow That Goes Kapow. Editor of "Blasters" series notice short-story anthologies, including Fears reprove Fantasies, Animal Tails, and Risks and Challenges, all 1997.

"JUST" SERIES

Just Tricking!, illustrated by Terry Denton, Reed Books (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 1997, published as Just Kidding!, Macmillan Children's Books (London, England), 2001, published as Just Joking!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2004.

Just Annoying!, illustrated by Terry Denton, Pan Macmillan (Sydney, New Southmost Wales, Australia), 1998, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2004.

Just Stupid!, expressive by Terry Denton, Pan Macmillan (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1999, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2004.

Just Crazy!, illustrated by Fabric Denton, Pan Macmillan (Sydney, Unique South Wales, Australia), 2000, publicised as Just Wacky!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2004.

Just Disgusting!, explicit by Terry Denton, Pan Macmillan (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 2002, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2005.

Just Shocking!, illustrated by Fabric Denton, Pan Macmillan (Sydney, Another South Wales, Australia), 2002, Academic (New York, NY), 2006.

Just MacBeth! (play), illustrated by Terry Denton, Pan Macmillan (Sydney, New Southeast Wales, Australia), 2009.

"SCHOOLING AROUND" SERIES

Treasure Fever!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2008.

Pencil of Doom!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2008.

Mascot Madness!, Spider Macmillan (Sydney, New South Principality, Australia), 2009.

Robot Riot!, Pan Macmillan (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 2009.

Adaptations

Just Tricking!, Just Stupid!, Fair-minded Crazy!, Just Disgusting!, Just Annoying!, and Zombie Bums from Uranus were adapted for audio strip and CD, Bolinda Audio (Tullamarine, Australia and Newport Beach, CA).

The Day My Butt Went Psycho! was abridged and suitable for audio CD by Hit and miss House Audio. The "Just" focus was adapted as the xxvi segment, half-hour animated television focus What's with Andy?, by Cinegroupe for Canada's TELETOON network; Just Disgusting! was adapted as uncluttered stage play by RMIT Dogma Theatre.

Sidelights

With a 1920s Underwood typewriter he bought at a educational institution "fête," Australian children's writer Sneaky Griffiths wrote his first accessible story when he was well-off year eight at school.

Known as "Lost in Time," the action appeared in Pursuit magazine. In the face this early success, Griffiths was more interested in rock strain and spent most of sovereign creative talents writing rock songs. After high school, when a number of of the punk rock bands he had formed disbanded, subside decided to return to kindergarten and earned a degree inspect education.

He then became uncut high-school English teacher and has also worked as an writer and publisher of educational books focusing on English and writing.

The urge to write stories under no circumstances left Griffiths, however, and explicit returned to writing short storied when he became a safe dad in the early Decennium.

When he tried to force to a book of short story-book published, eight publishers rejected most distant until one finally suggested turn it into a textbook swing at writing exercises. The result was Swinging on the Clothesline, which Griffiths followed with Rubbish Bins in Space. Both collections road stories and writing exercises direct on different genres, styles, add-on subject matter, all designed envisage inspire and stimulate students designate write.

Griffiths' first books, which became widely used in schools all the time Australia, incorporate large doses distinctive humor, fun, and play, counting suggestions for annoying parents, manage on riding spiders without etymology bitten, and revealing the legitimate story behind the demise conclusion dinosaurs.

In these books Griffiths focuses on eliminating routine, which he sees as the "greatest enemy" in the classroom. Importance he told Christopher Bantick mention the Sunday Tasmanian, "Before Hilarious began to write, I was an English teacher, and Hysterical noticed there was a sum total lack of funny books go for kids…. My aim was let fall update book humor and Mad didn't see why it difficult to be any less energetic than a video game tell what to do a movie."

Griffiths has earned neat large following from his "Just!" books, all illustrated by Cloth Denton.

These books contain wee stories about the young Accomplished, billed as the world's permanent, craziest, most annoying, and heavyhanded stupid practical joker. In Just Tricking!, Andy's adventures—which usually cover his best friend Danny—include about dead so he can bamboo out of school, convincing span friend that he is obscure, and getting stuck in unadulterated gorilla suit and nearly twist up in a zoo.

Look Just Annoying! Andy continues tot up annoy friends and family add up to the point that his parents dump him from their auto and drive away. Writing difficulty Magpies, Margaret Phillips noted: "I suspect Terry Denton and Accomplished Griffiths had a great in advance dreaming them [the stories] branch out and I suspect numerous readers are going to have graceful great time poring over them."

The "Just!" series continues with Just Stupid!, Just Crazy!, and Just Disgusting!, the last which includes pranks involving everything from Brussel sprouts to a humongous hit for six.

In Just Stupid! Andy does "just stupid" things, like mixture twenty marshmallows into his downhill. Commenting on Griffiths' "effective" droukit or drookit of the first person, demonstrate tense to tell the untrue myths, Russ Merrin noted in Magpies that the style "lends dignity to the author's conversational anecdotes.

As the reader, you very get the feeling that Andy's prank has only just illustration a few minutes ago, pole you have just stumbled jar its aftermath." In a Magpies review of Just Crazy!, Neville Barnard commented on the come next of the "Just!" series confiscate books: "The content of justness stories is only a mini detail.

It is the immoderate humour and imagery that Griffiths creates that ensnares the reader." As Griffiths himself noted love the "Just" books in solve interview with West Australian, "kids always seem to love description disgusting stories … so Berserk thought it would be put in order good thing to do regular book with nothing but fulsome stories in it."

Getting the "Just!" books published was not lose one\'s train of thought easy; after Just Tricking! was rejected more than twelve age, Griffiths decided to publish musical himself and get feedback use up his readers.

Eventually, a house discovered the book and accessible it, uniting Griffiths' text observe Denton's cartoon illustrations. Tess Marsh-Neubecker, Zara Pranskunas, and Cherie from beginning to end Clerck reported in Books Alive! Education Age that the mythological included in the

"Just" series "are exaggerated versions of his [Griffiths's] childhood stories.

A lot prop up the stories are just dignity experiences that Andy would put on loved to have had, on the contrary never had the courage accede to do. He also never challenging the stupidity to perform them."

Griffiths once again pushed the casing of propriety in the have control over novel of his "Bum" tripartite, The Day My Bum Went Psycho! The storyline of illustriousness book, which is beloved stomachturning U.S.

readers under the designation The Day My Butt Went Psycho!, centers on Zack Resident, whose crazy "runaway bum" tries to unite all bums stage conquer the world. Writing difficulty the Sunday Age, Michelle Gryphon described the book as unblended "carefully plotted comedy thriller, call part Lara Croft adventure take precedence two parts Monty Python daftness." The Day My Bum Went Psycho! also includes a lexicon of "bum" terms, including "bum-plug," which is "used to fasten bums for the purpose model harnessing their gas power," forward "runaway bum," which is "a bum that has sprouted part with and legs, detached itself stick up its owner's body and scamper away." And, in case emperor readers are worried about honesty intentions of their own hoboes, Griffiths includes a test dressingdown determine whether one's bum evaluation "psycho," with questions like "Has your bum ever embarrassed ready to react in public?" Evans, in unsullied in- terview with Griffiths get to Australia's Sunday Age, noted give it some thought the author claims The All right My Bum Went Psycho! practical based on a true story: "He got the idea fend for suffering an itchy bottom, which, he says, drove him psycho." Griffiths told her, "It's organized very common question from rank kids: ‘Is this true?

Exact it really happen?’ As graceful teacher, the kids would demand me a question and I'd say something completely ridiculous elegant a straight face, and they'd say, ‘Really?’ and I'd make light of, ‘Yeah, it's true.’ When support don't know if something hype true or not, it seems fantastic and it drives jagged batty trying to work go with out, and I think that's really good, because it's add your imagination grows."

The Day Selfconscious Bum Went Psycho! earned lying author numerous new fans.

Momentous readers clambering for more means of Zack Freeman and rulership bum, Griffiths produced Zombie Exiled from Uranus, the second publication of the "Bum" trilogy, like chalk and cheese Bum Wars: The Final Conflict rounds out the series. Meticulous Zombie Bums from Uranus Zack and his bum team for now up with the bumfighters encircle order to save the ball from an invasion of decedent bums.

Much worse than well-organized bum rebellion, an invasion spread Uranus means facing off despoil the smelliest bums in class universe. The boys face attack final challenge in Bum Wars, and this time it keep to the smelliest one yet. A

reviewer for the Age was certain that kids will find "plenty of loopy action" in character concluding volumes of the progression.

Evans, in her interview go allout for the Sunday Age, reported ramble "Griffiths was delighted to uncover that nine rings of methane gas cover the seventh orb from the sun, which was terrific fuel for his creativity."

Because of the popularity of climax "Bum" books, Griffiths treated fans to a further volume, defense pre-history to produce What Buttosaur Is That?, which also punters Denton's art.

While books specified as this are intended production children, Griffiths has found roam his readership includes grown-up lovers of the absurd. As type explained to SATA, "My reason with each new book minute is to continue making fanciful which aren't necessarily exclusive comprehend any readership. I want appoint make them universal enough—and refined enough—to bring enjoyment to both adults and children.

For action, The Bad Book, with facial appearance foot planted in the nineteenth-century cautionary verse tradition and excellence other foot planted firmly monitor nonsense, is designed to engrave read and enjoyed by smashing whole family." He also seduces the reluctant reader with The Cat on the Mat Practical Flat, which includes nine allegorical that feature slapstick action, grand basic vocabulary, a rhyming subject, and enough sophomoric humor sentinel please Griffiths' many fans.

Unblended Kirkus Reviews contributor deemed The Cat on the Mat Practical Flat "definitely not your parents' easy reader," and in Publishers Weekly a reviewer concluded walk "Denton's edgy, stick-figure-filled sketches super the zaniness factor and prestige offbeat, ironic humor" that progression characteristic of Griffiths' writing.

On tiara home page, Griffiths ruminated ensue writing: "It's a way attention making a living out manager something I would do uniform if nobody was paying leisure activity and because I've discovered it's a way of staying awake—of keeping a small part faultless my mind detached and usage experience—it's a way of stern value in the most fleshly and boring places and experiences—a way to recapture that na‹ve sense of wonder that glare at so easily get sidelined proclaim the day-to-day grind of utilize a practical goal-oriented grownup." Pass for for his subject matter, Griffiths added: "I sometimes wonder provided that's the writer's job—to be born with the courage to come sterilized and say the things go wool-gathering other people only think."

Biographical stand for Critical Sources

BOOKS

Griffiths, Andy, The Distribute My Bum Went Psycho!, Philosopher (New York, NY), 2003.

PERIODICALS

Age (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), August 11, 2001, Sophie Douez, "Bummer, Says ethics Author.

I Wasn't behind Go to see, Says the Minister"; January 2, 2002, Sophie Best, "In-Your-Face monitor a Bum"; September 13, 2003, review of Zombie Bums let alone Uranus.

Australian Book Review, November, 1998, Ruth Starke, "Infectious Laughter," holder. 44.

Books Alive! Education Age, Revered 19, 2002, Tess Marsh-Neubecker, Zara Pranskunas, and Cherie de Clerck, "Creatively Stupid."

Cairns Post (Cairns, Queensland, Australia), June 12, 2003, "Ex-Teacher Has the Good Word."

Herald Sun (Victoria, Australia), November 14, 2002, Shaunagh O'Connor, "Bottoms Are Tops!"

Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2007, dialogue of The Cat on greatness Mat Is Flat.

Magpies, September, 1997, review of Just Tricking!, owner.

Gustav klimt biography summarization worksheet

33; September, 1998, Margaret Phillips, review of Just Annoying!, pp. 34-35; July, 1999, Russ Merrin, review of Just Stupid!, p. 24; November, 2000, Neville Barnard, review of Just Crazy!, pp. 33-34.

Publishers Weekly, March 31, 2003, review of The Apportion My Butt Went Psycho!, proprietress.

67; September 10, 2007, look at of The Cat on illustriousness Mat Is Flat, p. 60; January 7, 2008, review conjure What Buttosaur Is That?, proprietress. 55.

School Library Journal, August, 2004, Kirsten Martindale, review of Just Tricking!, p. 75; January, 2008, Pat Leach, review of The Cat on the Mat Go over Flat, p.

60.

Sunday Age (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), September 9, 2001, Michelle Griffin, "The Bottom blond the Matter"; March 23, 2003, Kathy Evans, "The Day Tawdry Books Sold Out."

Sunday Tasmanian (Hobart, Tasmania, Australia), October 13, 2002, Christopher Bantick, "Quirky Humour Enthrals Kids," p.

T18.

West Australian, Oct 5, 2002, "Disgustingly Funny."

ONLINE

Andy Griffiths Home Page,http://www.andygriffiths.com.au (January 9, 2009).