Elizabeth Honey

Last updated

Elizabeth Honey
Elizabeth Honey in Venice, 2013.jpg
Honey in 2013
Born (1947-02-07) 7 February 1947 (age 77)
Wonthaggi, Victoria, Australia
OccupationWriter, illustrator, poet
Genre Children's literature, children's poetry, children's theatre
Website
elizabethhoney.com

Elizabeth Madden Honey [N 1] (born 7 February 1947) [1] is an Australian children's author, illustrator and poet, best known for her picture books and middle-grade novels. Her books have been published internationally. [1] She lives in Richmond, Melbourne.

Contents

In 1997, she won the Children's Book of the Year Award: Picture Book for Not a Nibble. She also received the Prize Cento and the Young Australians Best Book Award (YABBA) for 45 & 47 Stella Street and everything that Happened. [2] In 2001, she was the recipient of the Australian Wilderness Society Environment Award for Children's Literature. [3]

Life and career

Honey was born in the coal mining town of Wonthaggi in Gippsland, Victoria. [1] She grew up on a dairy farm, the third in a family of four. A sickly child she became an avid reader. [3] After the family moved to a farm near Geelong she attended high school at Morongo Girls' College.

In Melbourne, Honey studied art at Swinburne Technical College, [4] where she was in the second intake at Australia’s first film school.

‘The predominate traits shared by the students were artistic talent, youth and high spirits, and boundless confidence and optimism. It was the ‘Swinging Sixties’ after all and art students were in the vanguard of taste, fashion and ideas…’ [5]

The mix of characters and talents at Swinburne had a profound influence on Honey, and the unstructured nature of the course which gave students the licence to experiment. They absorbed films from around the world at the Melbourne Film Festival and staged the student revues ‘Braindrops’ and ‘68mm’.

‘They eat, sleep and drink the revue, with an intensity that is almost alarming.’

Laurie Pendlebury, Head of Swinburne Art School [6]

Honey worked briefly at the ABC Channel 2, then in film, The Naked Bunyip and The Adventures of Barry McKenzie, advertising at W J Haysom then George Patterson, followed by extensive travel. Honey began work as a freelance illustrator, [1] [3] her commissions including drawings for newspapers, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, and stamps for Australia Post. From 1976 to 1986 she published a calendar of illustrations, [3] but found children's book illustration the most rewarding work. In 1988, Princess Beatrice and the Rotten Robber [7] was published, her first book as both author and illustrator. Publisher, Rosalind Price [3] at Allen and Unwin encouraged her work and ‘she has since become an iconic voice in Australian children's literature, going on to write and illustrate a breadth of award-winning children's novels, poetry collections, as well as picture books for children of all ages. She is known for writing that is "characteristically humorous and inventive, and features outspoken characters”. [8]

Honey draws on family life, evident in her first poetry book Honey Sandwich. [9]

Looking for my sandals.

Looking for my hat.

I spend all my life

doing that.

In 1995 her first novel 45 + 47 Stella Street and everything that happened was published. It was translated into many languages and became the first in a series, the most recent From Stella Street to Amsterdam, [10] was published in 2020, twenty five years after the first book.

Works

Picture books

Poetry

Novels

Stella Street series

  • 45 + 47 Stella Street and Everything that Happened (1995)
  • Fiddle-back (1998)
  • The Ballad of Cauldron Bay (2004)
  • To the Boy in Berlin with Heike Brandt (2007)
  • From Stella Street to Amsterdam (2020)

Activity books

Collaborations

Works as illustrator

Theatre

Mr Bleak and the Etryop premiered at the Melbourne Comedy Festival (2007). [12] It told the story of confused Mr Bleak, who in his drive for productivity, discovers poetry after the intervention of exuberant schoolchildren. The play toured Victoria in 2008.

A musical theatre production of I'm Still Awake, Still!, [13] inspired by the songs by Honey and Sue Johnson, [11] directed by Jessica Wilson, [14] premiered at the Melbourne Arts Centre in 2011, and toured the US and Australia in 2014. The Age review noted "..the clever blend of comedy and song, which celebrates in the zaniest possible way the playfulness of children, while giving them a rather sophisticated glimpse into the world of music." [15]

A theatrical adaptation of That's not a Daffodil, [16] [13] adapted from the book by Honey with Görkem Acaroglu [17] premiered in Melbourne in 2015, before going on to tour Victoria in 2017. It tells the story of a young boy who is given a daffodil bulb by the old Turkish gardener next door. [18]

Awards and honours

1994

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2005

2008

2009

2012

Related Research Articles

Paul Jennings AM, 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 his stories were adapted for the cult classic children's television series Round the Twist. Jennings collaborated with Morris Gleitzman on the book series Wicked!, which was adapted into an animated TV series in 2000, and Deadly!.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackie French</span> Australian author

Jacqueline Anne French , known professionally as Jackie French, is an Australian author who has written across several genres for both adults and children. Her most notable works include Rain Stones, Diary of a Wombat,, The Girl from Snowy River and Hitler's Daughter. Several of her books have been recommended for teaching the Australian Curriculum. French lives in Braidwood, New South Wales, with her second husband Bryan Sullivan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catherine Johnson (novelist)</span> British author and screenwriter (born 1962)

Catherine Johnson FRSL is a British author and screenwriter. She has written several young adult novels and co-wrote the screenplay for the 2004 drama film Bullet Boy.

Selby's Secret is the first children's novel in the Selby series by Australian writer Duncan Ball, and was first published in 1985. It was reissued in 2004.

Jack Heath is an Australian writer of fiction for children and adults who is best known for the Danger, Scream, Liars and Timothy Blake series. He has been shortlisted for the ACT Book of the Year Award, CBCA Notable Book Award, Nottinghamshire Brilliant Book Award, the Aurealis Sci-Fi book of the Year, the National Year of Reading "Our Story" Collection, a Young Australians Best Book Award, a Kids Own Australian Literature Award and the Australian of the Year Award. He lives in Gungahlin, Canberra.

Deborah Mary Niland is a New Zealand–born Australian artist, known as a writer and illustrator of children's books. Some of her most popular books include Annie's Chair, When The Wind Changed, Mulga Bill's Bicycle, and Chatterbox. In 2006 she won The Children's Book of the Year – Early Childhood, with her book Annie's Chair.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deborah Abela</span> Australian author

Deborah Abela is an Australian author of children's books, most notably the Max Remy, Super Spy series, Grimsdon and Teresa – A New Australian. She was born in Sydney, Australia, and has been writing for 15 years. She does the Virtual Book Week Dart Session for kids.

<i>Diary of a Wombat</i> 2002 picture book by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley

Diary of a Wombat is a 2002 award-winning picture book written by Jackie French and illustrated by Bruce Whatley. It is the first in the Shaggy Gully books, and is one of the most popular of French's works.

<i>Rain Stones</i> Book by Jackie French

Rain Stones is a 1991 short story collection by Australian author Jackie French. It is notable for being the first children's book written by the author.

<i>Possum Magic</i> 1983 picture book by Mem Fox

Possum Magic is a 1983 children's picture book by Australian author Mem Fox, and illustrated by Julie Vivas. It concerns a young female possum, named Hush, who becomes invisible and has a number of adventures. In 2001, a film was made by the American company Weston Woods and narrated by the author.

Alice-Miranda is a series of children's novels written by Australian author Jacqueline Harvey. The novels chronicle the adventures of a young student at the Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale Academy for Proper Young Ladies. Alice-Miranda At School is the first book in the series and was published in 2010. The series was created by Australian author Jacqueline Harvey, a teacher and former Deputy Head of Junior School and Director of Development at Abbotsleigh. Harvey created the Alice-Miranda series based on her teaching experiences at boarding schools. The series is sold throughout Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Indonesia, Turkey, Hungary and Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebecca Johnson (author)</span> Australian writer for children

Rebecca Johnson is an Australian author and primary-school science teacher who has written more than 100 children's books. Her works include the Steve Parish Story Book collection, the Juliet – Nearly a Vet series, the Insect Series, and the Steve Parish Reptiles & Amphibians Story Book range.

Pamela Lofts, also known as Pam Lofts, was an Australian children's book illustrator and exhibiting artist based in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. She is best remembered as the illustrator of the Australian classic children's books, Wombat Stew by Marcia Vaughan and Koala Lou by Mem Fox. Although known for her book illustrations, she was also a photographer, painter, and sculptor.

Vikki Wakefield is an Australian author who writes adult and young adult fiction.

Bren MacDibble is a New Zealand-born writer of children's and young adult books based in Australia. Bren also writes under the name Cally Black. She uses the alias to distinguish between books written for younger children and books written for young adults.

Fiona Anna Wood is an Australian writer of young adult fiction. She is a three-time winner of the Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers award.

Gabrielle Wang is an Australian writer and illustrator for children and young adults based in Melbourne. Her writing career spans 20 years and has produced more than 20 books.

<i>The Lost Girl</i> (Kwaymullina book) Australian childrens picturebook

The Lost Girl is a 2014 Children's picture book written by Ambelin Kwaymullina and illustrated by Leanne Tobin. It is about an Aboriginal girl who wanders away from her mob but is then looked after, and returned, by Mother Nature.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Her first name in German-language publications is usually given as "Elisabeth" (e.g. Amazon)

Sources

  1. 1 2 3 4 "A Guide to the Elizabeth Honey Paperes" (PDF). Lu Rees Archives, University of Canberra Library. September 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  2. ↑ "YABBA Winners 1990s". List of YABBA winners. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "About Elizabeth Honey". Elizabeth Honey official website. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  4. ↑ "Swinburne History" . Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  5. ↑ Paterson, Barbara (1996). Renegades : Australia's first film school : from Swinburne to VCA. Helicon Press. p. 45. ISBN   0646234951.
  6. ↑ Paterson, Barbara (1996). Renegades : Australia's first film school : from Swinburne to VCA. Helicon Press. p. 60. ISBN   0646234951.
  7. ↑ "About Princess Beatrice and the Rotten Robber by Elizabeth Honey". 16 April 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  8. ↑ "Elizabeth Honey Bio". Austlit website. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  9. ↑ "Honey Sandwich" . Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  10. ↑ "From Stella Street to Amsterdam" . Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  11. 1 2 "Sue Johnson" . Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  12. ↑ "Mr Bleak and the Etryop". The Australian Live Performance Database. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  13. 1 2 "Jumpleads Productions" . Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  14. ↑ "Jessica Wilson" . Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  15. ↑ "Review: Still Awake Still delights little music lovers". The Age website. 2 October 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
  16. ↑ "Mr Bleak and the Etryop". That's Not a Daffodil Review. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  17. ↑ "GÖRKEM ACAROĞLU, Theatre maker" . Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  18. ↑ "Empathy starts early: 5 Australian picture books that celebrate diversity". 4 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.


This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.