Jenny Wagner (author)

Jenny Wagner
Born	1939 (1939) England
Occupation	Author
Education	University of Melbourne
Genre	Children's literature
Notable works	The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek John Brown, Rose, and the Midnight Cat
Notable awards	CBCA Children's Book of the Year (1974, 1978)

Jenny Wagner (born 1939) is an Australian author, known for children's literature.

Wagner was born in England and arrived in Australia around 1948. She studied languages at Melbourne University, and was a scriptwriter for the Australian Broadcasting Commission TV series Bellbird . ^[1]

She later lived with her husband in Queensland, ^[2] in 1991 identified as the town of Eumundi. ^[3]

Before becoming a full-time writer, Wagner ran a coffee-lounge where, inspired by her Austrian-born mother-in-law, everything was made in the traditional way. ^[4]

Recognition

The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek

She was awarded Children's Book of the Year awards in 1974 and 1978.

In 1991 she was awarded a two-year fellowship from the Australia Council's Literature Board. ^[3]

A bronze statue The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek by Ron Brooks is mounted by the forecourt of the State Library of Victoria.

Publications

• The Werewolf Knight (1972) illustrated by Karl Holmes ^[5]
• Aranea (1974) with illustrations by Ron Brooks, was "highly commended" in the 1976 Picture Book of the Year awards. ^[6] but called "drab and uninteresting to children" by a reviewer. ^[7]
• Hannibal (1974)
• The Bunyip of Berkeley's Creek (1974) ^[8]
• John Brown, Rose, and the Midnight Cat (1976, new edition illustrated by Ron Brooks 1978) ^[9] Winner, Picture Book of the Year, 1978. ^[10] and co-winner, Children's Book Award at the (New South Wales) Premier's Literary Awards. ^[11] It was produced as a puppet play in 1983. A German-language edition Oskar und die Mitternachtskatze was published in Munich in 1991. ^[12]
• The Nimbin (1978) ^[13] Adapted for puppet theatre in 1993. ^[14]
• Jo-Jo and Mike, Thomas Nelson 1982; illustrations by Anne James ^[15]
• Goanna (1989) illustrated by Noela Hills ^[16]
• Message from Avalon 1990 Jam Roll Press, Brisbane. ^[17]
• Amy's Monster (1991)
• The Sourdough Cookbook 1992 ^[4]
• On Writing Books for Children Allen & Unwin. ^[18]
• Motor Bill and the Lovely Caroline (1994) ^[19]
• Cassidy's Magic (2001)

References

1. "Jenny Wagner interviewed by Rob Willis". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
2. "Jenny Wagner". University of Queensland Press. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
3. "$1.7m awarded to writers". The Canberra Times . Vol. 66, no. 20, 634. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 10 October 1991. p. 16. Retrieved 2 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
4. Susan Parsons (3 March 1992). "Sourdough: spontaneous and simple to make". The Canberra Times . Vol. 66, no. 20, 778. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. p. 15. Retrieved 2 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
5. "The Werewolf Knight". AustLit. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
6. "1976 children's book awards announced". The Canberra Times . Vol. 50, no. 14, 427. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 10 July 1976. p. 3. Retrieved 2 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
7. Millicent Jones (10 July 1976). "Books". The Canberra Times . Vol. 50, no. 14, 427. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. p. 10. Retrieved 2 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
8. "Advertising". The Canberra Times . Vol. 48, no. 13, 806. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 12 July 1974. p. 10. Retrieved 2 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
9. Belle Alderman (8 July 1978). "Pantomime of Variables". The Canberra Times . Vol. 52, no. 15, 630. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. p. 13. Retrieved 2 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
10. "Children's book awards". The Canberra Times . Vol. 52, no. 15, 630. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 8 July 1978. p. 1. Retrieved 2 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
11. "Premier's literary awards". The Canberra Times . Vol. 54, no. 16, 051. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 4 September 1979. p. 6. Retrieved 2 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
12. Oskar und die Mitternachtskatze. OL   27155695M.
13. Veronica Sen (16 July 1978). "Accessible Humour". The Canberra Times . Vol. 52, no. 15, 638. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. p. 13. Retrieved 2 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
14. "Holiday shows for children". The Australian Jewish News . Vol. 59, no. 39. Victoria, Australia. 2 July 1993. p. 6. Retrieved 2 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
15. "Books Reviewed by Heather Chapman". The Australian Women's Weekly . Vol. 50, no. 26. Australia, Australia. 15 December 1982. p. 131. Retrieved 2 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
16. "Goanna". Goodreads. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
17. Laurie Copping (1 December 1990). "New children's venture". The Canberra Times . Vol. 65, no. 20, 322. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. p. 26. Retrieved 2 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
18. Robert Hefner (7 November 1992). "Magazine: Books". The Canberra Times . Vol. 67, no. 21, 027. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. p. 9. Retrieved 2 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.
19. "Advertising". The Canberra Times . Vol. 69, no. 21, 661. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 6 August 1994. p. 52. Retrieved 2 February 2024– via National Library of Australia.