I have had ninety odd books published (some of them, anyway, were odd). A majority were for children and young readers. They range from picture book stories to novels for young adults. Some of the most enduring titles include A Country Far Away; A Balloon for Grandad; I'll Take You to Mrs Cole; And Kangaroo Played His Didgeridoo; My Dog, My Cat, My Mum and Me; and a collection of 13 stories called, A Baker's Dozen. 

For adults I have written books of non-fiction, plays, story collections, and novels.

I have had books published in twenty-four countries and twenty-seven languages.

As well as winning The Dickens Fellowship Award, and The Irish Post Award for Literature, my books have won four major international awards, been shortlisted for thirteen more, and have picked up sixteen further honours in Australia, Germany, France, Holland, the UK, and the United States.

I have a BA from Lancaster University and an MA from the University of East Anglia in the UK, and a PhD from the University of Western Australia.

Some of the books in these pages are available from me, some are still in print, while others, sadly, are out of print and can only be found secondhand – if at all.