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Odo Hirsch Odo Hirsch i(A41523 works by) (birth name: David Kausman)
Born: Established: 1962 Melbourne, Victoria, ;
Gender: Male
Expatriate assertion
Heritage: Jewish
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BiographyHistory

David Kausman, who writes as Odo Hirsch, grew up in Melbourne, studied medicine in Australia and worked as a doctor in Melbourne and London. In London he has also worked with Amnesty International, reporting on torture victims and examining hospital conditions in Eastern Europe.

Kausman completed a masters degree at Cambridge University and in 1997 began work as a management consultant for McKinsey Consulting in England. It was during this time that he first began writing books for children, a genre which he had not at that time read since he was a primary school student at Bialik College, Melbourne. He says of his writing, 'The books are about exploring the conventions put around us and how one establishes individuality. And that's what kids do...The thing that excites and motivates me is curiosity' (Michelle Griffin, The Age 2 Oct. 2004).

Kausman has lived in London since 1989. His books have been published in Australia, the USA, UK, Netherlands, Germany and Italy.

Most Referenced Works

Awards for Works

y separately published work icon Darius Bell and the Crystal Bees Crows Nest : Allen and Unwin , 2011 Z1828355 2011 single work children's fiction children's

'The bees on the Bell estate are dying. There'll be no more delicious honey, and without the bees to pollinate flowers, no more fruit and vegetables. No more of Mrs Simpson's glorious pies and cakes! Worse still, Mr Fisher the gardener will have to leave the estate, along with his family. Darius Bell is determined that something must be done, even if the dastardly Mayor is against him.

'Then Darius has a great idea. But he will need help from his friends and family to make it work. And he must drive a hard bargain with Mrs Lightman, the school principal and a dragon if ever there was one...

'A sequel to the award-winning Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool, this is a very funny story of problem-solving, teamwork and pollination.' (From the publisher's website.)
2012 CBCA Book of the Year Awards — Notable Book — Younger Readers
y separately published work icon Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool Crows Nest : Allen and Unwin , 2009 Z1568596 2009 single work children's fiction children's 'The Bell family's ancestors were showered with honours, gifts and grants of land. In exchange, they have bestowed a Gift, once every 25 years, on the town. The Gifts have ranged from a statue to a bell tower with stained-glass windows, but now it's Darius's father's turn - and there is no money for an impressive gift. It looks as though a wheelbarrow full of vegetables is the best they can do. Darius is determined to preserve the family honour, and when an earthquake reveals a glorious cave, with the most beautiful minerals lining the walls, he thinks he's found the answer...' (Publisher's blurb)
2010 winner CBCA Book of the Year Awards — Book of the Year: Younger Readers
2009 shortlisted Queensland Premier's Literary Awards — Best Children's Book
y separately published work icon Amelia Dee and the Peacock Lamp Crows Nest : Allen and Unwin , 2007 Z1434954 2007 single work children's fiction children's (taught in 1 units) "Amelia Dee lives in the green house on Marburg Street, where a rare bronze lamp hangs outside her bedroom door. No one knows where it came from or how it got there. Only she, Amelia thinks, knows the secret that the lamp contains. But she's wrong. When Mr Vishwanath introduces Amelia to the Princess Parvin Kha-Douri, the puzzle of the lamp becomes even deeper. Where has the princess seen it before? Why is she so bitter and angry? And most importantly, what should Amelia do about it? In solving the mystery, Amelia risks revealing a secret of her own." (Source: Publisher's website)
2008 honour book CBCA Book of the Year Awards — Book of the Year: Younger Readers
VIEW ALL AWARDS
Last amended 10 Oct 2012 13:38:46
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