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Terry Denton Terry Denton i(A45759 works by) (a.k.a. Terence James Denton)
Born: Established: 1950 Melbourne, Victoria, ;
Gender: Male
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BiographyHistory

Born in 1950 in Melbourne, the youngest of five boys, Terry Denton studied architecture before pursuing an artistic career. He tried painting, sculpture theatre and animation before taking up book illustration at the age of twenty-five. Denton has illustrated more than twenty books for children, some of which he also has written. In 1984 he wrote and illustrated Felix and Alexander which won the CBC Picture Book of the Year in 1986. Other award winning books include, his third book At the Cafe Splendid (1987), which depicts ice palaces and huge waves in a fairy-tale city, Mr Plunkett's Pool (1993), The Paw (1994), which features cat-burgling adventures for younger readers, and the 1998 YABBA double Zapt! and Gasp!.

Denton visits scores of schools every year, working with students to develop their own writing and drawing, assisting them to design and paint murals and finishing up with watercolour demonstrations. His cheeky sense of humour and quirky drawing style are instantly recognised by children all around Australia.

Denton's stories are based on human problems - growing up and friendship - working on a simple emotional level. His drawings are developed in the imagination and he has said that he loves drawing faces and the emotions behind them.

In 1991-1992, Denton worked for the Australian Children's Television Foundation on Lift Off, acknowledged as one of the most creative children's television shows in Australia. He spent a year helping devise the program and another year designing the puppets and the visual concepts for the program. Lift Off won many awards.

Denton has illustrated books for children's authors such as Mem Fox, Paul Jennings and Morris Lurie (qq.v.). In 2011, with writer Alison Lloyd, he was shortlisted for the 2011 Eve Pownall Award for their book Wicked Warriors & Evil Emperors: The True Story of the Fight for Ancient China (2010).

Most Referenced Works

Awards for Works

y separately published work icon Can You Teach a Fish to Climb a Tree? Richmond : Bright Light , 2023 26498012 2023 single work picture book children's

'‘Everybody is a genius.
But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree,
it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.’
-- Albert Einstein (or not, as it turns out!)

'So … can a fish climb a tree?
Can a horse drive a car?
Can a baby bake a cake?

'And if they can’t, what wonderful things can they do?

'From bestselling creators Jane Godwin and Terry Denton comes a quirky and inspiring book about celebrating who YOU are and the power and peace to be found in not trying to be anyone else.' (Publication summary)

2024 CBCA Book of the Year Awards Notable Book Early Childhood
y separately published work icon Moonwalkers Melbourne : Puffin , 2019 15920671 2019 single work picture book children's

'When Apollo 11 blasts off for the moon, the whole world is watching. On the other side of the planet, Billy, Mickey and Buzz decide to be astronauts too.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

2021 longlisted Book Links Award for Historical Fiction
y separately published work icon The Upside-down History of Down Under North Sydney : Puffin , 2018 14772197 2018 single work information book children's

'Read the un-put-down-able history of Down Under – unexpected, heroic and sometimes tragic. But never ever boring.

'The true story of Australia starts with a piece of land that went for a swim. About 200 million of years ago it floated away from Africa. Very, very, slowly. It was home to dinosaurs and giant animals, then the first Australians showed up and got comfortable. And for a long time this wild and wonderful land was a mystery to the rest of the world. Until the English decided to make it the biggest jail ever . . .

'Funny, heroic and tragic - the story of our country from prehistory to federation. ' (Publication summary)

2019 shortlisted New South Wales Premier's History Prize New South Wales History Prize Young People's History Prize
Last amended 12 Apr 2011 14:12:36
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