Profile
Ken Spillman developed his imagination while playing games in bushland, on the edge of one of Australia’s most isolated cities, and by reading adventures set in faraway places.
Ken is now the author of around eighty books, published on four continents in more than twenty languages. Ken is a frequent visitor to India and has written a number of books featuring sharp-witted young Indian characters. These include The Absolutely True Adventures of Daydreamer Dev (2019); No Fear, Jiyaa! (2017); Radhika Takes the Plunge (2012), and Advaita the Writer (2011). Other books popular among Indian school children include his Jake series as well as his various volumes of All-Time Favourite Fairy Tales and Aesop’s Fables. Picture books released in India include The Magic Bird (2017), Clumsy (2016); The Great Storyteller (2014), Rahul and the Dream Bat (2014), The Auto that Flew (2014), andThe Strange Story of Felicity Frown (Scholastic, 2012). Ken has appeared at 3 Bookaroo LitFests to date. He enjoys reading, music, theatre, all sports except those invented in the USA, and nature. A little-known fact is that Ken has been a successful swimming coach, helping many juniors to Australian national championship level with some progressing to Olympics, World Aquatics Championships or Commonwealth Games.
Blog: not applicable
Website: http://kenspillman.com
Awards and Honours:
- Finalist, ‘Individual’ and ‘Literature’ categories, Australian Arts in Asia Awards 2013
- Asialink Fellowship 2008
- Western Australian Premier’s Book Award 2007
- Wilderness Society Environment Award for Children’s Literature 2003
- Top 5, The Australian critics’ Books of the Year 1997
- Winner, FAW National Literary Award 1986
- Winner, Western Australian Premier’s Book Award 1986
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