Introduction

Emily Rodda (real name: Jennifer Rowe) grew up in Sydney's North Shore area and in 1973 completed a degree in English Literature at the University of Sydney. Emily began her career as a book editor then worked as a publisher before writing her first book, Something Special, in 1984.

Under the name Emily Rodda, she has written or co-written more than 50 books for children and has won the Children's Book Council of Australia's Book of the Year (Younger Readers) Award five times. In 1995 Emily Rodda won the prestigious Dromkeen Medal, awarded to an Australian citizen who has made a significant contribution to the development of literature for children.

She has also written books for adults under her own name.