Paul Jennings is the author of more than 100 books, beginning with 'Unreal!' in 1985, and has sold more than 8 million copies worldwide. He is a Member of the Order of Australia for services to children's literature and was awarded the Dromkeen Medal in 2001 and the Children's Book Council of Australia Lifetime Achievement Award in June 2019. Many of his books draw on his early experiences as a child immigrant to Australia from the United Kingdom and his life as a teacher and speech therapist.