Andy Griffiths (author) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andy Griffiths
|
|
|---|---|
Griffiths at the 2019 Texas Book Festival
|
|
| Born | Andrew Noel Griffiths 3 September 1961 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation | Author |
| Genre | Humour, children’s fiction |
| Spouse | Jill Griffiths |
Andrew Noel Griffiths (born 3 September 1961) is an Australian children's and comedy writer. He was educated at Yarra Valley Grammar School. He is most notable for his Just! series, which was adapted into an animated television series called What's with Andy?, his novel The Day My Bum Went Psycho, which was also adapted into a television series, and the Treehouse series, which has been adapted into several stage plays. Previously a vocalist with alternative rock bands Gothic Farmyard and Ivory Coast, in 1992 he turned to writing. He is well known for working with Terry Denton.
Childhood
Griffiths was born on September 3, 1961 in Melbourne, Australia. He has two younger sisters, Susan and Julie.
As a child, Griffiths enjoyed reading. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr Seuss, The Adventures of the Wishing Chair by Enid Blyton and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl were among his favourites. He also loved sci-fi comics and MAD magazine.
He first tired his hand at writing at the age of 6.
Career
When Griffiths was working as an English teacher, he started writing little stories for his students. As Griffiths realised that people enjoyed them, he decided to qiut teaching and to become a full-time writer. His first book published by a publisher was Just Tricking!. This happened in 1997, when he was 35.
Literary style
Griffiths places an emphasis on toilet and gross out humour in his books, and aims to balance levels of what he deems "anarchy" and "nice" within his series; he notes that his Just! series was more anarchic while his Treehouse series was nicer.
Personal life
Griffiths is married with 2 daughters. His wife's name is Jill and she is a book editor. He also has a cat with one eye, Ruby.
He loves pets. He used to have a dog called Sooty and a cat called Silky, who feature in the Just Series and in the Treehouse Series, respectively.
Griffiths is noted as a supporter of children against what he views as "cotton wool" childhoods, and, along with Denton, was a noted supporter of the September 2019 climate strikes.
Hobbies
Griffiths loves reading, movies, music, cycling, and swimming.
Andy Griffiths quotes
- "My best advice for how to become an author is to practise—that’s the best way to get better at anything, whether it’s learning a musical instrument, playing a sport or writing. And to read as much as you can!"
- "The best story ideas come from a long slow process of thinking, reading, researching, experimenting, drafting, editing and lots and lots of re-working and re-writing. The ‘fuel’ for those ideas come from everywhere: from books I read, TV shows and movies I watch and, of course, all the things that happen in everyday life."
See also
