Susanne Gervay facts for kids

Susanne Julia Gervay OAM is an Australian author. She writes books for young people, especially about important topics like school bullying. Her popular I Am Jack series helps kids and adults understand what bullying is like. The first book, I Am Jack, was even turned into a play by the famous Monkey Baa Theatre.

The I Am Jack series includes four books: I Am Jack, Super Jack, Always Jack, and Being Jack. Susanne Gervay also writes powerful books for young adults. These include Butterflies, The Cave, and That's Why I Wrote This Song. For That's Why I Wrote This Song, she worked with her teenage daughter, Tory, who wrote and sings the songs that go with the book.

Susanne Gervay's stories and articles have appeared in many literary journals and collections. She is part of a special book called Fear Factor Terror Incognito, which also features famous writers like Sir Salman Rushdie.

She is a leader in the world of children's books. She heads the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) for Australia East and New Zealand. She has also been a speaker at many big events, from the Bologna Book Fair in Italy to festivals in Beijing and New York.

About Susanne Gervay

Early Life and Education

Susanne Gervay was born in Sydney, Australia. Her parents came to Australia as refugees from Hungary after World War II. She went to Daceyville Public School and SCEGGS Darlinghurst.

Susanne studied at the University of Sydney and became a teacher. She continued her studies, earning advanced degrees from the University of New South Wales and the University of Technology, Sydney. Before becoming a full-time author, she started The Hughenden Boutique Hotel in Sydney, which was known for its connection to literature and art.

She has two children, James and Victoria (also known as Tory). They have inspired many of her stories.

Awards and Recognition

Susanne Gervay is a well-known Australian author for children and young adults. In 2007, she received the Lady Cutler Award for her great contributions to children's literature. She also won the UTS Award for Excellence in 2008 and was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2011.

Her books are supported by many important organizations. These include The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Room to Read, Life Education Australia, and the Cancer Council Australia.

Writing About Bullying

Susanne Gervay is an expert in child development. She was inspired to write I Am Jack after her own son experienced school bullying. This book became a best-seller in Australia. It has been translated into languages like Vietnamese and Korean, helping more children around the world.

I Am Jack was adapted into a play by the Monkey Baa Theatre Company. This play has toured all over Australia since 2008 and even went to the USA in 2014.

Writing About Disability

Susanne Gervay also writes about important topics like disability. For her book Butterflies, she did a lot of research with The Children's Hospital at Westmead. Butterflies is a best-selling young adult book in Australia. It was recognized as Outstanding Youth Literature on Disability by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). Susanne Gervay even spoke about Butterflies at the World Burn Conference in New York.

Susanne Gervay's Books

Popular Book Series

• I Am Jack
• Super Jack
• Always Jack
• Being Jack

Other Books for Young Readers

• Jamie's A Hero
• Victoria's a Star
• Shadows of Olive Trees
• Next Stop the Moon
• Butterflies
• The Cave
• That's Why I Wrote This Song
• Daisy Sunshine
• Gracie and Josh
• Ships in the Field
• Elephants Have Wings
• Heroes of the Secret Underground

Awards for Her Books

Susanne Gervay and her books have won many awards:

• Heroes of the Secret Underground won the Crystal Kite Award in 2022.
• Always Jack won the Australian Family Therapists Award.
• The Cave won The Biennial Book Award for YA Literature from the Society of Women Writers in 2003.
• Super Jack won The Biennial Book Award for Children's Literature from the Society of Women Writers in 2005.
• I Am Jack was a Notable Award winner from the Children's Book Council (CBC). It was also shortlisted for several other awards, including the WA Young Reader Award.
• Butterflies was shortlisted for the Children's Literature Prize for Peace. It was also named Outstanding Youth Literature on Disability by IBBY and won the New York Book Festival Award in 2009.
• That's Why I Wrote This Song was shortlisted for the WAYBRA Awards and won the San Francisco Book Festival Award in the Young Adult Category in 2009.