KOALA Legends

In 2004 a new award, the KOALA Legend was introduced to recognise authors and illustrators who have made a significant contribution to KOALA and children's choice awards through their support for the awards and/or their writing. We are proud to say that the following authors and illustratators are Legends:

2004
Duncan Ball
Paul Jennings

2005
Anna Fienberg
Terry Denton

2006
Richard Tulloch
Morris Gleitzman

2007
Kim Gamble

Duncan Ball (2004)
In the history of KOALA, Duncan Ball has attended Awards Day more often than any other author. In the 18 years KOALA has been running he has attended 16 Awards Days. He is a great supporter of children’s choice awards in NSW and interstate and gives his time willingly to assist He has had 18 books shortlisted and he has won KOALA three times with his Selby stories and he has one book Selby’s Secret in the KOALA Hall of Fame. Duncan Ball is a KOALA legend!

Quote from student from Chatswood Public School:
"Ëver since I began reading the Selby series, I was instantly amazed. I really grew to like the books and itched for more. These books were funny, entertaining, fun and I just couldn't put them down. Congratulations Mr Ball and thank you for writing the Selby series, I really enjoyed it!!"

Allan Stomann, illustrator of the Selby books and author Duncan Ball at KOALA Awards Day 2003.

Paul Jennings (2004)
In the history of KOALA, Paul Jennings is the most popular author ever.
Twenty-seven of his books have been shortlisted. Between 1990 and 1996 he won KOALA seven times with books in the ‘Un’ series and with Duck for Cover. He also has 6 books in the KOALA Hall of Fame, that’s 2 more than any other author. His most popular book in the Hall of Fame is the Cabbage Patch Fib which has been shortlisted 10 times. Paul Jennings is a KOALA legend!

Anna Fienberg (2005)

In the history of KOALA, Anna Fienberg has been shortlisted 18 times. Her most popular books are the stories abouut Tashi. Sometimes three Tashis books have been shortlisted in the same year. In 2003 The Big, Big, Big, Big Book of Tashi won a Kids Own Australian Literature Award in the Younger Readers Category.
Anna regularly attends Awards Day and at the Get Real conference in 2004 she willingly joined a panel session to promote KOALA.
Anna Fienberg is a Legend.

Terry Denton (2005)

In 1988 when the first KOALA shortlist was released Felix and Alexander by Terry Denton was one of the shortlisted books. Since then, Terry has written or illustrated at least one book on the shortlist on 10 serparate occasions.

In 1995 Duck for Cover, written by Paul Jennings and Ted Greenwood and Illustrated by Terry won KOALA. Spooner or Later by the same talented team is honoured in the KOALA Hall of Fame.

In 1996 he won a KOALA with Gasp! a book that he both wrote and illustrated about a wild, insane fish that gets up to mischief when he is home alone. Terry is the illustrator of the Just series by Andy Griffiths and they won KOKALA every year from 1999 to 2003.

Terry has attended Awards Day on a number of occasions and has generously sent an original illustration for us to give away.

We think Terry's books are superb and everyone should read them. One of my favourites is Storymaze: the Ultimate Wave. It is a funny science fiction comic novel about three aliens named Mike, Claudia and Nico who are from planet Ithaca. They spend all day surfing until one day they discover that there is no surf! Another alien called Icon from the planet Duryllim becomes their friend. He is searching for the ultimate wave but then disaster strikes because Icon is kidnapped!

If you haven't read this story make sure it is the next one you borrow from your library!

We'd like to thank Terry for travelling from Melbourne today to be at these awards. We think he is a KOALA Legend and we'd like to present him with this prestigious award. 

David and Zaira

St John's Primary School, Auburn

Richard Tulloch (2006)