Jill Morris Jill Morris i(A23217 works by) (birth name: Jill Farrar)
Born: Established: 1936 Sandgate, Bracken Ridge - Brighton - Sandgate area, Brisbane - North East, Brisbane, Queensland, ;
Gender: Female
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BiographyHistory

Jill Morris wrote her first childhood poem as a result of the tragic death of her father during World War II. From this formative literary beginning at the age of nine, Morris went on to establish a career that covered a depth of experience in both writing and publishing. Educated at Sandgate State School, Shorncliffe State School and the Brisbane Girls' Grammar School, Morris graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Diploma of Education; she subsequently taught for a short period at Bundaberg State High School.

After gaining a position as a producer of educational radio programmes at the Australian Broadcasting Commission, Morris made the move into television and film production in 1957. From a background of writing, editing and producing scripts for television and radio, Morris progressed to playwriting for the theatre and working on book manuscripts. Her first major children's book, Harry the Hairy-nosed Wombat, was published in 1970; this work was subsequently followed by five more picture books which featured native Australian animals. In 1972 Morris was awarded a Churchill Fellowship which enabled her to visit fourteen countries for the purpose of 'studying creative activities for children'. She has since written extensively in the genre of children's literature with her work spanning fiction, non-fiction and educational texts (e.g. the Animals of Oz series (1986) of primary school readers which she co-authored with Mary Lancaster, q.v.), as well as producing activity books to accompany many of her publications.

Morris co-founded Greater Glider Productions in 1983. Based in Maleny (Queensland), Greater Glider is an independent publishing company which has forged a reputation for producing 'high quality, richly illustrated books for children' that focus on the 'natural environment'. Inspired by childhood holidays spent at Binna Burra Lodge and O'Reilly's Guesthouse, Morris's commitment to the environment and the preservation of native wildlife habitat has been reinforced by the development of the Book Farm. Described as an 'educational eco-tourism centre', the Book Farm has been established as both the 'home' of Greater Glider Productions as well as a site where 'writers of all ages' are encouraged to 'link creativity' with the 'natural environment' amidst a rainforest property located in the hinterland of Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

An Australian Council Literature Board member from 1976-1979, Morris has also taught at a number of tertiary institutions (including having lectured in the Graphic Design Department at the Swinburne Institute), been a journalist/theatre critic with the Age and edited numerous publications. Morris was awarded a Senior Honorary Fellowship from the University of the Sunshine Coast in 2000.

Most Referenced Works

Notes

  • For information about this author's works for children not included in AustLit, see Australian Children's Books by Marcie Muir and Kerry White (Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 1992-2003).

Awards for Works

y separately published work icon Nautilus : Pearl of the Deep Maleny : Greater Glider , 2007 Z1527931 2007 single work picture book children's
2008 shortlisted The Wilderness Society Environment Award for Children's Literature Picture Fiction
y separately published work icon Argonauta, Octopus Navigator Maleny : Greater Glider , 2006 Z1288429 2006 single work picture book children's

One of the most prized treasure collected by beachcombers around the world is the parchment-like egg case of an octopus called argonaut, popularly known as the Paper Nautilus. (Source: back cover)

This picture book follows the daily life of an argonaut, and also contains scientific information about the species.

2007 shortlisted The Wilderness Society Environment Award for Children's Literature Picture Fiction
y separately published work icon Kookaburra School Maleny : Greater Glider , 2002 Z962151 2002 single work picture book children's Kookaburra fledglings learning skills from a wise old bird discover how to share their territory with other animals and people. Kookabuura School is a fictional story based on true events which happened at the author's home on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.
2003 shortlisted The Wilderness Society Environment Award for Children's Literature Picture Book
Last amended 29 Mar 2006 14:28:51
See Also
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