Sherryl Clark
Sherryl Clark was born in New Zealand in 1956 and first came to Australia in 1978. For a long time Sherryl wrote purely for her own amusement while travelling. However, on moving to Melbourne in 1981, she attended a creative writing class at the Footscray Women’s Learning Centre which led to her studying an Arts degree at Deakin University and moving into the area of community writing. This in turn led to a deep involvement, over many years, in teaching and inspiring others to write.
In 1996 Sherryl began writing for children. Her first book, The Too-Tight Tutu was published by Penguin in 1997 as one of the first Aussie Bites. Since then, she has had over 40 children’s and Young Adult books published in Australia, and several in the US and UK.
Sherryl has also written a vast amount of poetry over the years and has had two collections published by Pariah Press: Edge and Thicker Than Water – and three collections of poetry for children:
Farm Kid, which was published in 2004 by Penguin and won the 2005 NSW Premier’s Award for Children’s Writing
Sixth Grade Style Queen (Not!), an Honour Book in the 2008 CBCA Awards
Motormouth, published in March 2010
Mina and the Whole Wide World is published by University Queensland Press July 2021. A powerful story about a young girl, Mina, and how she copes when her family take in a refugee boy and give away what was meant to be her first very-own bedroom.
Mina wants her own bedroom more than anything else in the whole wide world. And it’s almost ready! Just one more lick of sunny yellow paint and it’s hers. But when Mina’s parents take in an unexpected guest, they give her room away. At first, Mina is too upset to speak. She doesn’t care that this new boy, Azzami, needs a place to stay. At school, the other kids call Azzami names, and Mina wishes he’d stand up for himself. Then she sees his drawings, and for the first time really thinks about the life of the quiet boy in front of her. Here is a story about finding friendship where you least expect it and making room for everyone across this big wide world.
Other recent works by Sherryl:
Dead And Gone, published by Verve Books UK August 2020 (digital June 2020), a sequel to Trust Me, I’m Dead.
The Littlest Pirate and the Stinky Ship, published in February 2013, is a delightful adventure for the Littlest Pirate. Illustrated by Tom Jellett.
The Runaways, published in April 2013, is another brilliant verse novel for young teens to accompany Motormouth, 6th Grade Style Queen (Not!) and Farm Kid.
(all Penguin Books)
These days, Sherryl’s time is divided between teaching and writing. She also speaks at conferences, teaches one-off workshops, visits schools (when her schedule allows!) and participates in events such as the MS Readathon and children’s book events.
Books by Sherryl Clark
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Published: 2023