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Andrew Joyner
Author, Illustrator
Andrew Joyner is a children’s illustrator and author. In 2009 his first picture book was published, The Terrible Plop, written by Ursula Dubosarsky. Since then Andrew has illustrated many picture books, and his work is now published in more than twenty countries. He has also written and illustrated the Boris books, an early reader series about an adventurous warthog. He lives in the Adelaide Hills with his wife and two children – and their many, many pets.
Where were you born?
I was born in Adelaide, but I spent most of my childhood in a small town called Mannum, on the Murray River in South Australia.
What other jobs have you had?
I’ve been a receptionist, an English Literature tutor at University, and for several happy years I worked in a record store. I’ve also spent quite a bit of time illustrating for newspapers and magazines such as the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Bulletin, Reader’s Digest and Rollling Stone, among others.
What themes are recurring in your work?
I always try to create humour and a sense of warmth and joy in my pictures and stories.
Where have your works been published?
My work has been published in more than twenty countries, from the US and UK to places such as France, Denmark, Brazil, Israel, China and Hungary.
What have been the highlights of your career?
When Too Many Elephants in this House (one of my picture books with Ursula Dubosarsky) was selected for the National Simultaneous Storytime in 2014. It’s such a wonderful event, and that same week Ursula and I were in Sydney to do a series of school talks as part of Sydney Writers’ Festival. Plus, in that very week, there was also a stage production of Too Many Elephants in this House being put on by students and staff at NIDA. It seemed like our elephants were everywhere, and I felt such warmth and generosity from the public towards our creation.
What are you passionate about?
Aside from my work and all it involves (drawing, writing, and reading), I love poetry (although I don’t write it), music (although I can’t play an instrument) and food (although I’m a terrible cook).
Feedback for Ursula Dubosarsky and Andrew Joyner’s 2015 presentations in Melbourne:
Testimonials
He was FANTASTIC!!!!
The kids loved the drawing sessions… they loved the stories.
Highly recommend Andrew.
Andrew Joyner was fantastic, the children really enjoyed his visit. He spoke to two large groups of students from F-2 and I particularly loved his gentle, kind, patient approach with the children. The Ipad APP he used was brilliant, as it showed the children clearly the three different stages of illustrating, and easily engaged such a large group of students because they could all see it clearly on the Interactive TV.
Could not speak more highly of Andrew. The kids loved him and I wrote in the general email that they were mesmerised, by him and his artistic skills. He spoke to their level. The teachers were very impressed also. It was great that he got the kids drawing and they could put to use the skills that he was showing them. He had them in the palm of his hand. They have been using he ipad skills he showed them, so that says he was pretty good and the kids loved him… He was very friendly person as well as professional and informative.
The presentation was wonderful. All students from Prep to Year 4 were very engaged and we have been getting lots of very positive feedback from the students. We are getting Andrew’s drawings professionally framed and I am sure the children will love them.
The presentation was incredible. Both Ursula and Andrew were very engaged with the audience which ranged from Prep to Grade 6. They were educational and entertaining and I would highly recommend them for any school looking for presenters for a very special literary event. Ursula spoke about the creative process in relation to writing and collaboration and Andrew, with input from the audience, created a very special story book for the school, showing the students how he could create a character from basic shapes.
Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to meet such inspirational people!