OUR CLIENTS
Mark Svendsen
Children’s Author
Mark Svendsen writes for differing age groups, in differing genres and in differing styles. Ranging from children's picture storybooks to adult novels, poetry for children and adults and the libretti for two symphonies, Mark's writing interests are as diverse as they are eclectic. His picture books include The Bunyip and the Night (Jam Roll/University of Queensland Press, 1994) and Captain Me (Lothian Books, 2002).
Snigger James on Grey (1999) and Poison Under Their Lips (2001) were published as young adult novels by Lothian Books. Snigger is the story of a 15 year old boy in a small seaside town searching for identity as his world is turned upside down by lies, girls and drugs. Poison is the harrowing account of an idealistic 18 year old cadet who joins the Queensland Native Police to 'save the natives' but soon discovers the word 'dispersal' means murder. Shadowsnake (2004) is a novel for younger readers, published by Lothian. Pud, Cuppy and Skeeta may not be too sweet at cricket, but they all tell a wicked snake story, especially around the fire when they’re out camping by themselves in the bush. Telling each other scary snake stories and pretending to be ‘real men’ takes their minds off the mutant half-man, half-crocodile — the Crocmaster — who is lurking out there somewhere in the black of the night!
Mark’s most recent book, published by Lothian Books in June 2005 in Australia, is the Picture Storybook, Circus Carnivore, illustrated by Ben Redlich. It will be published in 2006 in the USA by Houghton Mifflin.
Circus Carnivore is an extraordinary picture book on many counts. It is a tour de force of the imagination; indeed, it is a celebration of imagination. But more than that, it absolutely confirms the respective talents of its creators. Mark Svendsen has long indulged a love of language in his playful, whimsical verse. Here, his inventiveness soars to new heights as he creates a delightfully novel and euphonious narrative to relate the fantastic workings of a child’s imagination in the tradition of Dr Suess, Lewis Carroll or Edward Lear.
~ Kevin Steinberger: Magpies: Talking About Books for Children Volume 20, 2005
An explosion of words in extravagant fonts, of machines full of cogs and flues and bizarre characters who not only operate the machines but seem to be part of them: this is the Noise-a-matron that lives in the head of a wayward child and spouts out "noxious words" whenever she's feeling "pernickety". When her parents, those Dullundrears, forbid her tantrums the whole caboodle has to find other employment, so they turn into the Circus Carnivore and disport themselves in a range of exotic and amazing acts. Svendsen's nonsense verse is loud and swashbuckling.
~ Katharine England: Adelaide Advertiser 2 July 2005
Mark is an entertaining presenter for schools and libraries. See our Speakers section for more information.
GOLVAN ARTS MANAGEMENT • PO Box 766, Kew, Victoria 3101 Australia • golvan@ozemail.com.au