Emily Rodda’s first book, Something Special, was published in 1984. It marked the beginning of a career that has seen her become one of the most successful, prolific and versatile writers in Australia. She has written or co-authored well over fifty books for children, and as Jennifer Rowe (her real name) she writes popular mystery novels for adults. Her children’s books range from picture books to YA novels, and include the award-winning Rowan series and the outstandingly successful Deltora Quest fantasy series. Winner of the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Book of the Year (Younger Readers) Award a record five times, she seems to know instinctively what children want to read.

She has been a full-time writer since 1994. "I feel very lucky to have a job I love so much," she says. Her four children, including twin boys, have given her plenty of inspiration over the years. "None of the characters in my books are exactly like anyone I know, but all of them have things in common with people I know. Everyone writes from his or her own experience. I look at people I know and listen to them and when I am trying to think of a new character, these things come back to me."

All Emily Rodda’s books are testament to her exception storytelling ability. She describes the Rowan books, which combine a classic quest storyline with a series of riddling mysteries to be solved, as being "the most pleasurable to write". Other books, like Dog Tales, which looks at the lives of a gang of neighbourhood dogs, demonstrate her wonderful talent for comedy. Her plots are always beautifully crafted. "I love things that all tie up… There’s no little clue that doesn’t have a meaning and I suppose it’s the fascination for someone who likes word games or likes doing tapestry… maybe it’s a response to the general messiness of life, but I find it very satisfying."

And important influence on her writing was the world of the media. Her father was a TV executive, and she grew up with "the ratings" and a great respect for the demands of the marketplace. She acknowledges the need for escapist books as well as those that are more literary.

In 1995 Emily Rodda won the prestigious Dromkeen Medal. The judges of the award said of her that she "maintains a prolific writing schedule, continues to provide a role model in promoting children’s literature, and still spends many hours sharing her love of books with children and educators".

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Emily comments on Deltora Quest:

I was really excited when I thought of the idea of writing Deltora Quest. At first I wanted to write a serial-type quest, a story that would go over several books. The Rowan of Rin books, which have always done quite well and which I love writing, are complete, without a continuing storyline. I really wanted to write a classic quest in stages, culminating in a final book. I had the idea of a quest involving three heroes and had worked on the manuscript for quite a while before I took it to the publisher, Scholastic Australia. I wanted to see what they thought of it and it turned out that they thought it was a great idea.

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Emily comments on Rowan of Rin:

“Everyone has their talent, everyone has something to contribute and you don’t have to be a great, tough, outgoing, obviously strong, person to be able to do wonderful things. You can do wonderful things whatever you look like, however strong you are. It’s what inside those counts. It’s the strength of character that counts not the strength of the body.”

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Emily Rodda Book list:

Rondo

The Key to Rondo
The Wizard of Rondo

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Deltora Quest

Series One:
1. The Forests of Silence
2. The Lake f Tears
3. City of the Rats
4. The Shifting Sands
5. Dread Mountain
6. Maze of the Beast
7. The Valley of the Lost
8. Return to Del

Series Two:
1. The Cavern of the Fear
2. The Isle of Illusion
3. The Shadowlands

Series Three:
1. Dragon’s Nest
2. Shadowgate
3. Isle of the Dead
4. The Sister of the South

Others:
Tales of Deltora
The Deltora Book of Monsters
How To Draw Deltora Monsters
How To Draw Deltora Dragons
The Ultimate Deltora Quiz Book

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Rowan of Rin

Rowan of Rin
Rowan and the Travelers
Rowan and the Keeper of the Crystal
Rowan and the Zebak
Rowan and the Bukshah
Rowan of Rin – The Journey

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The Fairy Realm

Series One:
1. The Charm Bracelet
2. The Flower Fairies
3. The Third Wish
4. The Last Fairy-Apple Tree
5. The Magic Key
6. The Unicorn

Series Two:
1. The Star Cloak
2. The Water Sprites
3. The Peskie Spell
4. The Rainbow Wand

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Raven Hill Mysteries

1. The Ghost of Raven Hill
2. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
3. The Disappearing TV Star
4. Cry of the Cat
5. Beware the Gingerbread House
6. Green for Danger
7. Breaking Point
8. The Secret of Banyan Bay
9. The Bad Dog Mystery
10. Poison Man
11. The Missing Millionaire
12. Crime in the Picture
13. Nowhere to Run
14. Dangerous Games
15. Haunted House
16. The Case of Crazy Claude
17. Fear in Fashion
18. Danger in Rhyme
19. Cry Wolf
20. Photo Finish
21. Stage Fright
22. Saint Elmo’s Fire
23. Bad Apples
24. The War of the Work Demons
25. Dirty Tricks
26. Hot Pursuit
27. Hit of Miss
28. Deep Freeze
29. The Secret Enemy
30.Dead End

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Squeak Street

1. Old Bun and the Burglar
2. One-Shoe’s Wishes
3. Fee-Fee’s Holiday
4. Pink-Paw’s Painting
5. Lucky Clive
6. Quick-Stick’s Magic
7. Kevin to the Rescue
8. Tails and the Twin Spell
9. Addy and the Pirates
10. Ben the Post-Mouse

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Single Books

Something Special
Pigs Might Fly
The Best-Kept Secret
Crumbs!
The Julia Tapes
Dog Tales
Finders Keepers
The Timekeeper

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Picture Books

Power and Glory
Yay!
Game Plan
Where Do You Hide Two Elephants?
Squeak Street
The Long Way Home

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Younger Readers

Green Fingers
Fuzz the Famous Fly
Bob the Builder and the Elves
Gobbleguts

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