Barry Jonsberg

Barry Jonsberg is an Australian author and teacher who was born in Liverpool, England.

Early life and education Barry Jonsberg earned two degrees, in English and psychology, from Liverpool University.

Career Jonsberg was a college lecturer in Crewe, Cheshire, before moving to Australia in 1999.

His 2022 book, A Little Spark, was shortlisted for the Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature at the 2023 New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards. Smoke & Mirrors was shortlisted for the Young Adult Book Award at the 2024 Queensland Literary Awards and for the 2025 Victorian Premier's Prize for Writing for Young Adults and Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature.

Jonsberg's 2025 book, Darkest Night, Brightest Star, won the Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers and was shortlisted for the Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature in 2026.

Books The Whole Business with Kiffo and the Pitbull (2005) The Crimes and Punishments of Miss Payne (2005) It's not all about YOU, Calma (2005) Dreamrider (2006) Am I Right or Am I Right? (2007) The Dog that Dumped on my Doona (August 2008) Ironbark (2008) Cassie (2008) A Croc Called Capone (March 2009) Blacky Blasts Back: On the Tail of the Tassie Tiger (January 2010) Being Here (2011) H is for Happiness My Life As An Alphabet (2013) Released September 2014 in America as The Categorical Universe of Candice Phee The City of Second Chances (2014) Pandora Jones: Admission (2014) Pandora Jones: Deception (2014) Pandora Jones: Reckoning (2015) Game Theory (2016) A Song Only I Can Hear (2018) Catch me if I fall (2020) A Little Spark (2022) Smoke & Mirrors (2023) Darkest Night, Brightest Star (2025)