Books brought John Marsden fame, but he'll be remembered for his belief in kids
Australian author John Marsden was much more than an award-winning writer – he was 'an exemplary educational entrepreneur, a lover of literature and linguistics, a wilderness warrior, and a Coke Zero connoisseur'.
Comedian, former ABC radio host and Marsden's 'resident stalker' Sammy J made the comment as he paid tribute to the late novelist at a memorial service at Melbourne Town Hall on Monday following Marsden's death in December aged 74.
At least the first four rows were occupied by school students and teachers – evidence of Marsden's lasting impact as an educator and mentor. The rest were filled by friends, family, fellow authors, and a countless number of fans, some of whom wiped away tears as they reflected on the author's legacy.
Marsden sold more than 5 million books, including the seven-book young adult fiction Tomorrow series, which was adapted into a film and a TV show.
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But on listening to each person pay tribute to him on-stage – from his stepsons to other authors – his true life's work quickly became apparent: lifting young people to their full potential.
'His great skill was talking to young people, no matter what age, as if they were equals,' former student Charlotte Austin, who inspired the protagonist of the Tomorrow series, told this masthead. 'He had a huge belief in them. When everyone else in society was decrying teenagers as being hopeless, he gave them positions of responsibility in his books, positions of power. He gave them autonomy because he believed that we could do it.'
He similarly advocated for young, new authors. Speaking before the memorial, award-winning author Alice Pung said she met Marsden at a writers' festival, where he immediately took her under his wing.
'He would collect friends along the way at writers' festivals through being kind – Jackie French, myself, Isobelle Carmody,' said Pung, who wrote a book about Marsden in 2017.
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