Phil Cummings

www.philcummings.com

Phil Cummings is an award-winning author of over seventy books for children (from picture books to novels) in a career that has spanned thirty years. His work has been published in Australia, New Zealand, U.S, Japan, China, South Korea, Canada, U.K. and throughout Europe. He has been a Premier’s Reading Challenge Ambassador since its inception in 2004.

Phil has also co-written two musicals for children available online for schools to perform. Both musicals, created with Glyn Lehmann, renowned songwriter, composer and arranger, are a complete package, containing backing tracks, music sheets, scripts, ideas for classroom teachers, everything that schools need to perform the work in their own chosen environment.  The musicals are available from: www.songlibrary.net for schools to produce and perform as part of their Performing Arts program.  They cover themes of drought, importance of family, resilience, the importance of creative play and a child’s imagination.

A Book Will Take You There is a song Phil and Glyn wrote for Book Week and is also available for schools and choirs now on the song library. www.songlibrary.net

In 2019, in conjunction with the release of Phil’s best-selling picture book, Touch the Moon, illustrated by Coral Tulloch and published by Allen and Unwin, Phil and Glyn worked on a music project entitled Space Race that saw them perform with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra to celebrate 50 years since the Moon Landing in 1969.

Phil’s latest releases include an hilarious laugh-out-loud audio book entitled Me and Neal – now available for download on Google play and Apple Books. More information on Phil’s website or at: meandneal.com.

Phil’s Latest picture books include the powerfully thought provoking, A Boy and a Ball illustrated by Phil Lesnie and published by Scholastic Press.

 A touching picture book, Joe and the Stars, beautifully illustrated by Connah Brecon, published by Scholastic Press, was released in February 2021 and is a twinkling tale of resilience, family and friendship.

The Garden on Redgum Road illustrated by Danny Snell will be released in November 2021 with the Little Book Press.

Phil has also had a new song released in March 2021 entitled In This Place. The song, available for download on streaming services, is about growing up in the country and the video clip, which can be found on You Tube , features images from Phil’s book, Joe and the Stars.

Phil and composer, arranger, Glyn Lehmann, completed a new commissioned work for the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra entitled 'In This Place’, based on two of Phil’s books, 'Through the Smoke’ illustrated by Andrew Maclean and 'Joe and the Stars’ illustrated by Connah Brecon. Both books were published by Scholastic Press. 

The orchestra will perform the new work in a number of concerts for schools, libraries and the wider community in 2023.