Beloved children’s author and illustrator Terry Denton passes away at 76

Terry Denton, a highly regarded Australian writer and illustrator, died on September 21 at the age of 76, surrounded by his family in Victoria. He was best known for the Gasp! picture-book series and for co-creating the popular 13-Storey Treehouse books with Andy Griffiths, who also serves as Australia’s Children’s Laureate. Over a career spanning three decades, Denton earned honors such as the 1986 Children’s Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year for "Felix and Alexander" and contributed to television, designing puppets for the series Lift Off.

He illustrated works by authors like Mem Fox, Paul Jennings, Alison Lloyd and Gillian Rubinstein. Tributes flowed from colleagues, including Griffiths, who recalled Denton’s humor and generosity, and from his wife Kristen, children Max, Imogen and Eve, and grandchildren Georgia, Lucy, Charlie, Alfie and Felix. His agency Curtis Brown and publisher Pan Macmillan confirmed the news and shared the family’s statements.