Felice Arena
Encyclopedia
Felice Arena is an Australia
n children's author and illustrator, and occasional actor. He is best known for the bestselling and award-winning Specky Magee
series, and his hilarious Farticus Maximus books. His forthcoming much anticipated novel, Whippersnapper, a funny fast-paced fantasy, is due to be published by Penguin August 2011.
and attended La Trobe University
, in Bendigo, Victoria
. He graduated as a primary (elementary) school teacher but decided to pursue writing.
Aside from being an author, Arena is also an actor. He played the role of Marco Alessi
in the Australian soap opera
Neighbours
for a year. He also starred in London West End
musicals including "Hair
", "Godspell
" and "What a Feeling" with Irena Cara.
champion in the making.
The series, written by Arena and his former school-mate and Melbourne Football Club
star, Garry Lyon
, have also been short-listed for numerous Australian Children Choice awards—including three time winner of the Young Australian Best Book Award.
There are eight books in the series, with the most recent, Specky Magee and the Best of Oz, published in March 2011.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n children's author and illustrator, and occasional actor. He is best known for the bestselling and award-winning Specky Magee
Specky Magee
The Specky Magee series is a highly popular and best-selling children’s book series in Australia. The books, written by Felice Arena and Garry Lyon, chronicle the life and times of teenager Simon Magee, an aspiring Aussie Rules football champion. There are currently eight books in the series...
series, and his hilarious Farticus Maximus books. His forthcoming much anticipated novel, Whippersnapper, a funny fast-paced fantasy, is due to be published by Penguin August 2011.
Biography
Arena was born in Kyabram, VictoriaKyabram, Victoria
Kyabram is located in the centre of a rich irrigation district in the Goulburn River Valley, 200 kilometres north of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Kyabram, the second largest town in the Shire of Campaspe. is situated between the towns of Echuca and Shepparton and is close to the Murray River...
and attended La Trobe University
La Trobe University
La Trobe University is a multi-campus university in Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1964 by an Act of Parliament to become the third oldest university in the state of Victoria. The main campus of La Trobe is located in the Melbourne suburb of Bundoora; two other major campuses are...
, in Bendigo, Victoria
Bendigo, Victoria
Bendigo is a major regional city in the state of Victoria, Australia, located very close to the geographical centre of the state and approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne. It is the second largest inland city and fourth most populous city in the state. The estimated urban...
. He graduated as a primary (elementary) school teacher but decided to pursue writing.
Aside from being an author, Arena is also an actor. He played the role of Marco Alessi
Marco Alessi
Marco Alessi is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Felice Arena. He made his first on-screen appearance on 5 May 1992 and departed the series on 18 November 1992.-Casting:...
in the Australian soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
Neighbours
Neighbours
Neighbours is an Australian television soap opera first broadcast on the Seven Network on 18 March 1985. It was created by TV executive Reg Watson, who proposed the idea of making a show that focused on realistic stories and portrayed adults and teenagers who talk openly and solve their problems...
for a year. He also starred in London West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
musicals including "Hair
Hair (musical)
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...
", "Godspell
Godspell
Godspell is a musical by Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak. It opened off Broadway on May 17, 1971, and has played in various touring companies and revivals many times since, including a 2011 revival now playing on Broadway...
" and "What a Feeling" with Irena Cara.
Books
- Dolphin Boy Blue (1996)
- Mission Buffalo (1997)
- Wish (1999) New edition (2005)
- Bravo Billy (2000)
- Breakaway John (2001)
- "Farticus Maximus #1 Other Stories that Stink!" Australia (2008) UK (April 2010) Canada (Sept 2011)
- "Stick Dudes #1 Water Fight Frenzy" (2009)
- "Farticus Maximus # 2 Stink-Off Battle of the Century" Australia (2009) UK (April 2011)
- "Stick Dudes #2 Champions of the World" (July 2010)
- "Stick Dudes #3 The Secret Four-ce" (July 2010)
- "Farticus Maximus # 3 Bottomus Burps of Britannia" (Oct. 2010)
- "Whippersnapper" (August 2011)
Picture Books
- Sally and Dave, A Slug Story Australia (2007) US (2008)
- "Hey, Cat!" June 2008
Book Series
- The Specky MageeSpecky MageeThe Specky Magee series is a highly popular and best-selling children’s book series in Australia. The books, written by Felice Arena and Garry Lyon, chronicle the life and times of teenager Simon Magee, an aspiring Aussie Rules football champion. There are currently eight books in the series...
series (co-written with Garry LyonGarry LyonGarry Peter Lyon is a former professional Australian rules football player and was captain of the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League. Since his retirement from football, he has been mainly an Australian rules football media personality, featuring on television, radio and in...
):
- Specky Magee (2002)
- Specky Magee & the great footy contest! (2003)
- Specky Magee and the Season of Champions (2004)
- Specky Magee and the Boots of Glory (2005)
- Specky Magee and a Legend in the Making (2006)
- Specky Magee and the Spirit of the Game (2007)
- Specky Magee and the Battle of the Young Gun (2009)
- Specky Magee and the best of oz (2011)
- Boyz Rule and Girlz Rock Series (Published in Australia, UK, US and Vietnam).
Specky Magee
The Specky Magee series, published by Penguin, chronicle the life and times of teenager Simon Magee, an Australian Rules footballAustralian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
champion in the making.
The series, written by Arena and his former school-mate and Melbourne Football Club
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
star, Garry Lyon
Garry Lyon
Garry Peter Lyon is a former professional Australian rules football player and was captain of the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League. Since his retirement from football, he has been mainly an Australian rules football media personality, featuring on television, radio and in...
, have also been short-listed for numerous Australian Children Choice awards—including three time winner of the Young Australian Best Book Award.
There are eight books in the series, with the most recent, Specky Magee and the Best of Oz, published in March 2011.