John Marsden, author of Tomorrow, When the War Began, dies aged 74

Acclaimed Australian author John Marsden has passed away at the age of 74. His young adult novels were a global phenomenon, beloved by readers worldwide.

Marsden created the internationally best-selling "Tomorrow" series, which sold millions of copies and was adapted into films and television series. He received numerous awards for both children's and adult fiction, and in 2006, he was awarded the Lloyd O'Neil Award for his contributions to the Australian publishing industry.

Following news of his death, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that Marsden "wanted young Australians to read more, and his writing did just that." Albanese wrote on social media: "His work was vivid, engaging, and distinctly Australian, written with a love for the land and a real sense of our national character. John’s work will long remain in our national memory."

Marsden became one of Australia’s most renowned young adult novelists with his 1993 novel "Tomorrow, When the War Began," which tells a hypothetical story of an Australian invasion. His work was also popular in the United States, with "Tomorrow, When the War Began" being named an American Library Association (ALA) "Best Book for Young Adults" in 1996. In 2000, it ranked 41st on the ALA’s list of the "100 Best Books for Young Adults" published between 1966 and 2000.

Marsden’s publisher, Macmillan Australia, has called the "Tomorrow" series “the best series ever written for Australian teenagers.” Marsden, speaking about the books in a 2018 interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), said: “The characters in the books have many flaws… but I wanted young people to realise that doesn’t mean you don’t have virtues. The ‘Tomorrow’ series, I hope, gave young people the message that they are capable of great things.”

Australian author Alison Lester stated that Marsden left a "huge" legacy through the "Tomorrow" series. "I think he got a lot of kids who didn't read to start reading. There was a whole world there that they could believe in," she said. "Those books felt like they could change the world, they were so powerful. The kids in the books were so powerful… I think that was the most amazing thing."

His historical fiction novel, "South of Darkness," won the Christina Stead Prize for Best Fiction in 2015. Marsden founded two schools in regional Victoria, Candlebark School near Romsey and Alice Miller School in Macedon, and served as principal. "Running a school is probably the most stressful and complicated job I’ve ever done. The only thing I can compare it to was working in the emergency room at a Sydney hospital when I was about 19,” he told the ABC in 2018.

Regarding the founding of Candlebark School in the bush, he said: "It’s so important for young people to get their hands dirty, both literally and metaphorically… There’s a lot of laughter there. There’s a lot of joking. There’s also a lot of serious conversation.”

Candlebark and Alice Miller Schools released a joint statement on Thursday evening, stating that Marsden “transformed the lives of countless young people through his writing and his pioneering approach to education.” School principal Sarita Ryan said he was “a true advocate for children and young people, who held unwavering faith in them and viewed them with deep respect.”