The Daddo boys surely do have a reputation around Australia and the world as successful men. You would think with such success would come an ego and attitude that disappoints so many fans when meeting their inspirations/idols. However, we had the pleasure to meet a man who was not only highly successful and accomplished but funny, engaged with his audience and at times even a little bit daggy. With the ability to put anyone at ease, Andrew Daddo, is one of those celebrities who you could sit and listen to for hours talk about anything and nothing.

Andrew has had an eclectic array of jobs from tv to radio to his newspaper column but it is in his books that you find a collection of works that show us why Australia is proud of its authors. Writing a selection of books from picture books to chapter books Daddo presents us with books appropriate for many ages. 

His openness about his writing process, family, life and books allows the people who come to see him to get a real insight to Andrew Daddo the past uni student, the man, the father and the author. When speaking of his book ‘Dacked’ the joy that comes across his face as he remembers the story he has created, still finding enjoyment in it and laughing at his own words.

‘I’m the dad and I’m Fergus, and I’m trying to write about a relationship I would like with my dad and with my son and daughters.’

When it comes to writing for children approaching their teen year its always tricky with parents having varied and strong opinions about what they think is suitable for their children to read. Daddo’s collection for these kids do hold a lot of farts and gags that sometimes can get negative feedback but it is in these stories about children going though life at a relatable age that allow young readers to think ‘hey that’s me’ or ‘oh wow I’m not the only one going through this, its here in a book’. As Daddo puts it:

‘They’re not losers[the characters], they’re normal. They do all the things we do or like doing, but don’t want people to know about.’

As he reads an excerpt from ‘Your Dropped’ where two boys are talking about pashing you can see that he really enjoys what he does and the work he produces. ‘[opened his mouth wide enough] to fit  cherry ripe, not a mars bar.’ ‘like he had peanut butter stuck to the roof of his mouth but couldn’t get it off’ The detail with which he writes is detail kids know about and Daddo loves the responses he gets from children all sitting, quiet and captivated by his work, opening and closing their mouths trying to imagine what he’s reading to them. This kind of reactions shows that this is the stuff kids love. ‘The reason I like it is because its odd!’ says Daddo. After this the room bursts into laughter at him asking if anybody has cut out a mouth sized part of an orange and practiced pashing on the orange because when you get caught you can just say you were eating an orange.

When reading excerpts from his books, Daddo takes on a harsher ‘Aussie’ accent and it highlights his love of the Australian language and its colloquial-ness which is unique. But it is from this that you become captivated by his characters as you imagine or relate to the daggy parent stories, embarrassing moments or experiences from when you were younger.

As Daddo tells us of his writing process and explains it just as writing what comes naturally, as acting out what he’s going to write so that the detail is spot on and relatable to and writing then from experience. Writing about what you know.

‘Don’t plan, Just go and do it.’ ‘Its all about visual images,’ Daddo says, ‘and putting them out there for people to judge them. And they’re not always judged how you want them to be.’

As he laughs at his work now, admitting he had forgotten some of what he’d written and still finding enjoyment as he re-explores his work, you see the love he has for what he does. Admitting: ‘I don’t write jokes. I write funny things…..Well things that I think are funny.’

As he starts a journey on a new path in his life Daddo will undoubtably create more works in the years to come. I was sceptical when going into this Daddo experience about what he would be like, but Andrew Daddo is a likeable and talented man who had the room either captivated by his work or crying with laughter at his words which ranged from recounts to what could be explained by nothing less than ‘dad jokes’. If you get the chance to see this man talk about his work whether you’re an author, a student, a parent or a semi-retired gypsy who is a part time businessman and enjoys playing classical recorder I urge you to do it. His work is perfect for children of all ages and makes a lovely addition to any home.

-Leah