Oliver Phommavanh

Oliver Phommavanh
Born1983 (age 42–43)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
EducationUniversity of Sydney
Western Sydney University
OccupationAuthor
Writing career
Period2010–2024
GenreChildren's literature
Notable workThai-riffic!

Oliver Phommavanh (born 1983[citation needed]) is an Australian children's book author and former primary school teacher. Phommavanh was charged for the online grooming of a 13-year-old girl on 18 May 2024 and on 13 February 2026 was sentenced to six-and-a-half years.

Early life and education

Phommavanh was born to a Thai mother and a Laotian father who migrated to Australia in 1977. Phommavanh grew up in Western Sydney and attended Western Sydney University, where he earned his writing degree as well as the University of Sydney where he earned his teaching degree. In 2007, he stopped teaching in order to pursue his writing and stand-up comedy careers. A SBS News profile in 2012 referred to him as the "Asian Paul Jennings".

Personal life

Before his arrest Phommavanh had been an ambassador for the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge as well as a supporter of the Australian branch of Room to Read.

Child grooming conviction

On 18 May 2024, Phommavanh was arrested for sending inappropriate photos and videos to a minor, after he sent a nude photo to an under cover police officer he believed to be a young girl. In court it was revealed that, from 2018 to 2022, Phommavanh had been talking to three girls aged from 11 to 13, as well as the undercover police officer. Two of the three girls had sent him messages online after he had spoken at their schools. He had spoken to one of the girls for five years, until she was 16 and reported him to the police. On 13 February 2026, Phommavanh was sentenced for the online grooming of the three girls and is serving a six-and-a-half year sentence, with a four-year non-parole period.

Works

References

  1. 1 2 "Sydney children's author charged for alleged online grooming of girl he thought was 13yo". ABC News. 17 May 2024. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  2. ↑ "Children's author jailed over 'predatory' sexual messages to minors". ABC News. 13 February 2026. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 "Revenge of the nerd". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 September 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  4. ↑ Austlit. "Oliver Phommavanh | AustLit: Discover Australian Stories". www.austlit.edu.au. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  5. ↑ Yu, Katrina (21 May 2012). "Profile: The 'Asian Paul Jennings'". SBS News. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  6. ↑ Sibthorpe, Clare (2 February 2026). "Children's book author groomed students he met through schools". The Age. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  7. ↑ England, Katherine (7 August 2010). "Junior novel". The Advertiser. p. 24. ProQuest 738383831. Albert Lengviriyakul (Lengy for short) is on the threshold of Year 7...
  8. ↑ Waghorn, Luke (15 August 2019). "Book Review: Thai-riffic!". Brisbane Writers Festival. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  9. ↑ "Book review". Gold Coast Bulletin. 14 June 2011. p. 24. ProQuest 871516212. CON-NERD is a book that will make you laugh and cry, and certainly entertains. The main protagonist is...
  10. ↑ Cohen, John (May 2011). "Con-Nerd". Reading Time. 55 (2). Children's Book Council of Australia: 37. ProQuest 1353077517.
  11. ↑ Purdon, Fiona (1 June 2011). "Funnyman keen to grin and share it". The Courier-Mail. p. 46. ProQuest 869109214. The 28-year-old will promote his new book Con-Nerd (Penguin) at this month's Voices of the Coast Festival and the Ipswich Literature Festival in September, when he will also do stand-up events in Brisbane.
  12. ↑ Moore, Jarrah (5 May 2016). "The Other Christy (Oliver Phommavanh, Puffin)". Books+Publishing. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  13. ↑ "Very cranky boy". Herald Sun. 20 October 2018. p. 16. ProQuest 2122681782.
  14. ↑ Zubek, Heather (16 August 2017). "Children's author a voice for the weird kid". The West Australian. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  15. ↑ Derouet, Liz (23 November 2020). "Brain Freeze". Reading Time. Children's Book Council of Australia. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  16. ↑ Metagesha, Brianna (September 2025). "Embracing Asia: Using Fiction to Foster Asia–Australia Engagement in Upper Primary Schools". ACCESS. 39 (3). Australian School Library Association: 41–47. doi:10.3316/informit.T2025102400005590878001231. ProQuest 3281533120. Another example, What About Thao? by Oliver Phommavanh, presents the experiences of a Vietnamese-Australian boy...
  17. ↑ "Anton Clifford-Motopi recommends". Books+Publishing. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  18. ↑ Swartz, Barbara (20 September 2022). "What About Thao?". Reading Time. Children's Book Council of Australia.