John Flanagan

John Flanagan was an Australian author born in Sydney in 1944, best known for the Ranger's Apprentice series, which he originally wrote as short stories to encourage his 12-year-old son Michael to read.[1][2][4] After careers in advertising and television script-writing, including co-writing the comedy series Hey Dad!, he became a full-time writer, also creating the Brotherband Chronicles and other works that sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[3][4][5] Flanagan passed away on February 7, 2026, at age 81, leaving a legacy of adventure fantasy for young readers.[5]