John Marsden, the Australian author known for his popular young adult novels, has died at 74, the Guardian reports.

Marsden, a Melbourne native, worked as an English teacher before making his literary debut in 1987 with So Much to Tell You, which became a bestseller in Australia. His 1991 novel Letters From the Inside was honored by the American Library Association, as was his best-known book, Tomorrow, When the War Began, which was adapted into a 2010 film directed by Stuart Beattie.

He would go on to write six sequels to Tomorrow, When the War Began, including A Killing Frost, The Night Is for Hunting, and The Other Side of Dawn. His other books include Winter, Out of Time, and While I Live.

A longtime educator, Marsden founded two schools in Australia’s Macedon Ranges: Candlebark School and Alice Miller School, the latter of which confirmed his death in a letter to the parents of its students.

Marsden was remembered by his admirers on social media. On the platform X, author Vaxine Beneba Clarke wrote, “Sad to see John Marsden’s passed. I loved his work as a young teenager, while later realising some of it had its limitations.  He invited me to visit his school a couple times. I thought I’d eventually go, so kept his card in my wallet for years. I just looked: it’s still there.”

And Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese posted, “John Marsden wanted young Australians to read more and his writing made that happen. Vivid, funny, quintessentially Australian, he wrote with a real love for our land and a true sense of our people’s character. His was a great Australian voice that spoke to all ages, here and around the world. John’s work will live long in our national memory.”

Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.