Russell Ginns is a game designer,[1][2][3] writer,[4][5] and composer, primarily known for children's fiction, puzzles, and educational games and songs. He is the author of more than 100 books, including Super Atomic Wombat Girl, Puzzlooies, 1-2-3 Scream! and the Samantha Spinner series. He has created or contributed to several notable software titles, including Castle Infinity, Hooked on Phonics, Reader Rabbit and Half-Life.
Between 2013 and 2015, Ginns wrote four collections of board books (The Little Box of Love; The Little Box of Laughs; The Little Box of Bedtime; and The Little Box of Classics) for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This series includes Is There a Chance You’ve Seen My Pants?,[16]Bird on My Head, and Monster Love.
In 2017, Random House published the first title in Ginns's book series, Samantha Spinner and the Super-Secret Plans.[17][18][19] He wrote My Big Book of Feelings for Rodale Press in 2020,[20] the graphic novel Super Atomic Wombat Girl, and the Puzzlooies, series, a hybrid puzzle-story book format.[21] The initial launch featured twelve titles, including Marooned on the Moon, One of Our Giant Robots Is Missing, and Space Cats to the Rescue.[22] His 2022 title 1-2-3 Scream! is an anthology of humorous horror stories.[23]
Ginns has also been published under the names Clyde Bosco, P. C. Russell Ginns, Jacques Barniarde, Kravis Winewater, Hans Shingle, and R. U. Ginns.
Ginns has worked as a designer/producer with several independent game publishers, developing titles that include Crop Circles,[27][28]Pop! The Balloon Dog Puzzle Game,[29] and AlphaNatix.,[30]Thud!, Mercury Messenger, and Smart Kart.
His published board games include Wordspot,[31]Schmear, Search Party, and Chess on the Loose.