Tennant was born in Manly , New South Wales ; she was educated at Brighton College and Sydney University , though she left without graduating. She was a publicity officer for the Australian Broadcasting Commission , as well as working as a journalist, union organiser, reviewer (for The Sydney Morning Herald ), a publisher's literary adviser and editor, and a Commonwealth Literary Fund lecturer. She married L. C. Rodd in 1933 ; they had two children (a daughter, Benison, in 1946 and a son, John Laurence, in 1951 ).
Her work was known for its well-researched, realistic, yet positive portrayals of the lives of the underprivileged in Australia.
- ''Tiburon'' (1935. Sydney: Endeavour Press) — first published in serial form in ''The Bulletin''
- ''Foveaux'' (1939. London: Gollancz; 1946. Sydney: Sirius)
- ''The Battlers'' (1941. London: Gollancz; New York: Macmillan; 1945. Sydney: Sirius) — Australian Literature Society 's Gold Medal, & S.H. Prior Prize
- ''Ride on Stranger'' (1941. New York: Macmillan; London: Gollancz; Sydney: Angus & Robertson)
- ''Time Enough Later'' (1943. New York: Macmillan; 1945. London: Macmillan)
- ''Lost Haven'' (1946. NY: Macmillan; Melbourne: Macmillan; London: Macmillan)
- ''The Joyful Condemned'' (1953. London: Macmillan; New York: St Martin's Press)
- ''The Honey Flow'' (1956. London: Macmillan; new York: St Martin's Press)
- ''Tell Morning This'' (1967. Sydney: Angus & Robertson) — complete version of ''The Joyful Condemned''
- ''The Man on the Headland'' (1971. Sydney: Angus & Robertson)
- ''Tantavallon'' (1983. Melbourne: Macmillan) ISBN 0947072020
- ''Ma Jones and Little White Cannibals'' (1967. London)
- ''Long John Silver'' (1954. Sydney: Associated General Publications) — adapted from the screenplay by Martin Rackin
- ''All the Proud Tribesmen'' (1959. London: Macmillan; New York: St Martin's Press; 1960. Melbourne: Macmillan) — illustrated by Clem Seale. Children's Book Award (1960)
- ''Come and See: social studies for Third Grade'' (1960. Melbourne: Macmillan)
- ''We Find the Way: social studies for Fourth Grade'' (1960. Melbourne: Macmillan)
- ''Trail Blazers of the Air'' (1965. Melbourne: Macmillan; New York: St Martin's Press) — illustrated by Roderick Shaw
- ''Modern Plays for Schools 3'' (John o' the Forest, Lady Dorothy and the Pirates, The Willow Pattern Plate, The Laughing Girl, Christmas at the Old Shamrock Hotel) (1950. London: Macmillan; New York: St Martin's Press)
- ''Tether a Dragon'' (1952. Sydney: Associated General Publications) — Commonwealth Jubilee Stage Play Prize
- ''Modern Plays for Schools 15'' (The Bells of the City, The Magic Fat Baby, The Prince Who Met a Dragon, The Ghost Tiger, Hamaguchi Goh Ei) (1955. London: Macmillan; New York: St Martin's Press)
- ''The Bushrangers' Christmas Eve and other plays'' (The Tribe of the Honey Tree, The Ladies of the Guard, A Nativity Play, The Play of the Younger Son, The Emperor and the Nightingale) (1959. London: Macmillan; New York:St Martin's Press)
- ''Australia: Her Story'' (1953. London: Macmillan; New York: St Martin's Press)
- ''Speak You So Gently: lives among the Australian Aborigines'' (1959. London: Gollancz)
- ''Evatt: politics and justice'' (1970. Sydney: Angus & Robertson)
- ''The Missing Heir'' (1986. Melbourne: Macmillan) — her autobiography
- ''The Development of the Australian Novel'' (1958. Canberra: CLF)
- (with L.C. Rodd) ''The Australian Essay'' (1968. Melbourne: Cheshire)
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