INSIDE THE CBCA 2026 WINNERS

INSIDE THE CBCA 2026 WINNERS The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Winning and Honour Books for 2026 have been announced. Congratulations to everyone involved. Follow the links to those books I have already reviewed, or interviewed the author or illustrator, at PaperbarkWords blog. Book of the Year: OLDER READERS WINNER Darkest Night, Brightest Star, Barry Jonsberg (Allen & […]

Derek by Anne Donaldson, illustrated by Matt Shanks

Derek by Anne Donaldson, illustrated by Matt Shanks (Little Hare, Hardie Grant) “Derek was a fish with many questions.” (Derek) INSIDE THE CBCA 2026 SHORTLIST Derek is the humorously perceptive Honour-awarded picture book in the Early Childhood category of the 2026 CBCA awards. It is also the Early Childhood Shadow Judging winner. Interview with Derek creators Anne […]

Darkest Night, Brightest Star by Barry Jonsberg

Darkest Night, Brightest Star by Barry Jonsberg (Allen & Unwin) INSIDE THE CBCA 2026 SHORTLIST “ ‘Think about this,’ Dad said. If you are to be the brightest star, like Diego Maradona, then you must go through the dark bits first. The practice. Working hard even when you don’t want to. You understand?’” (Darkest Night, […]

Wild Darling by Alexandra Moody

Wild Darling by Alexandra Moody (HarperCollins Australia) ‘Something about her expression hit me square in the chest. She never smiled or laughed when I was around. The way her eyes were sparkling now felt like discovering a rare hidden treasure. The thought stopped me short. Did I actually like making her laugh? She shook her […]

Suzy Zail & A New Kind of Beautiful

Suzy Zail & A New Kind of Beautiful (Walker Books Australia) “I want to be brave. But I just dropped the Wild Thing tag and I don’t need a new story: The Adventures of Brave Girl.” (A New Kind of Beautiful) Author Interview: Suzy Zail Suzy shares her thoughts about A New Kind of Beautiful […]

The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss

The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss Published by Penguin Books ‘Not that long ago, she would’ve said that her favorite thing was getting into the rhythm of the room, absorbing the puzzles. But now? “The people,” she said. “It’s so nice being around others who are as obsessed with escape rooms as […]

The Emperor’s Egg by Rae Tan

The Emperor’s Egg written & illustrated by Rae Tan Published by Lothian Children’s Books, Hachette Australia Picture Book review & how to use the book by Joy Lawn (Joy in Books) at Paperbark Words blog “ ‘All the creatures are out except mine.’ ‘It’s all right, Ren,’ Papa says, ‘You’ve given Bao Bao all your love and […]

40 Years of Magpies Magazine: how children’s literature has changed by Joy Lawn

40 Years of Magpies Magazine: how children’s literature has changed by Joy Lawn Feature article (reproduced with permission) Magpies Magazine has always endeavoured to live up to its welcoming subtitle, ‘Talking About Books for Children’. It is now celebrating 40 years of professional, enthusiastic and faithful chronicling of Australian and other children’s literature with the […]

Children’s Books Winning Open Awards

Children’s Books Winning Open Awards My Editorial in Magpies Magazine (reproduced with permission) EDITORIAL EDITORIAL EDITORIAL EDITORIAL EDITORIAL EDITORIAL EDITORIAL EDITORIAL Children’s books are having a time of recognition with a picture book, Once I Was a Giant by Zeno Sworder (Thames & Hudson) winning this year’s overall Book of the Year, as well as […]

A Hat for Every Harriet by Jess Horn & Zoë Bennett

A Hat for Every Harriet by Jess Horn, ill. Zoë Bennett (Affirm Press, Simon & Schuster) A Hat for Every Harriet: Behind the Hats With great honesty and insight, Jess Horn writes about the genesis of her moving and wise, A Hat for Every Harriet, for Joy in Books at PaperbarkWords blog. And, as a […]