Inside the 2021 CBCA Shortlist Books

The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Shortlisted Books for 2021 has been announced.

Follow the links to those I have already reviewed or interviewed the author or illustrator on the blog. I will add to this list until the winners are announced in August.

Congratulations to those creators who have been shortlisted. Sincere commiserations to those who have created great books but have missed out on these awards.

Older Readers

• The End of the World is Bigger Than Love (Davina Bell, Text) Author interview, my top YA book of 2020 and reviewed in the Weekend Australian
• The Lost Soul Atlas (Zana Fraillon, Lothian)
• When Rain Turns to Snow (Jane Godwin, Lothian) Author interview
• Metal Fish, Falling Snow (Cath Moore, Text)
• Where We Begin (Christie Nieman, Pan)
• Peta Lyre’s Rating Normal (Anna Whateley, A&U)

Younger Readers

• Aster’s Good, Right Things (Kate Gordon, Riveted Press)
• The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst (Jaclyn Moriarty, illus by Kelly Canby, A&U) Author interview
• Worse Things (Sally Murphy, illus by Sarah Davis, Walker) Author interview
• We Are Wolves (Katrina Nannestad, ABC Books) My interview with the author in Magpies Magazine 2020.
• Bindi (Kirli Saunders, illus by Dub Leffler, Magabala) Illustrator interview
• The Book of Chance (Sue Whiting, Walker) Author interview and reviewed for The Weekend Australian

Early Childhood

• Busy Beaks (Sarah Allen, Affirm) Author-illustrator interview.
• Who’s Your Real Mum? (Bernadette Green, illus by Anna Zobel, Scribble)
• No! Never! (Libby Hathorn & Lisa Hathorn-Jarman, illus by Mel Pearce, Lothian) Author interview
• Anemone is not the Enemy (Anna McGregor, Scribble)
• There’s No Such Thing (Heidi McKinnon, A&U)
• We Love You, Magoo (Briony Stewart, Puffin) Author-illustrator interview

Picture Books

• The Unwilling Twin (Freya Blackwood, HarperCollins)
• Review and how to use the book
• Not Cute (Philip Bunting, Omnibus) Author-illustrator interview
• Norton and the Bear (Gabriel Evans, Berbay) Gabriel talks about his new picture book Little One (written by Jane Godwin)
• Ellie’s Dragon (Bob Graham, Walker) Review and how to use the book
• How to Make a Bird (Meg McKinlay, illus by Matt Ottley, Walker) Review and how to use the book.
• Your Birthday Was the Best! (Maggie Hutchings, illus by Felicita Sala, Affirm) Author interview.

Eve Pownall Award for Information Books

• The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Dangerous Animals (Sami Bayly, Lothian) The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Ugly Animals Review
• Azaria: A True History (Maree Coote, Melbournestyle Books) My in-depth interview with Maree Coote is in Magpies magazine May 2021.
• Dry to Dry: The Seasons of Kakadu (Pamela Freeman, illus by Liz Anelli, Walker) Review
• Strangers on Country (David Hartley & Kirsty Murray, illus by Dub Leffler, NLA)
• Hold On! Saving the Spotted Handfish (Gina M Newton, illus by Rachel Tribout, CSIRO Publishing)
• Matthew Flinders: Adventures on leaky ships (Carole Wilkinson, illus by Prue Pittock, Wild Dog Books) Author interview.

The winners will be announced in Book Week on Friday, 20th August.

Shortlist at the CBCA website

Notables at the CBCA website   

Notables at PaperbarkWords

WINNERS & HONOUR BOOKS

Thank you to the publishers who have kindly sent me review copies.