Author: joylawn

Book advocate. Joy Lawn is a freelance book reviewer and book judge specialising in literary fiction and children's and YA literature. She has recently judged the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, Qld Literary Awards - Fiction & Non-Fiction Book Award (chair), IBBY Australia Honour Books for Writing & Illustration, and has judged the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, Russell Prize for Humour Writing, CBCA, Davitt Women's Crime Book awards & Aurealis Awards. Joy loves moderating sessions at Writers’ Festivals, including Brisbane, Byron, Sydney & Central Coast, reviews theatre & books for ArtsHub, books for Books + Publishing & writes the editorial and feature articles for Magpies magazine. Joy promotes Australian literature here and overseas. 'A great book compels you to reread your own soul.' — Richard Flanagan, The Narrow Road to the Deep North

My Giant Sea Shell by Amanda Lieber, ill. Kathy Creamer

My Giant Sea Shell by Amanda Lieber, ill. Kathy Creamer (published by Little Pink Dog Books) Guest Author Profile by Amanda Lieber Thanks for speaking to Joy in Books at Paperbark Words blog about your debut picture book, My Giant Sea Shell, Amanda. What was your relationship with books as a child and please tell […]

Paradise Sands: A Story of Enchantment by Levi Pinfold

Paradise Sands: A Story of Enchantment by Levi Pinfold (Published by Walker Books) Book review and suggested activities by Joy Lawn (Joy in Books) at PaperbarkWords blog ‘White roses we follow, towards Teller’s Hollow Dead earth to a spring, the house of a King A sip from the chalice, we enter his palace Break bread […]

Mother Earth: Poems to celebrate the wonder of nature by Libby Hathorn, illus Christina Booth

Mother Earth: Poems to celebrate the wonder of natureLibby Hathorn, illus by Christina BoothLothianReviewed by Joy LawnReleased July 2023HardbackISBN 9780734421555RRP $24.99Category: Children’s picture book Mother Earth by Libby Hathorn, illus Christina Booth (Lothian Children’s Books) (This review was commissioned by Books+Publishing and is reproduced with permission.) Libby Hathorn and Christina Booth are the respected […]

Dirt by Sea by Michael Wagner, illustrated by Tom Jellett

Dirt by Sea by Michael Wagner, illustrated by Tom Jellett (published by Penguin Random House Australia) Inside the CBCA Shortlist Inside the 2023 CBCA Shortlist Inside the 2023 Notable Books Dirt by Sea by Michael Wagner, illustrated by Tom Jellett (Puffin Books, Penguin Random House) Author Interview with Michael Wagner Dirt by Sea by Michael […]

Easy Peasy by Ky Garvey, ill Amy Calautti

Easy Peasy by Ky Garvey, ill Amy Calautti Ky Garvey, author of the picture book Easy Peasy talks to Joy in Books at PaperbarkWords Your debut picture book, Easy Peasy, is a fun and engaging story about a little girl who perseveres to learn to roller skate, both independently and with the help of her patient father. […]

All About the Heart by Remi Kowalski, illus Tonia Composto

All About the HeartRemi Kowalski, illus by Tonia CompostoBerbayReviewed by Joy LawnReleased May 2023HardbackISBN 9781922610591RRP $25.99Category: Children’s picture book All About the Heart by Remi Kowalski, illustrated by Tonia Composto (Published by Berbay) (This review was commissioned by Books+Publishing and is reproduced with permission) All About the Heart by paediatric cardiologist Remi Kowalski and graphic designer Tonia […]

One Wrong Turn by Chenée Marrapodi

One Wrong Turn by Chenée Marrapodi (published by Fremantle Press) Chenée Marrapodi is an Australian writer and podcaster who has just launched her first book for middle readers, One Wrong Turn. She writes with insight and clarity about One Wrong Turn for Joy in Books at PaperbarkWords blog: Guest author post by Chenée Marrapodi about One […]

Being Jimmy Baxter by Fiona Lloyd

Being Jimmy Baxter by Fiona Lloyd (a Puffin Book from Penguin Random House) Guest author post about Being Jimmy Baxter by Fiona Lloyd for Joy in Books at PaperbarkWords blog: Uncertainty. It’s an all too familiar word in the wake of the covid pandemic. It’s also the story for my gentle protagonist, 12-year-old Jimmy Branthwaite. […]

The Pole & Other Stories by J.M. Coetzee

The Pole & Other StoriesJ M CoetzeeTextReviewed by Joy LawnReleased July 2023Trade paperbackISBN 9781922790354RRP $34.99Category: Fiction The Pole & Other Stories by J.M. Coetzee (published by Text) (This review was commissioned by Books+Publishing and is reproduced with permission) Aficionados of South African-Australian Nobel and Booker Prize-winning author J M Coetzee will be delighted with his new […]

LIONEL AND ME by Corinne Fenton Illustrated by Tracie Grimwood

LIONEL AND ME Written by Corinne Fenton, Illustrated by Tracie Grimwood (published by New Frontier) Inside the CBCA Shortlist Inside the 2023 CBCA Shortlist Inside the 2023 Notable Books Lionel and Me is a beautiful, warm story for young children. All dog lovers will adore it. On Writing LIONEL AND ME Guest author post by […]