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

One Little Dung Beetle by Rhiân Williams, ill. Heather Potter & Mark Jackson

One Little Dung Beetle by Rhiân Williams, illustrated by Heather Potter & Mark Jackson (Wild Dog Books) One Little Dung Beetle, written by Rhiân Williams and illustrated by Heather Potter & Mark Jackson, is shortlisted for the 2025 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood. Congratulations on One Little Dung Beetle being shortlisted by the CBCA, Rhiân, and thank […]

Golden by Jade Timms

Golden by Jade Timms Text Publishing Golden, Jade Timms’ debut YA novel, was shortlisted for the Text Prize. Her writing reminds me of the contemporary fiction of Melissa Keil, Cath Crowley and Claire Zorn. Protagonist Eddie’s voice grabs the reader. Jade’s piece for PaperbarkWords below is honest and appealing. It will whet your appetite to […]

All the Ways to Pray by Kathleen Kelly & Anne Ryan

All the Ways to Pray by Kathleen Kelly illustrated by Anne Ryan Wild Dog Books Guest author and illustrator post at PaperbarkWords blog by Kathleen Kelly and Anne Ryan The Inspiration Kathleen: The inspiration for All the Ways to Pray was really all the things that are happening in the world right now. It is […]

Music Camp by Penny Tangey

Music Camp by Penny Tangey UQP Guest author post by Penny Tangey for ‘Joy in Books’ at Paperbark Words In Grade 5 I attended an interschool music camp and had the time of my life. I made new friends, laughed, broke rules and played music. Later, I went to other music camps and had intense, […]

Somewhere Lost Anthology

Somewhere Lost Published by Just Write for Kids Q & A with Contributor Carla Hoffenberg for Paperbark Words with Joy Lawn Your recent story is part of a collaborative picture book project through Just Write For Kids – the hardcover anthology Somewhere Lost. Your piece, ‘Lost Sockville’, is included in the book as well as […]

GUS GORDON: Into the Bewilderness & picture books

GUS GORDON: Into the Bewilderness & picture books Author-illustrator Interview with Gus Gordon, featuring Into the Bewilderness, at PaperbarkWords “Is there more to this life? … Maybe we’re missing out on something here in the woods? What if there’s something else out there? Beyond the trees. Beyond the horizon, where the sun goes down into the […]

A Teaspoon of Light by Peter O’Connor, ill. Nisaluk Chantanakom

A Teaspoon of Light by Peter O’Connor, illustrated by Nisaluk Chantanakom WestWords/Dirt Lane Press “One night, while Marley slept, the world changed. It tore her cloth in half. When she woke, her memories were already sliding off. She tied a knot to try to stop them slipping away. But they kept slipping. She grabbed at […]

Into the Mouth of the Wolf by Erin Gough

Into the Mouth of the Wolf by Erin Gough (Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing) Into the Mouth of the Wolf written by Erin Gough is shortlisted for the 2025 CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers. Congratulations on Into the Mouth of the Wolf being shortlisted by the CBCA, Erin, and thank you for speaking to Joy in Books at Paperbark Words blog. Author […]

I am a Magpie, I am a Currawong by Bridget Farmer

I am a Magpie, I am a Currawong by Bridget Farmer (Black Cockatoo Books) I am a Magpie, I am a Currawong, written and illustrated by Bridget Farmer, is shortlisted for the 2025 CBCA Book of the Year: Eve Pownall Award. Congratulations on I am a Magpie, I am a Currawong being shortlisted by the CBCA, […]

Aggie Flea Steals the Show by Tania Ingram & A.Yi

Aggie Flea Steals the Show by Tania Ingram, ill. A.Yi (Scholastic Australia) “Or maybe my brain just made them up. My brain sometimes does stuff like that. Mum says I have a big imagination like Dad. Sometimes my big imagination gets me into trouble, though. Like the time I thought my new neighbour was a vampire. […]