Ask Hercules Quick by Ursula Dubosarsky, illustrated by Andrew Joyner Ask Hercules Quick is a beautifully imagined and composed story by esteemed author Ursula Dubosarsky about Hercules who does odd jobs to save for a box of magic tricks. The story incorporates humour and intrigue and, while complete and satisfying, provides space for children to […]
Read More Ursula Dubosarsky & Ask Hercules QuickInside the CBCA Shortlist Ghost Bird is an exceptional YA debut by Wuilli Wuilli woman, Lisa Fuller. It explores the relationship between Stacey and her very different twin Laney, who disappears. Stacey seems to share some of Laney’s experiences through nightmares and she resolves to find her despite times of deeply unnerving danger. Thank you […]
Read More Ghost Bird by Lisa FullerI thoroughly enjoyed Susannah McFarlane’s previous book Fairytales for Feisty Girls and Susannah has now written a companion book, Bold Tales for Brave–Hearted Boys. Both these books are full of child-appeal and are lovely gifts. Thank you for speaking to PaperbarkWords, Susannah. A pleasure, thanks for the opportunity! Where are you based and how are […]
Read More Bold Tales for Brave-Hearted Boys by Susannah McFarlaneIf you like Thea Astley, you will like her Selected Poems (University of Queensland Press). However, arguably the book is more of an academic work rather than a collection of great poems. The poems serve a purpose, to provide an x-ray into her mind. It is an autobiography of her life in intimate moments. The […]
Read More Thea Astley: Selected PoemsKatya Balen’s debut novel for young readers The Space We’re In (Bloomsbury) is an exquisite rendition of a family who, while buffeted by life’s trials, look to each other and the beauty and intricacy of the universe for comfort. Frank lost much of his loving parents’ time and attention when he was five and his […]
Read More The Space We’re In by Katya BalenThe Underhills: A Tooth Fairy Story by Bob Graham The Corner of My Eye by Colin Thompson The Book of Stone by Mark Greenwood & Coral Tulloch Nop by Caroline Magerl Bob Graham is undoubtedly one of Australia’s and the world’s best picture book creators. The Underhills: A Tooth Fairy Story is his new companion […]
Read More Tooth Fairies, something lost, surprising stones and a forgotten bearStudents from the Tiwi Islands, eighty kilometres north of Darwin, have collaborated with the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, Penguin Random House Australia and co-authors David Lawrence and Shelley Ware to create a new illustrated book, Ngiya Yintanga Japarrika, ‘My Name is Japarrika’. Japarrika means the Storm Bird. It follows the story of Kay-Bell who moves from […]
Read More Ngiya Yintanga Japarrika By Tiwi College Alalinguwi JarrakarlingaI treasure Favel Parrett’s debut novel Past the Shallows and have found There Was Still Love (Hachette Australia) to be similarly gemlike and told with shards of pain and love. It explores three generations of a family living in Prague and Melbourne in a fragmentary and episodic style with several points of view. These all […]
Read More There Was Still Love By Favel ParrettThank you for speaking to PaperbarkWords, Phillip. You are very well known for your YA novel Deadly, Unna? Why do you think this struck such a chord? It certainly has been a popular novel, 250,00 copies sold and still going strong. And now it is being translated into Mandarin. So next year some kid in […]
Read More Phillip Gwynne & The Lords of MelodyAt this year’s Brisbane Writers Festival I was fortunate to moderate the memorable session, People in the Margins. Melina Marchetta, Melanie Cheng and Tony Birch discussed their recent novels The Place on Dalhousie, Room for a Stranger and The White Girl respectively to explore the lives of people living on the margins of society. These […]
Read More Brisbane Writers Festival 2019 Tony Birch, Melina Marchetta & Melanie Cheng
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