Inside the CBCA Shortlist The Slightly Alarming Tale of the Whispering Wars (Allen & Unwin) is the stand-alone companion to The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone. It is set in the same fantasy world and Bronte and her friend Alejandro reappear at strategic times to help the protagonists, Findlay of the Orphanage School and […]
Read More The Slightly Alarming Tale of the Whispering Wars by Jaclyn MoriartyInside the CBCA Shortlist The Dress-Up Box (Hardie Grant Egmont) is a story about home, family, friends and using your imagination. The Frolleys rent the house next door to their best friends, the Choong family. They have a frog pond, bird bath, bamboo forest, haunted shed and a dress-up box. When the Frolleys have to […]
Read More The Dress-Up Box by Patrick Guest & Nathaniel EckstromInside the CBCA Shortlist The Happiness Box (Walker Books Australia) is written by a formidable pair of Australian picture book creators, Mark Greenwood and Andrew McLean, whose illustrations are in pen and watercolour. An adult character, Griff (Sergeant Griffin), features. He is a prisoner of war in Singapore when surrender is imminent but is moved […]
Read More The Happiness Box: a wartime book of hope by Mark Greenwood & Andrew McLeanInside the CBCA Shortlist The Feather (Hardie Grant Egmont) is written and illustrated by two of Australia’s most eminent picture book creators, Margaret Wild and Freya Blackwood. The Feather is an allegorical, allusive tale. It begins, “In the darkness of day, the feather falls. It used to be part of a wing that was serene […]
Read More The Feather by Margaret Wild & Freya BlackwoodInside the CBCA Shortlist Small Spaces (Walker Books) is shortlisted in the Older Readers category of the CBCA 2019 awards. Something happened in Tash’s past that continues to affect her life. As a child, she saw Mallory Fisher taken from the carnival by an “imaginary monster”. She told the police. Now Tash doesn’t trust her […]
Read More Small Spaces by Sarah EpsteinInside the CBCA Shortlist Tricky’s Bad Day by Alison Lester (Affirm Press) is shortlisted in the Early Childhood category of the CBCA 2019 awards. It is engaging whilst being full of observations and wise understanding about the life of a young child and his or her family. Tricky is a young cat/child; still young enough […]
Read More Tricky’s Bad Day by Alison LesterInside the CBCA Shortlist Emily Rodda is one of Australia’s most-loved and read authors. Her fantasy writing for children sits alongside the best in the world. She was recently awarded a ‘Companion of the Order of Australia’. His Name Was Walter (HarperCollins) is a quality hardcover novel shortlisted in the CBCA Younger Readers category. It […]
Read More His Name Was Walter by Emily RoddaThere is some exciting Australian poetry being published at the moment. Vagabond Press is one of the most exciting publishers in the Asia Pacific. It is scooping awards with its strong stable of poets and innovative book design. Vagabond is publishing four collections in July. Enfolded in the wings of a great darkness by Peter […]
Read More New Australian PoetryInside the CBCA Shortlist Brindabella (Allen & Unwin) is shortlisted in the Younger Reader category of the 2019 CBCA short list. This junior novel is intriguing and unpredictable. It opens with a sense of mystery, largely generated by the sensory descriptions. These create a great sense of place and include the river and valley and, […]
Read More Brindabella by Ursula Dubosarsky & Andrew JoynerInside the CBCA Shortlist Make Believe: M.C. Escher for Kids (National Gallery of Victoria) is shortlisted in the CBCA Eve Pownall category for information books. It was written to complement the Escher artworks shown at the Gallery but has an ongoing life of its own after the exhibition. The book is well designed with a […]
Read More Make Believe: M.C. Escher for Kids by Kate Ryan & Cally Bennett
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