Stories for Little Queenslanders

‘Stories for Little Queenslanders’ introduced by Kathryn Apel As one of the contributing authors of the ‘Stories for Little Queenslanders’ picture book series, Kathryn Apel – who wrote Up and Down on a Rainy Day in the series – introduces these books. Kat is particularly well-known for her popular verse novels Bully on the Bus, […]

A Weekend With Oscar by Robyn Bavati

ROBYN BAVATI WRITES: ON A WEEKEND WITH OSCAR Several years ago, I joined a local Toastmasters club and met Jacqui, a friendly and outgoing young woman with Down syndrome who attends our meetings with her dad. I have three adult children myself, and two of them had considerable difficulties at school. One of the ongoing […]

The Airways by Jennifer Mills

The Airways by Jennifer Mills, published by Picador, Pan Macmillan Australia Literary Fiction, Author Interview “He closed his eyes and concentrated. He inhabited for a time that liminal space between consciousness and unconsciousness, where the mind began to believe it might wander free of the body. He thought of experiences that he could not quite […]

The Song of Lewis Carmichael by Sofie Laguna, illustrated by Marc McBride

The Song of Lewis Carmichael by Sofie Laguna, illustrated by Marc McBride Author and illustrator interview with Sofie Laguna and Marc McBride “The Song of Lewis Carmichael is written by Sofie Laguna with pictures by her husband Marc McBride, who is well-known for illustrating Emily Rodda’s best-selling Deltora Quest series. Sofie Laguna is equally acclaimed. […]

Hello World by Lisa Shanahan & Leila Rudge

Hello World by Lisa Shanahan & Leila Rudge ABC Books, HarperCollins Publishers LISA: Picture books often grow out of a wild hotchpotch of memory, keen observation and deeply felt emotion. With regards to Hello World, I was certainly inspired by my own memories of parenting little ones. Like most kids, my three boys were often […]

Exit Through the Gift Shop by Maryam Master

Exit Through the Gift Shop by Maryam Master, illustrated by Astred Hicks Inside the 2022 CBCA Shortlist Exit Through the Gift Shop is a stand-out middle-fiction novel for mature children in upper primary and for readers in junior secondary school. The combined title and cover are eye-catching. The voice of 12-year-old Ana is striking, memorable […]

Little One by Jane Godwin and Gabriel Evans

Jane Godwin and Gabriel Evans talk about their thoughtful and wistful picture book, Little One. Jane: The story of Little One came from my own memories of a treasured toy (‘toy’ feels like too insignificant a word for these important transitional objects!) and those of the young people around me. It’s a story of how […]

Australian Backyard Birdies by Andy Geppert

Andy Geppert writes about his new book, Australian Backyard Birdies: I thought I loved birds more than anyone else…. until my daughter Harri came along, that was. Harri was an early bird herself. She used to wake up before most roosters and our daily ritual was to go straight outside onto our small back deck […]

WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS by Amanda Christensen & Coral Vass

Where the Magic Happens by Amanda Christensen & Coral Vass, illustrated by Nicky Johnston I found the picture book, Where the Magic Happens very moving, instructive and hopeful, not only for young children with brain cancer but also for their families. In fact, it helps all readers understand what a young cancer patient may experience. […]

When Days Tilt by Karen Ginnane

On writing When Days Tilt by Karen Ginnane This book had the gestation of a small planet and it assumed various forms during its long development. However, a few conceptual structural beams have remained unchanged, such as: London as character. Time, and how people use it. Filling your own time on this earth as best […]