Phillip Gwynne & The Lords of Melody

Thank 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 […]

Deborah Abela & Final Storm

Deborah Abela understands and writes what children relish reading. Her books include The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee, the ‘Max Remy Superspy’ series and Teresa: A New Australian. Final Storm is the third in her ‘Grimsdon’ series (Penguin Random House Australia) and is a rollercoaster of adventure, intrigue and futuristic invention, as well as being a […]

Laura Bloom and Mika & Max

Mika & Max (Walker Books) is distinctive because of Laura Bloom’s superb writing, excellent characterisation and evocation of place. It is likely to be nominated for awards. Thank you for speaking to PaperbarkWords, Laura. It’s a pleasure, Joy. Thanks so much for having me. Could you begin by telling us about some of your previous […]

T.C. Shelley and The Monster Who Wasn’t

T.C. Shelley’s debut novel The Monster Who Wasn’t (Bloomsbury Children’s Books) is for children aged nine and older. As we read, we discover that it has a well-formed classical narrative structure, and how it unfolds for the reader is utterly original and keeps us guessing. Thank you for speaking to Paperbark blog, Shelley. What is […]

Children’s & YA Literature Panel at the SLQ

I was fortunate to be part of the children’s and YA literature panel at the inaugural ‘Share the Vision: Teachers and Librarians Symposium 2019’ at the State Library of Queensland this week. The program and presenters are on the website. The wonderful @RhiannaPatrick from ABC Radio chaired our panel. Here are Rhianna’s questions and some […]

Leave Taking by Lorraine Marwood

Inside the CBCA Shortlist Author-poet Lorraine Marwood won the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Children’s Fiction in 2010 for Star Jumps. Her new verse novel Leave Taking (University of Queensland Press) is of similar quality and has already shared the winning prize in the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards (Patricia Wrightson Prize). Both books are set […]

Black Cockatoo by Carl Merrison & Hakea Hustler

Inside the CBCA Shortlist Black Cockatoo (Magabala Books) is written by Jaru & Kija man Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler and is illustrated by Dub Leffler, who also illustrated Sorry Day, which is shortlisted in the CBCA Eve Pownall category. It is a memorable story about an Aboriginal family living in the Kimberley. Thirteen-year-old Mia […]

Remy Lai and Pie in the Sky

Thanks for speaking with Paperbark blog, Remy. Thank you for having me! I was impressed and touched while reading Pie in the Sky (Walker Books Australia), your debut novel illustrated with comics about Jingwen, his younger brother Yanghao and their mother who move to Australia. You have shared intense feelings and experiences while keeping the […]

The Slightly Alarming Tale of the Whispering Wars by Jaclyn Moriarty

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 […]

His Name Was Walter by Emily Rodda

Inside 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 […]