Brindabella by Ursula Dubosarsky & Andrew Joyner

Inside 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, […]

Pip Harry and The Little Wave

Interview with Pip Harry Inside the CBCA Shortlist The Little Wave (UQP) is a verse novel for older children that draws the reader in through its realistic characters and spare but warm language. Thank you for speaking to Paperbark blog, Pip. Thanks for having me! Why have you written a book for children after three […]

Noni the Pony Rescues a Joey by Alison Lester

Inside the CBCA Shortlist Noni the Pony Rescues a Joey (Allen & Unwin) is set in the Australian bush and is aimed at toddlers and children in pre-school and junior primary. It is told in simple rhyming text and its major themes are helping others and Australian native animals. Noni the Pony lives near the […]

The Peacock Detectives by Carly Nugent

Inside the CBCA Shortlist The Peacock Detectives (Text Publishing) is shortlisted in the CBCA Younger Readers category. It is best for readers in upper primary. It is a deceptive story, unveiling depths in themes and characters. It is ostensibly about Cassie who is looking for the missing peacocks, William Shakespeare and Virginia, usually with her […]

Girl on Wire by Lucy Estela & Elise Hurst

Inside the CBCA Shortlist Girl on Wire (Penguin Random House) is a highly metaphorical picture book, for older children, where a wire resembles a tightrope. It is a stunning work painted in oils, and the book cover resembles a painting canvas. In the story an unnamed girl seems to be in a difficult or even […]

Punch Lines: Poets Play Duchamp

Red Room Poetry collaborated with the Art Gallery of NSW to produce Punch Lines: Poets Play Duchamp for the Sydney Writers Festival this week. The six poets did a superb job of writing and reading or performing their poems in response to the works of Marcel Duchamp displayed in the gallery. Poets featured were Pascalle […]

NSW Premier’s Literary Awards Celebrating 40 years

The NSW Premier’s Literary Awards celebrated 40 years in grand style in the beautiful Mitchell Library Reading Room at the State Library of NSW last night. It was a great celebration of quality, diverse books. Michael Mohammed Ahmed, winner of the Multicultural Award for The Lebs (Hachette) opened with a prayer for the victims of […]

Lenny’s Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee

Inside the CBCA Shortlist I have read all of Karen Foxlee’s books as they’ve been published, beginning with her novels for adults and young adults, The Anatomy of Wings and the stunning The Midnight Dress, a tale of a teenage girl’s murder where tension simmers exquisitely. It is an alluring, mesmeric mystery with a finely […]

Raising Readers by Megan Daley

Raising Readers Megan Daley is a champion of Australian children’s literature and the authors and illustrators who create these quality Australian books. She is well-known as a blogger – Children’s Books Daily – and has won several awards, including the national Dromkeen Librarian’s Award. Her first book Raising Readers: How to nurture a child’s love […]

Chalk Boy by Margaret Wild & Mandy Ord

During the next few months leading up to Book Week in August I will be writing about the 30 CBCA shortlisted books. Congratulations to all the authors, illustrators and publishers who have been shortlisted. A thought-provoking picture book is Chalk Boy by Margaret Wild, illustrated by Mandy Ord (Allen & Unwin). Barnaby is a pavement […]