A is for Australian Reefs by Frané Lessac

A is for Australian Reefs by Frané Lessac Inside the CBCA Shortlist Inside the 2023 CBCA Shortlist Inside the 2023 Notable Books A is for Australian Reefs by Frané Lessac (published Walker Books Australia) A is for Australian Reefs is the latest in Frané Lessac’s impressive body of picture books. Her books are distinctive for […]

Itty Bitty Kitty by Maddy Mara, illustrated by Noémie Geonet Landry

Itty Bitty Kittyby Maddy Mara, illustrated by Noémie Geonet Landry Itty Bitty Kitty 1 & 2 is published by Affirm Press Maddy Mara writes a Guest Author post for PaperbarkWords: Maddy Mara on creative collaborations, and the Itty Bitty Kitty series The first thing you should know about Maddy Mara is that ‘she’ is actually […]

The Wish Sisters by Allison Rushby

The Wish Sisters by Allison Rushby, illustrated by Karen Blair, published by University of Queensland Press Allison Rushby is part of the famous Brisbane writing Rushby duo. Allison’s mother, Pamela Rushby, is the awarded author of When the Hipchicks Went to War, The Horses Didn’t Come Home and The Ratcatcher’s Daughter. Allison is the author […]

THE WINTRISH GIRL by Melanie La’Brooy

THE WINTRISH GIRL by Melanie La’Brooy Melanie La’Brooy writes about The Wintrish Girl, her debut novel for young readers for Joy in Books at PaperbarkWords blog. The Wintrish Girl explores high fantasy archetypes of identity, light and dark and the quest. It has moments of unexpected humour and layers of meaning that are perfectly integrated […]

Solomon Macaroni by Ashleigh Barton

Solomon Macaroni and the Cousin Catastrophe by Ashleigh Barton Ashleigh Barton’s picture book What do you call your Grandma? (illustrated by Martina Heiduczek) is a 2022 CBCA shortlisted book. Her new book, Solomon Macaroni and the Cousin Catastrophe (University of Queensland Press) is the first in a children’s series. Here she explains the genesis of […]

Cranky Chicken: Party Animals by Katherine Battersby

Cranky Chicken: Party Animals by Katherine Battersby Author / Illustrator Interview Congratulations Katherine on Cranky Chicken, your graphic novel for children being so successful that there is now a sequel, Cranky Chicken: Party Animals (published by Lothian Children’s Books/Hachette Australia). Thank you for speaking to Joy in Books at PaperbarkWords. I have loved your picture […]

Travelling the World with Plume by Tania McCartney

Tania McCartney is a prolific Australian author/illustrator who promotes children’s literature through Kids’ Book Review and The Happy Book podcast. Readers may already have met her food-loving character Plume the penguin in Plume World Explorer. Plume returns for more travel and tasty treats in Plume Global Nibbler (Hardie Grant). Tania McCartney writes elegantly and with […]

Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables Join Forces by Tim Harris

Mr Bambuckle’s Remarkables Join Forces by Tim Harris “The truth was, Blue Valley School was hurtling so quickly towards dramatic change that it was near impossible to stop. Knowing full well how devastating an impact the change would have on his students, Mr Bambuckle chose carefully to allow his young learners to do the investigating […]

Our Stories ed. Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah

Our Stories ed. Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah The new Our Stories series of junior chapter books has a clear purpose and is engaging, character-driven and well-written. Ideal for children, the books feature large print, plenty of illustrations and even humour. When Granny Came to Stay by Alice Pung, illustrated by Sally Soweol Han, celebrates Pangzi’s Chinese […]

Robin Klein in Letters

Letters from Robin: a voyage around my author by Jon Appleton “I do hope you continue to write when you have a spare moment – I look forward to hearing about your life in the UK. Take care and God bless – love Robin K.” (Robin Klein to Jon Appleton in Letters from Robin) Many […]