Bear and Duck are Friends by Sue deGennaro

Bear and Duck are Friends by Sue deGennaro (Published by Little Hare an imprint of Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing) Inside the CBCA Shortlist Inside the 2024 CBCA Shortlist Inside the 2024 Notable Books Bear and Duck are Friends is an HONOUR BOOK in the CBCA 2024 Book of the Year Early Childhood category. “Duck loved trying […]

Digger Digs Down by Johanna Bell, illustrated by Huni Melissa Bolliger

Digger Digs Down by Johanna Bell, illustrated by Huni Melissa Bolliger (Published by University of Queensland Press) “Digger digs deep, deep into the ground. Down down down goes Digger until …” (Digger Digs Down) Digger Digs Down is an exceptional picture book. Both the deceptively simple written text and the sumptuous illustrations work together to […]

Imagine a Time by Penny Harrison & Jennifer Goldsmith

Imagine a Time by Penny Harrison & Jennifer Goldsmith “Imagine a time when all the world STOPS, when all of the clocks no longer TICK-TOCK. And all of the maps are starting to fade, as the need to be somewhere drifts far away.” (Imagine a Time) (Imagine a Time is published by New Frontier Publishing) […]

Timeless by Kelly Canby

Timeless by Kelly Canby (Fremantle Press) Inside the CBCA Shortlist Inside the 2024 CBCA Shortlist Inside the 2024 Notable Books Timeless is the WINNER of the CBCA 2024 Picture Book of the Year category. “ ‘If only we had more hours in the day,’ Emit (whose parents turned back time to name him) was told […]

The Space Between by Jess McGeachin

The Space Between by Jess McGeachin Published by Penguin Books It is Jess McGeachin’s time. His picture books Fly, The Lost Library, Frankie and the Fossil, The Tree at Number 43, Kind and others are steadily garnering a following as well as awards. Jess is a thoughtful and assured author-illustrator who prizes the imagination. He […]

Pancakes for Plum by Rae Tan

Pancakes for Plum written and illustrated by Rae Tan Published by Lothian Children’s Books, Hachette Australia “One morning, Plum wakes up to the sweetest music. It feels cosy and comforting, just like a stack of warm, fluffy pancakes. ‘I must follow this delicious sound!’” (Pancakes for Plum) Rae, you have created an imaginative, sensory, layered […]

Interview with Patricia Mullins, Iconic picture book creator

Interview with Patricia Mullins iconic picture book creator I interviewed Patricia Mullins about her picture books for Magpies magazine earlier in 2024: Carousels, Conservation & Collage: Patricia Mullins “Patricia Mullins is an iconic Australian children’s book illustrator of classics such as Hattie and the Fox and Shoes from Grandpa (written by Mem Fox), The Magic […]

INSIDE THE CBCA 2024 SHORTLIST

INSIDE THE CBCA 2024 SHORTLIST The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Shortlisted Books for 2024 have been announced. Follow the links to those books I have already reviewed, or interviewed the author or illustrator, at PaperbarkWords blog. I will add to this list until the winners are announced in August. Also see the 2024 NOTABLE BOOKS at […]

Listen, Hippo! Written and illustrated by Gabriel Evans

Listen, Hippo! Written and illustrated by Gabriel Evans Published by Puffin “’I’m feeling sad,’ said Billy. My thoughts are whirling and twirling like a pinwheel. I think what I need is – ’ ‘Aha! As your best friend I know exactly what you need,’ said Hippo.’” (Listen, Hippo!) I jumped at the offer of an […]

Inside the 2024 CBCA Notable Books

The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Notable Books for 2024 have been announced. Follow the links to those books I have already reviewed or interviewed the author or illustrator at PaperbarkWords blog. NB I will add reviews and interviews here and on the Inside the 2024 Shortlist page on the blog (once the shortlist is announced) until the […]