INSIDE THE CBCA 2026 SHORTLIST The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Shortlisted Books for 2026 have been announced from the Notables list. 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. Congratulations to those […]
Read More Inside the 2026 CBCA ShortlistThe Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks by Fiona Harris Affirm Press, Simon & Schuster Extract from Gracie’s diary in The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks at PaperbarkWords blog 4 pm After a very average start, I’m happy to report that today turned into one of my top five birthdays of all time. My best friends, […]
Read More The Embarrassing Confessions of Gracie Sparks by Fiona HarrisThe Boy and the Dog Tree Written by Fiona Wood Illustrated by Judy Watson Published by University of Queensland Press Interview with Fiona Wood Argos had said, ‘Quests do not always announce themselves.’ There was no dragon or treasure or lost kingdom but Mitch had discovered the world anew with Argos. Quests were […]
Read More The Boy and the Dog Tree by Fiona WoodThe Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Notable Books for 2026 have been announced. Follow the links to those books I have already reviewed or interviewed the author or illustrator at PaperbarkWords blog. NB Once the shortlist is announced, I will add reviews and interviews on the Inside the 2026 Shortlist page on the blog until the winners are […]
Read More Inside the 2026 CBCA Notable BooksMy Brother Otto by Ingrid Laguna (Text Publishing) “In the middle of her desk was her laptop. She had whole folders of stories on there. She opened to a screen she had titled The Invisible Girl and added some notes. No one sees the girl. Her colours are fading. She hides behind her cowgirl boots.” […]
Read More My Brother Otto by Ingrid LagunaThe Adventures of Pongo & Stink by Lisa Nicol, illustrated by Karen Blair (Penguin) Thanks to the inimitable Lisa Nicol who has written the funny, honest and beautifully composed origin story of her new junior fiction novel, The Adventures of Pongo and Stink for Joy in Books at Paperbark Words blog. The Adventures of Pongo […]
Read More The Adventures of Pongo & Stink by Lisa Nicol & Karen BlairThe Year We Escaped by Suzanne Leal, ARA Historical Prize Winner The Year We Escaped by Suzanne Leal (HarperCollins Australia) has just won the 2025 ARA Historical Prize – children’s/young adult book. This comparatively new award showcases historical novels where “most of the narrative takes place at least 50 years ago.” Mark Macleod, Chair of […]
Read More The Year We Escaped by Suzanne Leal, ARA Historical Prize WinnerWhen the Mountain Wakes by Matt Shanks Affirm Press, Simon & Schuster “Somewhere, towards the beginning of time … a mountain rose from the ocean and came to rest above the clouds. Life sang a lullaby, and the mountain slept for many millions of years. Until one day … ” (When the Mountain Wakes) When […]
Read More When the Mountain Wakes by Matt ShanksRun by Sarah Armstrong Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing When I was a kid, I used to dream of heading off into the wilderness and surviving by my wits. Sadly, the closest I ever came to that was building a treehouse up the back of our 13-acre block on the Central Coast of New South Wales […]
Read More Run by Sarah ArmstrongThe Locked Room by Adam Cece Published by Penguin Books Australia Adam, congratulations on your riveting new YA novel, The Locked Room, which is set in an escape room. It is a highly appealing concept and will hook in many readers, including those who may not read many books. Thank you for writing this interesting […]
Read More The Locked Room by Adam Cece
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