Inside The CBCA 2025 Shortlist & Winners

INSIDE THE CBCA 2025 SHORTLIST & WINNERS The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Shortlisted Books for 2025 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. Congratulations to those creators who […]

Seven Wherewithal Way: Into the Faerie Realm by Samantha-Ellen Bound

Seven Wherewithal Way: Into the Faerie Realm by Samantha-Ellen Bound Affirm Press Samantha-Ellen Bound writes about Seven Wherewithal Way: Into the Faerie Realm, the fourth and final book in her middle-fiction series. Thank you for speaking to Joy in Books at PaperbarkWords blog about Seven Wherewithal Way: Into the Faerie Realm , Samantha-Ellen. Tell us about writing Seven Wherewithal Way: Into the […]

From Middle Grade to Picture Books by Pip Harry

From Middle Grade to Picture Books by Pip Harry On the occasion of multi-awarded Pip Harry’s Over and Under? picture book being announced as a CBCA 2025 Notable Book and the publication of The Inside Dog, Pip writes about moving from middle-fiction to picture books. Guest Author Post by Pip Harry for Paperbark Words blog […]

The Midwatch by Judith Rossell

The Midwatch by Judith Rossell Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing Author Interview with Judith Rossell about The Midwatch ‘Miss Mandelay says we should all learn as many useful things as we possibly can,’ said Harriet, ‘so we’re ready.’ ‘Holy mackerel. Ready for what?’ asked Maggie. Harriet took a bite and said with her mouth full, ‘Ready […]

Brightest Wild by Tania Crampton-Larking

Brightest Wild by Tania Crampton-Larking Published by Lothian Children’s Books, Hachette Australia “It’s so quiet here. Even though Art has a large yard, it feels better to be here in the bushland. Yellow, brown and green shades glow mysteriously. My heart skips a beat or three with overwhelming awe and wonder. This place is deeply […]

Thunderhead by Sophie Beer

Thunderhead by Sophie Beer Author Interview at PaperbarkWords “I know that what I’m going through right now is the rather unfortunate end result of a few troublesome cells. It isn’t the universe conspiring against me. It’s just bad luck, a random event in a meaningless mess. But I read somewhere that humans are programmed to […]

The Serpent Rider by Yxavel Magno Dino

The Serpent Rider by Yxavel Magno Dino Bloomsbury Children’s Books With roots in Filipino folklore, The Serpent Rider by Yxavel Magno Dino is an original and intriguing middle-fiction fantasy. Yxavel is now based in Sydney and has written a discerning piece about her novel below. Please note that The Serpent Rider is published in Australia […]

100% Wolf – Power of the Firestone by Jayne Lyons

100% Wolf – Power of the Firestone by Jayne Lyons Vivid Publishing Jayne Lyons’s new book, 100% Wolf – Power of the Firestone is the 3rd book in the 100% Wolf Series. It follows the adventures of Freddy Lupin, the werewolf stuck in a poodle’s body. It’s a middle grade novel for ages 8-12 and […]

We the Sea Turtles by Michelle Kadarusman

We the Sea Turtles: A Collection of Island Stories by Michelle Kadarusman Published by Pajama Press Book review by Joy Lawn (Joy in Books) at PaperbarkWords blog “Lately, our songs are filled with more sorrow than joy. Human pollution is choking our oceans. Garbage and fishing nets are strangling us. Human activity is causing natural disasters that […]

Summer of Shipwrecks by Shivaun Plozza

Summer of Shipwrecks by Shivaun Plozza Published by UQP “How to Stop My Holiday Sucking: A Plan by Sidney Sackbridge. Step one: do something about Hailey. Maybe Hailey really is the absolute coolest person for real but do the math. When it’s just me and Lou, I get one hundred per cent Lou-time, which equals the […]