Bouncing Back: An Eastern Barred Bandicoot Story by Rohan Cleave & Coral Tulloch

Inside the CBCA Shortlist The bandicoot is a fascinating Australian native animal but is often forgotten, overshadowed by kangaroos, koalas, platypuses and wombats – the animals in books like Alison Lester’s shortlisted Noni the Pony Rescues a Joey. The Easter Barred Bandicoot is, of course, featured in this book. At times it is important to […]

Waves: for those who came across the sea

Inside the CBCA Shortlist Waves: for those who came across the sea by Donna Rawlins, illustrated Mark Jackson & Heather Potter Waves (Walker Books Australia) is narrative non-fiction structured chronologically to show ‘waves’ of refugee movement to Australia. It is told in a factual style to show both current and historical reality and uses first […]

The Happiness Box: a wartime book of hope by Mark Greenwood & Andrew McLean

Inside the CBCA Shortlist The Happiness Box (Walker Books Australia) is written by a formidable pair of Australian picture book creators, Mark Greenwood and Andrew McLean, whose illustrations are in pen and watercolour. An adult character, Griff (Sergeant Griffin), features. He is a prisoner of war in Singapore when surrender is imminent but is moved […]

Make Believe: M.C. Escher for Kids by Kate Ryan & Cally Bennett

Inside the CBCA Shortlist Make Believe: M.C. Escher for Kids (National Gallery of Victoria) is shortlisted in the CBCA Eve Pownall category for information books. It was written to complement the Escher artworks shown at the Gallery but has an ongoing life of its own after the exhibition. The book is well designed with a […]