The Detective’s Guide to Ocean Travel by Nicki Greenberg

The Detective’s Guide to Ocean Travel by Nicki Greenberg Inside the CBCA Shortlist Inside the 2022 CBCA Shortlist Inside the 2022 CBCA Notable Books Author Interview “She slunk off to the library. The room was deserted, as it had been every time she had looked in. She wandered listlessly among the armchairs and sofas and […]

Big World, Tiny World: Forest by Jess Racklyeft

Jess Racklyeft speaks about her new picture book, Big World, Tiny World: Forest at PaperbarkWords: Jess Racklyeft on Big World, Tiny World: Forest Big World, Tiny World: Forest was inspired after watching the way my children would find a little universe in a tiny mossy garden – naming snails and building them houses – finding […]

Follow Your Feelings by Kitty Black and Jess Rose

Kitty Black and Jess Rose talk about the two picture books in their new ‘Follow Your Feelings’ series: Max and Worry and Lucy and Sad (published Affirm Press) Kitty Black, author: Follow Your Feelings began its physical life as a form of procrastination, but I suspect it had been taking shape in the back of […]

Little One by Jane Godwin and Gabriel Evans

Jane Godwin and Gabriel Evans talk about their thoughtful and wistful picture book, Little One. Jane: The story of Little One came from my own memories of a treasured toy (‘toy’ feels like too insignificant a word for these important transitional objects!) and those of the young people around me. It’s a story of how […]

Grumble Boats by Susannah McFarlane, illustrated by Tamsin Ainslie

Thank you for speaking to PaperbarkWords, Susannah and Tamsin. Your picture book Grumble Boats (Affirm Press) is an original and uplifting picture book for young children about expressing and dealing with grumpiness and the relationship between Emma and her Grandma. It accentuates Grandma’s kindness and wisdom, Emma’s trust and their mutual love. Susannah, I love […]

Busy Beaks by Sarah Allen

Inside the 2021 CBCA Shortlist Most books shortlisted for the 2021 CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood award are fiction. Busy Beaks by Sarah Allen (Affirm Press) has broken the mould in fine style. It is a superb non-fiction picture book about Australian birds. Thank you for speaking to PaperbarkWords, Sarah. Congratulations on Busy […]

Your Birthday Was the Best! by Maggie Hutchings, illustrated by Felicita Sala

Inside the 2021 CBCA Shortlist Russell Prize for Humour Writing for Young People “I ATE SO MUCH I FELL ASLEEP ON YOUR CAKE.” (Your Birthday Was the Best!) Your Birthday Was the Best! written by Maggie Hutchings and illustrated by Felicita Sala (Affirm Press) is shortlisted for the 2021 CBCA Picture Book of the Year […]

The Grandest Bookshop in the World by Amelia Mellor

“Despite the heat she shivered. This wasn’t … foreboding anymore – the nervous feeling that warned her of trouble. It was the sense that she had already made a wrong turn somewhere, and was in deep trouble already.” (The Grandest Bookshop in the World) Amelia Mellor is an impressive new talent. Her first middle-fiction […]

The Dictionary of Lost Words

The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams The poppies burgeoning from a small wooden suitcase on the cover of Pip Williams’ The Dictionary of Lost Words (Affirm Press) beguile the reader into this well-told story of words, Oxford, history and the changing role of women. Esme’s mother Lily has died and she is being […]

Tricky’s Bad Day by Alison Lester

Inside the CBCA Shortlist Tricky’s Bad Day by Alison Lester (Affirm Press) is shortlisted in the Early Childhood category of the CBCA 2019 awards. It is engaging whilst being full of observations and wise understanding about the life of a young child and his or her family. Tricky is a young cat/child; still young enough […]