The Witches of Winderry Spires by Karen Foxlee (Allen & Unwin) Guest author post by Karen Foxlee about The Witches of Winderry Spires for Joy in Books at PaperbarkWords blog I love how stories ideas come from so many different places. Some of my novels start with just the scrap of a character’s voice or […]
Read More The Witches of Winderry Spires by Karen FoxleeHometown written & illustrated by Shaun Tan: interview and review (Allen & Unwin) “Feel with your head and think with your heart” (Hometown) Hometown is Shaun Tan’s exemplary new picture book/graphic novel. Interview with Shaun Tan, creator of Hometown Thank you for speaking with Paperbark Words, Shaun. Thanks! Grateful for the opportunity. How is Hometown […]
Read More Hometown by Shaun TanDarkest Night, Brightest Star by Barry Jonsberg (Allen & Unwin) INSIDE THE CBCA 2026 SHORTLIST “ ‘Think about this,’ Dad said. If you are to be the brightest star, like Diego Maradona, then you must go through the dark bits first. The practice. Working hard even when you don’t want to. You understand?’” (Darkest Night, […]
Read More Darkest Night, Brightest Star by Barry JonsbergA Loo of One’s Own: A Mostly True Tale of Australia’s First Female Parliamentarians written and illustrated by Eleri Harris (Allen & Unwin) “Our story starts eighty years ago in Canberra, where all the cool stuff happens… On the first day of school … Wait! Parliament! Two women walked into Australia’s Parliament House. And came […]
Read More A Loo of One’s Own by Eleri HarrisSomewhere You Can Dream by Janeen Brian & Hilary Jean Tapper (Published by Allen & Unwin) Guest author post by Janeen Brian about Somewhere You Can Dream for Joy in Books at Paperbark Words blog ‘Creativity needs space to breathe.’ This quote from Australian author-illustrator, Lisa Stewart, caused me to reflect on the space suggested. […]
Read More Somewhere You Can Dream by Janeen Brian & Hilary Jean TapperStorm by Claire Saxby and Jess Racklyeft (Allen & Unwin) Author piece about Storm from Claire Saxby for Joy in Books at Paperbark Words blog Jess and I have been lucky enough to work on several books together with the fabulous A&U publishing team. Trusting that Jess will find the spaces between my words and […]
Read More Storm by Claire Saxby and Jess RacklyeftCaution! This Book Contains Deadly Reptiles by Corey Tutt, illustrated by Ben Williams (Allen & Unwin) “For this book, I worked with the support and permission of Elders and Traditional Owners to use the First Nations names for all 68 reptiles included here. Perhaps you might like to ask the Elders, or the Aboriginal officer […]
Read More Caution! This Book Contains Deadly Reptiles by Corey Tutt, illustrated by Ben WilliamsTreeshape by Trace Balla Guest author post for Paperbark Words blog by author-illustrator Trace Balla about her new graphic novel Treeshape – the shape of a tree the shape of me. Published by Allen & Unwin This is a story of the trees of my life, and how they have shaped who I am. Perhaps my […]
Read More Treeshape by Trace BallaWe Fell Apart by e. lockhart Interview with e. lockhart about We Fell Apart “It was a bad place to fall in love. On the property called Hidden Beach, a wooden castle stood on a monstrous cliff. It was a place of barbecues, sunblock, acoustic guitars, and midnight swims. Oil paint, intrusive briars. Hungry dogs. […]
Read More e. Lockhart & We Fell Apart InterviewThis Season’s Draft by Jason Gent (Allen & Unwin) I read Jason Gent’s This Season’s Draft about a group of older teens preparing for the AFL draft in one sitting. I was transfixed. This novel takes the perspective of each protagonist, is easy to read while packing an emotional punch and is ideal for schools […]
Read More This Season’s Draft by Jason Gent
