Peculiar Parents by Stephanie Owen Reeder and Ingrid Bartkowiak

Peculiar Parents by Stephanie Owen Reeder and Ingrid Bartkowiak (NLA Publishing) Peculiar Parents is shortlisted in the Eve Pownall non-fiction category of the 2026 CBCA awards. Author Dr Stephanie Owen Reeder writes about her well-named and impeccably researched and compiled book, Peculiar Parents, for Paperbark Words blog: Stephanie Owen Reeder on Peculiar Parents Peculiar Parents explores […]

EIGHTY-NINE QUESTIONS FOR AFTER by Ashleigh Barton

EIGHTY-NINE QUESTIONS FOR AFTER by Ashleigh Barton Lothian Children’s Books Ashleigh Barton writes about her wise, compassionate middle-grade novel, Eighty-nine Questions for After for Joy in Books at Paperbark Words blog Eighty-nine Questions After – Unanswerable Questions Guest author post by Ashleigh Barton Eighty-nine Questions for After centres around Ester Star’s list of unanswerable questions. […]

Poppy Makes Pockets by Jemima Parker, ill. Karen Erasmus

Poppy Makes Pockets by Jemima Parker, ill. Karen Erasmus Publisher: EK Books Jemima Parker writes about her debut picture, Poppy Makes Pockets for Joy in Books at Paperbark Words blog Walking without pockets: The inspiration behind Jemima Parker’s debut picture book, Poppy Makes Pockets. When my niece was young, we loved to go walking. Long, […]

The Extraordinarily Wonderful Cassandra Golds

The Extraordinarily Wonderful Cassandra Golds: Life, Love and Books Cassandra shares her life, love and books with Joy in Books at Paperbark Words blog The story of my books is really the story of my life—or at least, the story of my inner life. And that’s why my books are about brave mice and romantic […]

Postscript: Life, Love and Loss in Australian Letters by the National Library of Australia

Postscript: Life, Love and Loss in Australian Letters by the National Library of Australia Publisher Lauren Scott writes about Postscript for Paperbark Words blog The National Library of Australia holds millions of letters in its collections. In them, you can trace the research of a historian or map the web of literary friendships between our […]

Running in Circles by Shivaun Plozza

Running in Circles by Shivaun Plozza (UQP) Running in Circles Guest Blog by Shivaun Plozza for Paperbark Words blog While researching a different book I stumbled across an article on unsolved mysteries in Australia, which included an entry on something called the ‘Tully Saucer Nest.’ When I visit schools for author talks and the kids […]

The Stolen Bairn by Katrina Macdonald Roe

The Stolen Bairn by Katrina Macdonald Roe Published by Riveted Press Guest author post by Katrina Macdonald Roe about The Stolen Bairn for Joy in Books at Paperbark Words blog Ancient faery tales grow like trees and fall from Skye Usually, my ideas for stories grow slowly, like trees. They start with a seed, which can take months or even years […]

The Thylacine and the Time Machine by Renée Treml

The Thylacine and the Time Machine by Renée Treml The Thylacine and the Time Machine: a wild ride through the past and possible future of the Tasmanian Tiger written and illustrated by Renée Treml (Allen & Unwin) The Thylacine and the Time Machine is a graphic novel shortlisted in the Eve Pownall non-fiction category of […]

Of Flame and Fury by Mikayla Bridge

Of Flame and Fury by Mikayla Bridge INSIDE THE CBCA 2026 SHORTLIST (Macmillan Australia) “Though she’d loved those stories, they weren’t the real reason she’d latched on to Savita – at least, not in in recent years. Something about Savita’s immortality made Kel feel safe in a way that nothing else could. No matter what […]

Somewhere You Can Dream by Janeen Brian & Hilary Jean Tapper

Somewhere 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. […]