Clementine’s Christmas by Annie White

Clementine’s Christmas by Annie White (New Frontier Publishing) Everyone I know loves celebrating Christmas and versatile author/illustrator Annie White adds to the festivities with her new Christmas picture book, Clementine’s Christmas. Clementine, Annie’s endearing canine character, experiences her own Christmas in this warm, funny story. Thank you for speaking to Joy in Books at PaperbarkWords blog, Annie. Guest author post […]

Laughter is the Best Ending by Maryam Master, illustrated by Astred Hicks

Laughter is the Best Ending by Maryam Master illustrated by Astred Hicks Author/illustrator Interview at PaperbarkWords ‘You’re not supposed to laugh at funerals. That’s the number-one rule of funerals. Everybody knows that. Even my pea-brain pet chihuahua, Jox, knows it. But I can’t help it. Tears (of the laughter variety) are rolling down my face. […]

The 113th Assistant Librarian by Stuart Wilson

The 113th Assistant Librarian by Stuart Wilson (published by Penguin Australia) Author interview with Stuart Wilson “‘My dear boy, books are powerful ….’ The librarian paused to cough with a horrible chesty rattle, wincing as he did. ‘They are more than simple bound pages. Books may record the past, predict the future, or hold the […]

The Lost History by Melanie La’Brooy

The Lost History by Melanie La’Brooy The Lost History follows the The Wintrish Girl in the excellent ‘Talismans of Fate’ middle fiction high fantasy series by Melanie La’Brooy. The series stands out for its beguiling storylines deftly layered with light and dark threads. These are entertaining, intelligent books. Both are published by UQP (University of […]

Secret Sparrow by Jackie French

Secret Sparrow by Jackie French Secret Sparrow by national treasure Jackie French (HarperCollins Australia) has just been shortlisted for the 2024 ARA Historical Prize alongside Two Sparrowhawks in a Lonely Sky by Rebecca Lim(Allen & Unwin) and Spies in the Sky by Beverley McWilliams (Pantera Press) in the Children and Young Adult category. The winner will […]

Beam of Light: Stories by John Kinsella

Beam of Light: Stories by John Kinsella Author Interview at PaperbarkWords “Then they heard the trucks buzz and ring, and – though it was a long way off – they knew a train was coming in … not a regular but an extra for the season … a big loading day tomorrow … And they […]

The Bell of the World by Gregory Day

The Bell of the World by Gregory Day Author Interview at PaperbarkWords “The world is a bell that sometimes only rings after long intervals: indeed it is often in the intervals where the suffering, and therefore the wisdom, lies.” (The Bell of the World) Gregory Day is the awarded author of The Patron Saint of […]

The Helios Book by Slade Carter

The Helios Book by Slade Carter Guest author post about The Helios Book by Slade Carter for Joy in Books at PaperbarkWords blog The Helios Book is first and foremost an adventure story. I wanted to write a book where things happen, so it’s packed full of action. The book starts out as a mystery, with Londoner twins Hugo […]

Scout and the Rescue Dogs by Dianne Wolfer ill. Tony Flowers

Scout and the Rescue Dogs by Dianne Wolferill. Tony Flowers (Walker Books Australia) Inside the CBCA Shortlist Inside the 2024 CBCA Shortlist Inside the 2024 Notable Books Scout and the Rescue Dogs is shortlisted in the CBCA 2024 Book of the Year Younger Readers category. Congratulations on having yet another of your books CBCA shortlisted, Dianne […]

Scar Town by Tristan Bancks

Scar Town by Tristan Bancks Published by Puffin (AU) an imprint of Penguin Random House Australia Inside the CBCA Shortlist Inside the 2024 CBCA Shortlist Inside the 2024 Notable Books Scar Town is the winner of the prestigious CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Reader category and is also declared the winner by children, who […]