Spotlight on Jo Dabrowski Inside the CBCA Shortlist

Spotlight on Jo Dabrowski Inside the CBCA Shortlist Dear Broccoli Shortlisted 2026 CBCA Picture Book of the Year Written by Jo Dabrowski, Illustrated by Cate James (Affirm Press) The Thing About Christmas Shortlisted 2026 CBCA Early Childhood Written by Jo Dabrowski, illustrated by Briony Stewart (Little Book Press) The Making of Martha Mayfield Notable Book […]

Inside the 2026 CBCA Shortlist

INSIDE THE CBCA 2026 SHORTLIST The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Shortlisted Books for 2026 have been announced from the Notables list. Follow the links to those books I have already reviewed, or interviewed the author or illustrator, at PaperbarkWords blog. I will add to this list until the winners are announced in August. Congratulations to those […]

The Boy and the Dog Tree by Fiona Wood

The Boy and the Dog Tree Written by Fiona Wood Illustrated by Judy Watson Published by University of Queensland Press Interview with Fiona Wood Argos had said, ‘Quests do not always announce themselves.’ There was no dragon or treasure or lost kingdom but Mitch had discovered the world anew with Argos. Quests were […]

e. Lockhart & We Fell Apart Interview

We 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. […]

The Gifts of Reading for the Next Generation curated by Jennie Orchard

The Gifts of Reading for the Next Generation curated by Jennie Orchard The Gifts of Reading for the Next Generation: essays on nurturing a passion for reading. Inspired by Robert Macfarlane, curated by Jennie Orchard, contributors include Matt Ottley, Alice Pung, Nardi Simpson, Shankari Chandran, Michael Morpurgo, Tristan Bancks, William Boyd and others. Published by […]

The Disappearing Circus by Kate Gordon and Helen Edwards

The Disappearing Circus by Kate Gordon and Helen Edwards Published by Riveted Press Congratulation on your new book and thank you for speaking to Joy in Books at PaperbarkWords blog, Helen. Author Interview: Helen Edwards Being the Hero of Your Own Story by Helen Edwards When Kate Gordon and I became friends online some years […]

Emily Rodda Interview: Landovel & other books

Emily Rodda Interview: Landovel & other books Landovel is published by Allen & Unwin 2025 CBCA Notable Books “There’s more than one way to be a hero”. (Landovel: The Truth Teller) Congratulations on Landovel, your three-book fantasy masterwork, being announced as a 2025 CBCA Notable and thank you for speaking with me, Emily. I’ve read […]

The Paperbark Tree Committee & the Right Book for the Right Reader by Karys McEwen

2026 CBCA Shortlisted Book We welcome Karys McEwen and The Paperbark Tree Committee, her new middle-fiction novel to Paperbark Words. You can see that there’s a perfect synergy between the book’s title and setting and the blog. Karys’s protagonist is even called ‘Art’! Karys also shares her valuable expertise about the right book for the […]

How to Sail to Somewhere by Ashleigh Barton

How to Sail to Somewhere by Ashleigh Barton Lothian Children’s Books (Hachette Australia) Author Interview with Ashleigh Barton about How to Sail to Somewhere ‘I have used to go there with my mum. She loved books. She said they were the adventure you could have when you couldn’t have an adventure. Whatever that means.’ (How […]

From Middle Grade to Picture Books by Pip Harry

From Middle Grade to Picture Books by Pip Harry On the occasion of multi-awarded Pip Harry’s Over and Under? picture book being announced as a CBCA 2025 Notable Book and the publication of The Inside Dog, Pip writes about moving from middle-fiction to picture books. Guest Author Post by Pip Harry for Paperbark Words blog […]