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 […]
Read More Inside the 2026 CBCA ShortlistWhy, Oh Why? The Story of Rainbows, by Roy G. Biv (Tim Hurburgh) Hardie Grant Custom Roy G. Biv (Tim Hurburgh) writes about his picture book The Story of Rainbows for Paperbark Word blog. Growing up outside Hobart on the River Derwent, life was full of wonder. We were endlessly curious about the natural world […]
Read More Why, Oh Why? The Story of Rainbows, by Roy G. Biv (Tim Hurburgh)The Season for Flying Saucers by Brendan Colley (Transit Lounge) Brendan Colley writes about the inspiration behind The Season for Flying Saucers, his artful, left-field novel for adults, for Joy in Books at Paperbark Words blog. In 2014 I was playing around with some narrative poetry, like I usually do as a warm-up before I […]
Read More The Season for Flying Saucers by Brendan ColleyThe World From Here by Cassy Polimeni, ill. Mel Armstrong CSIRO Publishing – Cassy Polimeni & Mel Armstrong write about ‘The World From Here’ for Joy in Books at PaperbarkWords blog – Cassy Polimeni The first glimmer of what became The World From Here came to me during a writing challenge called Storystorm. I was thinking about countries […]
Read More The World From Here by Cassy Polimeni, ill. Mel ArmstrongTreeshape 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 BallaMuttonfish Magic by Aunty Ruth Simms & Lucy Robertson ill. by Jasmine Seymour Published by Magabala Books “Muttonfish Magic honours the Kameragyl and Bidjigal people, the traditional custodians of the land around Kamay (Botany Bay) and Guriwal (La Perouse). With sensory lyricism, Bidjigal Elder Ruth Simms and Lucy Robertson depict a loving First Nations family inspired […]
Read More Muttonfish Magic by Aunty Ruth Simms & Lucy Robertson, illustrated by Jasmine SeymourThe Messy Bath Monster by Tina Wilson (words & pictures), Joan Wilson (knitting) & Matt Ottley (music) (One Tentacle Publishing) ‘Monkey knew there was a monster lurking in the bath because it made such a BIG mess! “It must be a HUGE monster,” thought Monkey. It gurgled and it roared … And left puddles on […]
Read More The Messy Bath Monster Interview with Tina Wilson, Joan Wilson & Matt OttleyThe Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Notable Books for 2026 have been announced. Follow the links to those books I have already reviewed or interviewed the author or illustrator at PaperbarkWords blog. NB I will add reviews and interviews here and on the Inside the 2026 Shortlist page on the blog (once the shortlist is announced) until the […]
Read More Inside the 2026 CBCA Notable BooksMy Brother Otto by Ingrid Laguna (Text Publishing) “In the middle of her desk was her laptop. She had whole folders of stories on there. She opened to a screen she had titled The Invisible Girl and added some notes. No one sees the girl. Her colours are fading. She hides behind her cowgirl boots.” […]
Read More My Brother Otto by Ingrid LagunaDeparture(s) by Julian Barnes Published by Jonathan Cape, an imprint of Vintage, Penguin Random House Julian Barnes is the eminent English author who won the 2011 Booker Prize for his novel The Sense of an Ending. He is a ‘hybrid’ author, whose books range from the fictional Flaubert’s Parrot and The Only Story to non-fiction, […]
Read More Departure(s) by Julian Barnes
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