Dr Karl returns to ABC Books in three-book deal
Wednesday, 26 June 2019
ABC Books has acquired three new books by Dr Karl Kruszelnicki in a deal negotiated by Jeanne Ryckmans of the Cameron Creswell Agency. The deal marks Kruszelnicki’s move back to...
May bestsellers: ‘Alpacas with Maracas’ tops picture book chart
Wednesday, 26 June 2019
Over one million children in schools, libraries and bookshops across Australia participated in this year’s National Simultaneous Storytime on 22 May, so it was no surprise to see the chosen...
Acevedo, Morris win 2019 Carnegie, Greenaway medals
Wednesday, 19 June 2019
The UK Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) has announced the winners of the 2019 Carnegie and Kate Greenaway medals. Dominican-American writer and slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo won...
A&U launches new children’s imprint
Wednesday, 19 June 2019
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has created a new children’s imprint, Albert Street Books. Albert Street Books will have a commercial focus and will publish books for babies to 12-year-olds. A&U...
Tim Flannery children’s book sells to US, Canada
Monday, 17 June 2019
Catherine Drayton at InkWell Management has sold US and Canadian rights to writer and environmentalist Tim Flannery's forthcoming children's book Explore Your World: Weird, wild, amazing! (illus by Sam Caldwell)....
Daddo, Phommavanh, Bancks among participants in Littlescribe co-author program
Friday, 14 June 2019
Online literacy platform Littlescribe has announced its co-author program and participating authors. Authors Andrew Daddo, Oliver Phommavanh, Katrina McKelvey, Tristan Bancks, Deborah Abela and Andreea Kindryd have signed up to...
CBCA conference 2019 highlights children’s humour writing
Thursday, 13 June 2019
Around 320 delegates attended the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) conference in Canberra from 31 May to 2 June, where children’s humour writing was a major focus. The 13th...
Netflix to adapt ‘Thelma the Unicorn’ for animated musical feature
Wednesday, 12 June 2019
Aaron Blabey’s picture book Thelma the Unicorn (Scholastic) will be adapted into an animated musical film by Netflix. The project will be adapted by husband-and-wife filmmakers Jared and Jerusha Hess...
Morrissey, Cunningham, Wood awarded in 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours
Tuesday, 11 June 2019
A number of Australian authors and industry figures were recognised in this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours. Di Morrissey, author of 25 novels and five children's books, was awarded a Member...
‘At the End of Holyrood Lane’ wins SCBWI Crystal Kite Award
Friday, 7 June 2019
Children’s picture book At the End of Holyrood Lane (Dimity Powell & Nicky Johnston, EK Books) has won the Australian and New Zealand division of this year’s Crystal Kite Member...
Nervous laughter: Nina Kenwood on ‘It Sounded Better in My Head’
Thursday, 6 June 2019
Nina Kenwood won the 2018 Text Prize for her YA debut It Sounded Better in My Head (Text, August), which follows neurotic 18-year-old Natalie as she navigates first love during...
NZ Book Awards for Children and YA 2019 finalists announced
Thursday, 6 June 2019
The shortlists for the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults have been announced. The shortlisted titles in each category are: Picture book award Mini Whinny: Happy Birthday...
YA debut ‘What I Like About Me’ sold to US and France
Wednesday, 5 June 2019
Jacinta di Mase Management has sold US and Canadian rights to Jenna Guillaume’s YA debut What I Like About Me (Pan) to Peachtree Publishing, and French-language rights to Pocket Jeunesse....
Berbay sells third Canty ‘Heads and Tails’ picture book to US
Tuesday, 4 June 2019
Berbay Publishing has sold North American rights to Melbourne author and illustrator John Canty’s Heads and Tails: Underwater to Candlewick Press. This is the third picture book in Canty’s ‘Heads and Tails’...
Clarke’s ‘The Patchwork Bike’ wins US picture book award
Friday, 31 May 2019
The Patchwork Bike (Maxine Beneba Clarke, illus by Van T Rudd, Lothian) has won the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award in the picture book category. A winner and two honour books...
Hachette signs international deal for three new ‘Nevermoor’ books; details for book 3 announced
Friday, 31 May 2019
Rights to three new books in Jessica Townsend’s ‘Nevermoor’ series have been jointly acquired by Hachette Australia, Hachette Children’s Group UK and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in the...
Four NZ bookshops to receive Puffin grants
Friday, 31 May 2019
Penguin Random House (PRH) NZ has announced that four New Zealand bookshops will each receive NZ$5000 (A$4707) in funding for children’s reading programs as part of its Puffin bookshop grants...
Screen rights to Nix’s ‘The Keys to the Kingdom’ series sold
Thursday, 30 May 2019
Herschend Entertainment Studios has acquired film and television rights to Garth Nix’s seven-book fantasy series ‘The Keys to the Kingdom’ (A&U), reports Deadline. Jill Grinberg Literary Management sold rights on behalf...
54 bookshops to receive Puffin grants
Wednesday, 29 May 2019
Puffin has announced the 54 Australian bookshops that will receive a share of $100,000 in funding for children’s reading programs. The winning bookshops each receive funding between $500 and $5000...
Shortlist announced for 2019 UK Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize
Monday, 27 May 2019
In the UK, the shortlist for the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize, recognising the best science books for children, has been announced. The shortlisted titles are: 100 Things to...
Copyright Agency announces inaugural Reading Australia Teacher Fellow
Friday, 24 May 2019
The Copyright Agency has announced the inaugural Reading Australia Fellow for a teacher of English and literacy. Alex Wharton, from Carinya Christian School in Gunnedah, NSW, receives $15,000 for a...
MWF schools’ program 2019 announced
Friday, 24 May 2019
The program for the 2019 Melbourne Writers Festival schools’ program has been announced. More than 60 writers, artists and performers will feature in over 70 events from 2–5 September, with...
Higgie wins inaugural Fogarty Literary Award for ‘The History of Mischief’
Thursday, 23 May 2019
Rebecca Higgie has won the inaugural Fogarty Literary Award for an unpublished manuscript for her novel The History of Mischief. Higgie receives a $20,000 cash prize from the Fogarty Foundation...
Schulz to resign from UQP after 11 years
Wednesday, 22 May 2019
UQP children’s and YA publisher Kristina Schulz will resign from the position, after an 11-year tenure with the publisher. Schulz began with UQP in 2008 and during her time commissioned...
Readings YA Prize 2019 shortlist announced
Tuesday, 21 May 2019
The shortlist for the 2019 Readings Young Adult Prize has been announced. The shortlisted titles are: Highway Bodies (Alison Evans, Echo) What I Like About Me (Jenna Guillaume, Pan) Stone Girl (Eleni Hale,...
‘Girl Stuff 8–12’ tops Australian children’s/YA nonfiction bestsellers chart in April
Friday, 17 May 2019
Kaz Cooke’s go-to guides for pre-teen and teenage girls, Girl Stuff 8–12 and the original Girl Stuff, are at number one and number eight respectively on April’s Australian nonfiction children’s/YA...
Young wins 2019 Text Prize for ‘Loner’
Thursday, 16 May 2019
Melbourne writer Georgina Young has won the 2019 Text Prize for her YA novel, Loner. Loner is a ‘humorous and heartfelt exploration of new adulthood’ set in Melbourne’s South Eastern...
Australian Reading Hour ambassadors’ books covers revealed
Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Australian Reading Hour (ARH) has revealed the covers of the five books by its children’s ambassadors being published for this year’s event on 19 September. The Wiggles Love Books! (Five...
Lost in Books to host IBBY Honour Books exhibition
Friday, 10 May 2019
Multilingual children’s bookshop Lost in Books, situated in the Sydney suburb of Fairfield, is hosting the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Best Books of the World Exhibition,...
Hachette acquires junior fiction series ‘Kitty is Not a Cat’ in four-book deal
Wednesday, 8 May 2019
Hachette Australia has acquired world rights to four junior fiction titles based on the children’s television series Kitty Is Not A Cat, via Melanie Ostell Literary. The animated television show,...
