Australian titles with international appeal
20 March 2024
Explore the latest rights opportunities from Australian publishers participating in the Australian Collective Stand at Bologna. View the Stand Catalogue here, featuring over 70 children’s and YA titles with international...
Six Summers of Tash and Leopold
20 March 2024
Leopold and Alytash – Leo and Tash – are neighbours who used to be best friends, but aren't anymore, for reasons that Leo doesn't entirely understand. But now it's the...
Who from Australia is at Bologna? Come and say hello at the Australian Stand party
20 March 2024
In this Bologna Book Fair issue of Think Australian, we introduce you to Nicola Robinson, who will be attending Bologna for the first time, representing the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. See...
Australian publishers nominated for Bologna Prize
20 March 2024
Australian publishers Affirm Press, Fremantle Press and Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing have been shortlisted for this year’s Bologna Prize for the Best Children’s Publisher of the Year in the Oceania...
Australian children’s and YA bestsellers for 2024 YTD
20 March 2024
While the children’s category in Australia, which represents 29% of the market, fell by 4.4% in 2023 compared to 2022, according to Nielsen, this came after a significant boom courtesy...
2023 Australian market overview
20 March 2024
Overall, the book market was down in Australia in 2023 by 2.1% in value and 1.7% in volume, according to figures from Nielsen BookData’s BookScan service. However, sales in 2023...
Nonfiction children’s titles on offer at Bologna
20 March 2024
From Walker Books, I Wonder ‘explores how curiosity leads us to knowledge’ in a book by Philip Bunting, ‘the master of inviting us to ponder questions without definitive answers’. Other...
Picture books being pitched at Bologna
20 March 2024
First Nations publisher Magabala, winner of the 2023 Bologna Prize for the Oceania region, is excited: ‘The release of a book by bestselling and award-winning author Gregg Dreise is always...
Junior and middle-grade titles on offer at Bologna
20 March 2024
Junior Affirm Press describes its junior fiction title Forbidden Journal of Rufus Rumble #1: Worst Space Crew Ever (Nick Long, illus by Robin Tatlow-Lord) as Diary of A Wimpy Kid...
Young adult titles on offer at Bologna
20 March 2024
From First Nations publisher Magabala Books, winner of last year's Bologna Prize for the Oceania region, comes a young adult novel ‘and gripping thriller’ Robert Runs by Mariah Sweetman, winner...
Aus publishers’ latest acquisitions
20 March 2024
Among the latest children’s and YA acquisitions by Australian publishers: Junior Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired ANZ rights to Landovel, a three-part junior fantasy adventure story from Emily Rodda....
Award winners to look out for
20 March 2024
Illustrated books Open Your Heart to Country by Dharug author/illustrator Jasmine Seymour (Magabala) won in the children’s category of the 2023 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards (PMLAs) and is described by Books+Publishing...
Meet the agent: Lisa Fuller at Alex Adsett Literary
20 March 2024
Lisa Fuller is a Wuilli Wuilli woman from Eidsvold, Queensland, and is also descended from Gooreng Gooreng and Wakka Wakka peoples. Her debut YA novel Ghost Bird won numerous awards...
Meet the publisher: Nicola Robinson at the Indigenous Literacy Foundation
20 March 2024
After a ‘varied career in educational and trade—both kids and adult—publishing’ Nicola Robinson is ‘now lucky enough to head up the publishing team at the Indigenous Literacy Foundation’ (ILF), which...
Australian authors recommend
20 March 2024
Australian creators tell us the most recent book they have read and loved, and why. Anton Clifford-Motopi is the debut author of the novel To and Fro (Allen & Unwin...
Countdown to Yesterday (Shirley Marr, Puffin)
5 December 2023
Shirley Marr’s latest novel, Countdown to Yesterday, takes young readers on a heartwarming journey through time, memories, and the complexities of family and friendship. This enchanting tale is a delightful...
Ladybirds Do Not Go to Day Care (Ali Rutstein, illus Niña Nill, Bright Light)
10 October 2023
Ladybirds Do Not Go to Daycare is the story of Ravi, a young boy who loves dressing up as his favourite insect—a ladybird. He loves brushing his teeth (or mandibles)...
Come to the Australia party!
3 October 2023
Ahead of this year's Frankfurt Book Fair, here is your chance to see the titles that will be on offer from Australian publishers! See the Australian Publishers Association's 2023 Australian...
Australian book market overview: 2023 so far
3 October 2023
After three consecutive years of growth, the Australian book market flattened out in 2023. In the year to 17 June 2023, Australian book sales totalled $548 million, up 0.6% on...
Epics, experiments, escapism, excellence: Australian fiction at Frankfurt
3 October 2023
Several prize-winning Australian authors will have new novels showcased at the fair. Waanyi (First Nations) author Alexis Wright, who is the only writer to have won both the Stella Prize...
From literary memoir to survival in a broken world: Australian nonfiction at Frankfurt
3 October 2023
From literary memoir to survival in a broken world, from bookshop dogs to Sam Kerr's World Cup journey, these are the nonfiction titles publishers are most looking forward to pitching...
Authenticity, truth, wonder: Australian children’s and young adult titles at Frankfurt
3 October 2023
Picture books Allen & Unwin is showcasing Footprint by Phil Cummings (March 2024), a lyrical picture book that ‘empowers children to think about the natural environment in a mindful and...
Local titles selling overseas
3 October 2023
Since the industry last gathered for a major rights fair, titles from Australian publishers have continued to sell into international markets, with a range of new and established authors’ works...
Rights sales: Screen
3 October 2023
Among recent book to screen adaptations, Cognito Entertainment, a new independent film and television production company in the United States, has optioned Every Version of You (Grace Chan, Affirm) for...
Latest acquisitions: Fiction
3 October 2023
Among the new fiction signed by Australian publishers this year are books by several authors trying something new. Echo has acquired world rights to Katrina Kell’s first novel for adults,...
Latest acquisitions: Nonfiction
3 October 2023
Hachette Australia announced last year that it would enter a publishing scout partnership with screenwriter, author and broadcaster Benjamin Law. The results are now materialising, with adult nonfiction publisher Sophie...
Latest acquisitions: Children’s and YA
3 October 2023
Christmas Press has acquired world rights to Leaf Letters, a junior fiction title by author-illustrator Lorena Carrington. Christmas Press publishing director Sophie Masson said, ‘Told in words and pictures, this...
Australian titles with international appeal
3 October 2023
Discover the latest rights opportunities from Australian publishers participating in the Australian Collective Stand at Frankfurt. View the Stand Catalogue here, featuring over 100 fiction, nonfiction and children’s titles with...
Chandran wins Miles Franklin, Wright honoured for Lifetime Achievement
3 October 2023
Tamil Australian author Shankari Chandran won Australia’s most prestigious literary prize, the $60,000 Miles Franklin Literary Award, for her third novel, Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens (Ultimo). The book explores...
Introducing Key People
3 October 2023
Earlier this year, publishing professionals Lou Johnson and Jeanne Ryckmans set up a new literary agency, Key People Literary Management. With a connection going back to their time as colleagues...