Into the unknown: Zana Fraillon on ‘The Lost Soul Atlas’
27 May 2020
The Lost Soul Atlas (Lothian, July), Zana Fraillon's return to the middle-grade genre, is a dual-narrative fable that follows Twig's quest through the Afterlife and his memories of his former...
Matthew Flinders: Adventures on Leaky Ships (Carole Wilkinson, illus by Prue Pittock, Wild Dog)
27 May 2020
Children’s narrative nonfiction has come a long way since I was a child, and Carole Wilkinson’s new book about the intrepid Matthew Flinders is a fine example of how enjoyable...
The Lost Soul Atlas (Zana Fraillon, Lothian)
27 May 2020
The Lost Soul Atlas marks Zana Fraillon’s triumphant return to middle-grade after a stint writing YA and picture books, with Fraillon once again tackling significant social issues in this exploration...
Environment Award for Children’s Literature 2020 shortlist announced
22 May 2020
The Wilderness Society has announced the shortlist for the 2020 Environment Award for Children’s Literature. The shortlisted books in each category are: Picture fiction: One Tree (Christopher Cheng, illus by...
Paterson wins 2020 Text Prize for ‘Rainfish’
21 May 2020
Far North Queensland-based writer and doctor Andrew Paterson has won the 2020 Text Prize for his middle-grade novel Rainfish. Rainfish tells the story of Aaron, who lives with his single...
Online programs to get young people reading and writing at home
20 May 2020
Junior columnist Adele Walsh shares some of the best online literary programming for young people that has sprung up since the Covid-19 lockdown began. The realisation that we would all...
Text Prize 2020 shortlist announced
13 May 2020
The shortlist for the $10,000 Text Prize for Young Adult and Children’s Writing has been announced. The seven shortlisted manuscripts are: 'Therefore I Am' by Miranda Luby, which follows Sarah,...
Woodson, Albertine win 2020 Hans Christian Andersen Award
12 May 2020
US writer Jacqueline Woodson and Swiss illustrator Albertine have been named the winners of the 2020 IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) Hans Christian Andersen Award. Woodson has...
Windy Hollow Books named Bologna publisher of the year
6 May 2020
Melbourne-based publisher Windy Hollow Books has been named the winner of the Bologna Prize for the Best Children's Publisher of the Year in the Oceania category. ‘Windy Hollow Books has...
ANZ picture books longlisted for World Illustration Awards
1 May 2020
A number of Australian and New Zealand picture book creators have been longlisted for the World Illustration Awards 2020. Spanning 10 categories, the 500-strong longlist includes five ANZ illustrators nominated...
Five ANZ publishers nominated for Bologna Prize
20 April 2020
Australian publishers Affirm Press, Hardie Grant Egmont and Windy Hollow Books, and New Zealand's Huia Publishers and Oratia Media, have been shortlisted for the 2020 Bologna Prize for Best Children’s...
APA, ASA make agreement with schools for virtual storytime
9 April 2020
Teachers are able to continue to read stories to students learning from school or at home during the Covid-19 outbreak, following an industry arrangement for school storytimes. For the duration...
Barker launches rights agency for children’s and YA
8 April 2020
Former rights director and managing director at Hardie Grant Egmont Annabel Barker has launched a literary and rights agency, specialising in children’s writing and illustration. Annabel Barker Agency will sell...
CBCA Awards 2020 shortlists announced
31 March 2020
The shortlists for this year’s Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year Awards have been announced. The shortlisted titles are: Older readers The Boy Who Steals Houses...
US kids authors launch digital festival in wake of cancellations
18 March 2020
In the US, a group of children’s authors have launched a digital festival focused on children’s literature, after more than a dozen US literary festivals were cancelled in less than...
Hardie Grant Egmont sells ‘Your Planet Needs You’ to five territories
18 March 2020
Hardie Grant Egmont has sold rights in five territories to Philip Bunting’s forthcoming picture book Your Planet Needs You! (May). German-language rights were sold following a ‘significant’ pre-empt offer from...
S&S pulls UK, US staff from Bologna
10 March 2020
Staff from the UK and US divisions of Simon & Schuster (S&S) won’t attend the rescheduled Bologna Children’s Book Fair in May, reports Publishers Weekly. Last month, the fair was postponed...
Wild honoured for Lifetime Achievement in Literature
10 March 2020
Australian children's author Margaret Wild has won the Australia Council Award for Lifetime Achievement in Literature. The award ‘acknowledges the achievements of eminent literary writers over the age of 60...
Bell appointed publisher at A&U
10 March 2020
Davina Bell has been appointed publisher at Allen & Unwin (A&U), where she will work in the children and young adult division. ‘Davina’s passion, energy and enthusiasm will make her...
Latest ‘Treehouse’ tops 2019 Australian children’s charts
3 March 2020
The 117-Storey Treehouse, the ninth book in Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton’s ‘Treehouse’ series, was the bestselling Australian children’s book in 2019, with 213,102 copies sold. It managed to hold...
Affirm acquires picture book by Godwin, Lester
27 February 2020
Affirm Press has acquired the rights to Sing me the Summer, a picture book written by publisher and author Jane Godwin and illustrated by Alison Lester. The book, which ‘celebrates...
CBCA 2020 Notable Books announced
26 February 2020
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has announced its list of Notable Books for 2020. The books in each category are: Older readers The Man in the Water (David...
MWF to cut artist numbers for 2020 schools program
21 February 2020
Melbourne Writers Festival (MWF) plans to reduce the number of artists appearing in its 2020 schools program, reports the Age. While more than 60 artists participated in the 2019 schools...
Foxlee, Cai, Tan longlisted for 2020 Carnegie, Greenaway medals
21 February 2020
Australian children’s author Karen Foxlee and illustrators Shaun Tan and Rovina Cai have been longlisted for the UK’s 2020 Carnegie and Kate Greenaway medals respectively. Foxlee was longlisted for the...
Readings Children’s Book Prize 2020 shortlist announced
18 February 2020
The shortlist for the Readings Children's Book Prize for 2020 has been announced. The shortlisted titles are: Pie in the Sky (Remy Lai, Walker Books) The Dog Runner (Bren MacDibble,...
Aussie picture books to feature in Bologna nonfiction exhibition
18 February 2020
Several Australian titles have been selected for a major exhibition on nonfiction picture books, to be held during this year's Bologna Children’s Book Fair. The exhibition, called ‘Beauty and the...
Making readers for life: Ursula Dubosarsky on her plans as Australian Children’s Laureate
12 February 2020
Prolific children’s author Ursula Dubosarsky has been chosen as the Australian Children’s Laureate. She spoke with Sarah Farquharson about her plans for her two-year term as laureate. What are you...
Dubosarsky announced as Australian Children’s Laureate for 2020–21
11 February 2020
Children’s author Ursula Dubosarsky has been chosen as the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2020–21. Dubosarsky is the author of over 60 books for children and young adults, and her work...
Scribble launches Art for Wildlife, companies donate to bushfire relief
6 February 2020
A number of book industry companies are raising funds for bushfire relief. Scribble publisher Miriam Rosenbloom has set up Art for Wildlife, an online store selling open-edition prints by illustrators...
Oz publishers heading to Bologna in final year of funding
5 February 2020
Twelve independent publishers will take part in the Australian collective stand at this year’s Bologna Children’s Book Fair, which runs from 30 March to 2 April. The 2020 fair marks...
