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...
‘You Can Change the World’ sold in multiple territories
5 February 2020
Pantera Press has sold rights in several territories to Lucy Bell’s You Can Change the World, an illustrated practical guide ‘designed to empower kids to make changes in their lives...
ALA Youth Media Awards 2020: graphic novel wins Newbery for first time
28 January 2020
In the US, the American Library Association (ALA) has announced the winners of its Youth Media Awards, including the Newbery and Caldecott medals. Jerry Craft’s graphic novel New Kid (Quill...
Adaptation of Winton’s ‘Blueback’ gets Screen Aus funding
23 January 2020
A feature film adaptation of Tim Winton’s 1997 novella Blueback (Penguin) has received production funding from Screen Australia in its latest funding round. Writer/director Robert Connolly of Arenamedia will work...
PRH sells ‘The Tiny Star’ to US
17 January 2020
Penguin Random House Australia has sold North American rights to Mem Fox’s picture book The Tiny Star (illus by Freya Blackwood) to Knopf Books for Young Readers. Editorial director of...
CBCA, Little Bookroom organise book drives for bushfire-affected children
15 January 2020
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) in November announced a partnership with the not-for-profit Givit to raise money to buy books for children and young adults affected by the bushfire...
A&U acquires ANZ rights to Marney’s new YA novel
15 January 2020
Allen & Unwin (A&U) has acquired ANZ rights to a new YA thriller by Ellie Marney. None Shall Sleep, which A&U described as a YA Silence of the Lambs, is...
Book bites: Starting 2020 on the right note
11 December 2019
Mischa Parkee, teacher and children’s specialist at Sydney’s Better Read Than Dead, shares her top children's picks for the new year. What better way to bring in the new year...
MidnightSun acquires Steve Heron picture book
5 December 2019
MidnightSun has acquired world rights to the picture book Ling Li’s Lantern, by Steve Heron and illustrated by Benjamin Johnston. Ling Li’s Lantern follows Ling Li on a quest that...
Big Sky sells six children’s titles to US imprint Windmill Books
5 December 2019
Big Sky Publishing has sold North American and US territories rights to six children’s titles to Windmill Books, an imprint of independent educational publishing house Rosen Publishing. The deal, which...
Beasley wins inaugural OzCo Arts and Disability Award for an emerging artist
4 December 2019
Tennant Creek-based artist and illustrator Dion Beasley was one of three winners at the Australia Council’s inaugural Arts and Disability Awards, presented at a ceremony at Canberra’s National Portrait Gallery...
More than 380,000 UK children don’t own a single book: National Literary Trust
3 December 2019
In the UK, research from the National Literary Trust (NLT) has found more than 380,000 children don’t own a single book, reports the Bookseller. The research found children who own...
Former Macmillan Education staff launch new educational publisher
3 December 2019
Former staff from Macmillan Education Australia’s school division have formed a new educational publishing company called Matilda Education. After Macmillan Education Australia announced in August that it would withdraw its...
Hardie Grant Egmont acquires Alex Dyson’s debut YA novel
28 November 2019
Hardie Grant Egmont has acquired world rights to the debut young adult novel by former triple j breakfast presenter Alex Dyson. When it Drops follows social outcast and bedroom musician...
PRH sells Aung Than graphic novel series to US in six-figure deal
25 November 2019
Penguin Random House Australia (PRH) has sold North American rights to the first three books in Gavin Aung Than’s middle-grade graphic novel series ‘Super Sidekicks’ to Random House Children's Books...
‘A Secret Safe to Tell’ wins Chinese children’s award
22 November 2019
In China, a translated edition of Naomi Hunter’s A Secret Safe to Tell (illus by Karen Erasmus, Empowering Resources) has won the gold award at the Children’s Choice Book Awards. Translated into...
China ‘most active’ international market for Oz kids publishers: Insights from the China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair
20 November 2019
A delegation of Australian publishers and agents attended this year’s China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF), which ran from 15–17 November. Wenona Byrne, Australia Council’s director of literature, reports...
Marketing to the gatekeepers: Karys McEwen on marketing books for young people
20 November 2019
In her final column for Junior, Karys McEwen explores what works (and what doesn’t) when marketing children’s literature to the people actually purchasing books—adults. When it comes to marketing literature to...
‘Heads and Tails: Insects’ wins CICLA for Best International Picture Book
20 November 2019
John Canty's picture book Heads and Tails: Insects (Berbay) has won an award for Best International Picture Book at the Chen Bochui International Children’s Literature Awards (CICLA) in China. Heads...
HarperCollins launches new prize for YA, middle-grade
19 November 2019
HarperCollins Children’s Books Australia has launched a new prize for middle-grade and young adult fiction and nonfiction, called the Matilda Children’s Literature Prize. The winner of the annual prize will...
‘Missing Marvin’ wins Children’s Peace Literature Award
12 November 2019
Sue deGennaro’s picture book Missing Marvin (Scholastic) has won this year’s Children’s Peace Literature Award. Convener of the judging panel Kate Prescott described Missing Marvin as a funny and gentle...
State of euphoria: Alison Evans on ‘Euphoria Kids’
8 November 2019
Reviewer Jordi Kerr says Alison Evans’ YA novel Euphoria Kids (Echo, February) is ‘a tender, contemporary fairytale about magic, friendship and gender identity’ that follows three trans kids ‘learning to...
Long-term appeal: Marketing a series
7 November 2019
How—and to whom—do publishers market books as part of series? Bec Kavanagh spoke to Hardie Grant Egmont and Scholastic about their approaches to creating buzz that transforms into longevity. In two...
