This is me at the stand of Five Mile Press (publisher of Fly-In Fly-Out Dad) at last week’s CBCA Conference in Sydney.
And this is my friend, Claire Saxby, photobombing me seconds later.
And this is Claire, another friend Sue Whiting and I later the same day.
As you can, attending conferences is very serious business.
Last week when I visited Penrhos College I was surprised – and delighted – how popular my picture book Pemberthy Bear was with the students. It’s been ten years since it was released, so it’s wonderful that it is still being read and loved.
For Throwback Thursday I thought I’d dig out a photo from the launch of Pemberthy Bear, at the CBCA National Conference in Sydney in 2006.
I’d forgotten how long my hair was back then! That’s me on your left, Peter and Sophia Whitfield, the owners of New Frontier Publishing in the centre, and the fabulous illustrator Jacqui Grantford on the right. And, of course, a fabulous Pemberthy cake in the front. Yum.
Have a great Thursday.
It’s Poetry Friday, which is always good news, but this week I have some additional good news to share, because my verse novel Roses are Blue was named a Notable Book by the Children’s Book Council of Australia book of the year judges. Hooray!
To celebrate the notable listing and Poetry Friday, in the one go, I thought I would share a short extract from the book. It is a little moment where my character, Amber, who is having a really hard time, finds solace in doing something she loves.
Have a wonderful Poetry Friday. I know I will. For the rest of the fun, head over to Life on the Deckle Edge where Robyn is hosting the round up.
I write verse novels (among other things) and one of the questions I get asked a lot is what is a verse novel? Sometimes, trying to explain gets complicated.
Fortunately for me, sometimes other people say things much better than I do. In this instance, the delightful Paula Green explains the form well over on the Poetry Box blog. She also has some lovely things to say about two of my verse novels. You can see her post here.
(After you’ve read it, you might want to add the blog to your favourites because a blog all about children’s poetry is well worth following).
Then, pop over to The Reading for Australia blog, where I talk about my verse novels, and what it is that compels to me write sad stories. You can see that post here.
If you happen to be heading to the CBCA Conference in Canberra this weekend, you are warmly invited to come along to the launch of my third verse novel, Roses are Blue, to be launched during the conference on Sunday. I’ll be the nervous, smiley looking one up the front, so do say hello.
The Shortlist for the CBCA Children’s Book of the Year Awards was announced today. You can see the list at the new look CBCA Website, or you can read it here:
THE 2008 SHORT LIST
Book of the Year: Older Readers
(NB: These books are for mature readers)
French, Jackie Pharaoh: the boy who conquered the Nile Angus & Robertson,
HarperCollins Australia
Hartnett, Sonya The Ghost’s Child Viking, Penguin Group Australia
Heffernan, John Marty’s Shadow Omnibus / Scholastic Australia
McDonald, Meme Love like Water Allen & Unwin
Metzenthen, David Black Water Penguin Books
Norrington, Leonie Leaving Barrumbi Omnibus / Scholastic Australia
Book of the Year: Younger Readers
Clark, Sherryl Illus: Christian, Elissa Sixth Grade Style Queen (not!) Puffin, Penguin Group Australia
French, Jackie Illus: Whatley, Bruce The Shaggy Gully Times Angus & Robertson,HarperCollins Australia
Hirsch, Odo Amelia Dee and the Peacock Lamp Allen & Unwin
Metzenthen, David Illus: Axelsen, Stephen Winning the World Cup Puffin, Penguin Group Australia
Rodda, Emily The Key to Rondo Omnibus / Scholastic Australia
Wilkinson, Carole Dragon Moon Black Dog Books
Book of the Year: Early Childhood
Allen, Pamela Shhh! Little Mouse Viking, Penguin Group Australia
Blabey, Aaron Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley Viking, Penguin Group Australia
Dumbleton, Mike Illus: Smith, Craig Cat Working Title Press
Graham, Bob The Trouble with Dogs! Walker Books
Hurst, Elise The Night Garden ABC Books
Wild Margaret Illus: James, Ann Lucy Goosey Little Hare Books
Picture Book of the Year
Some of these picture books may be for mature readers. (Arranged by illustrator)
Spudvilas, Anne Text: Cunxin, Li The Peasant Prince Viking, Penguin Group Australia
Greder, Armin The Island Allen & Unwin
Ingpen, Robert Text: Lofthouse Liz Ziba came on a Boat Viking, Penguin Group Australia
Huxley, Dee Text: Norrington, Leonie You and Me: Our Place Working Title Press
Ottley, Matt Requiem for a Beast Lothian, Hachette Livre Australia
Thompson, Colin and 13 other illustrators Dust ABC Books
Eve Pownall Award for Information Books
Cermak, Michael Australia’s Deadly and Dangerous Animals Steve Parish Publishing
Cooke, Kaz Girl Stuff: Your Full-on guide to the Teen Years Viking, Penguin Group Australia
Macinnis, Peter Kokoda Track: 101 Days Black Dog Books
Norman, Mark The Antarctica Book: Living in the Freezer Black Dog Books
Watts, Frances Illus: Legge, David Parsley Rabbit’s Book about Books ABC Books
Wilkinson Carole Illus: Jones, Dean Ned Kelly’s Jerilderie Letter Black Dog Books
Each year I look forward to the release of the Shortlist and to the list of Notable Books, and to the subsequent discussion of these titles which follows. I love hearing which books people loved and which ones they didn’t – and, of course, why. There are lots of books on the list this year which I have not read, so I can see I have some catching up to do.
In the meantime, congratulations to all the creators who have made the list for 2008. What a wonderful achievement.
As well as their annual Children’s Book of the Year Awards, this year the CBCA also ran a Junior Judges project. In this exercise, children from around Australia registered and voted for their favourites from the shortlist for the CBCA Awards. The winners (and honour books) of the junior judges award have been posted here.
Interestingly, the junior judges’ choices didn’t match the ‘real’ judges in any category. They chose:
Older Readers – Don’t call me Ishmael! by Michael Gerard Bauer
Younger Readers – The Cat On The Mat is Flat by Andy Griffiths
Picture Book – Brian Banana Duck Sunshine Yellow by Chris Mc Kimmie
Early Childhood – Chatterbox by Margaret Wild
Eve Pownall – All Cats Have Asperger Syndrome by Kathy Hoopman
I love these children’s choice type awards because they highlight and recognise the books which kids themselves love to read. And in the end, I think this list is as important as the ‘real’ list because these are the books that kids are going to pick up and read voluntarily. These are the books that kids love. And these are the books that are going to instil in kids a lifelong joy for reading.
So congrats to the books on this list and congrats to the CBCA for organising the Junior Judges project. Over 52 000 children from around Australia participated, which is just wonderful.