The thirty-six books in six categories were announced on Tuesday. I posted my predictions the night before for Picture Book of the Year; Early Childhood Picture Book of the Year and Younger Readers Book of the Year. Each category contains six titles but I was only able, of the eighteen in total that I discussed, to predict six. I feel quite at a loss as to why some of the books I loved did not make the cut. I want our CBCA winners to celebrate the best we have on offer. The books in this national competition will reach a wide audience here in Australia and, I like to think, some will travel beyond our shores to other English speaking countries such as USA, Canada, UK and New Zealand. These books can be our ambassadors. That is what I hoped would happen with I saw Pete and Pete saw me; The biscuit maker; Scary Bird (not a notable); Littlelight; The Fire Wombat; Anisa's Alphabet; Respect; and Coming home to Country. Alas none of these made the cut.
On the upside I am thrilled to see two verse novels (Worse things and Bindi) on the Younger Readers list. I'm also looking forward to exploring the six books selected for the new illustrator award which was previously called the Crichton Award.
In future posts I plan to talk about the themes in some of the picture book selections and I will share some companion texts you could use with a class.
Here are the short listed titles for 2021 - if a title is in colour it links to a review on this blog:
Younger Readers
Kate Gordon, Aster’s Good, Right Things
Jaclyn Moriarty (illus. by Kelly Canby), The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst
Sally Murphy (illus. by Sarah Davis), Worse Things
Katrina Nannestad, We Are Wolves
Kirli Saunders (illus. by Dub Leffler), Bindi
Sue Whiting, The Book of Chance
Early Childhood
Sarah Allen, Busy Beaks
Bernadette Green (illus. by Anna Zobel), Who’s Your Real Mum?
Libby Hathorn & Lisa Hathorn-Jarman (illus. by Mel Pearce, No! Never!
Anna McGregor, Anemone is not the Enemy
Heidi McKinnon, There’s No Such Thing
Briony Stewart, We Love You, Magoo
Picture Book of the Year
Freya Blackwood, The Unwilling Twin
Philip Bunting, Not Cute
Gabriel Evans, Norton and the Bear
Bob Graham, Ellie’s Dragon
Matt Ottley (text by Meg McKinlay), How to Make a Bird
Felicita Sala (text by Maggie Hutchings), Your Birthday Was the Best!
Eve Pownall Non Fiction
Sami Bayly, The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Dangerous Animals
Maree Coote, Azaria: A True History
Pamela Freeman (illus. by Liz Anelli), Dry to Dry: The Seasons of Kakadu
David Hartley & Kirsty Murray (illus. by Dub Leffler), Strangers on Country
Gina M Newton (illus. by Rachel Tribout), Hold On! Saving the Spotted Handfish
Carole Wilkinson (illus. by Prue Pittock), Matthew Flinders – Adventures on Leaky Ships
New Illustrator Award
Sofya Karmazina, Ribbit Rabbit Robot
Mel Pearce, No! Never!
Dave Petzold, Seven Seas of Fleas
Shirley Purdie, Shirley Purdie: My Story, Ngaginybe Jarragbe
Zeno Sworder, This Small Blue Dot
Robin Tatlow-Lord, Go Away, Worry Monster!
You might like to watch this video with Shaun Tan where he explores the 2021 slogan. And here is a splendid video made in South Australia to announce the 2021 short list (20 minutes) featuring a host of authors and illustrators from South Australia.
3 comments:
As a senior school teacher, I was disappointed with the Picture Book category this year. There were several books I felt belonged in the Early Childhood section, rather than picture book. The fact that the books that could be used to facilitate deep discussion in older students missed out was disappointing.
I think it is important to look beyond the short list. There are some gems among the notables and certainly some titles I would suggest for a senior class.
I agree, but so many people don't. It is change I'm trying to drive in our school.
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