Children's Book Council of Australia awards in 1990s

 

In this post I am going to focus on The Book of the Year - Younger Readers.  It is interesting to see how this category of the award, which began in 1982, took some time to settle into books for younger readers. Today we would perhaps interpret this as novels for children aged 7-12.  Here is the official wording as used in 2021:

Entries in this category should be books published for children in the age range from 7 to 12 years (lower to upper primary school level). Books in the category may be fiction, drama, graphic novels, illustrated text or poetry.

One of the oddest books to receive an honour in this category was Australopedia by Joan Grant.  I really loved dipping into this book but surely it is non fiction and it does have 352 pages and in my school library it lived at 994. This book was an honour book in 1989 just slightly outside the decade I am exploring. For this post I have grouped the books and again selected books I enjoyed reading and shared with students in my library.

Book of the Year - Younger Readers 

1990s

Here are three picture books. The Wolf by Margaret Barbalet illustrated by Jane Tanner was short listed in 1992. It is a brilliant book to read aloud to a group of senior primary students. Pigs and Honey by Jeannie Adams was the 1990 Winner and Papa and the Olden Days by Ian Edwards and Rachel Tonkin was an honour book in that same year.

These are some of the junior novels from the 1990s that I loved reading to classes in the library. It is interesting that some will appeal to a younger audience.  In recent years, the Younger Readers books are rarely for children in Grades 2 and 3.  Take a look at the 2021 shortlist. The Extraordinary Magics of Emma McDade by Libby Hathorn illustrated by Maya was shortlisted in 1990. Boris and Borsch by Robin Klein illustrated by Cathy Wilcox was an honour book in 1991. If you can find Boris and Borsch it is one to read aloud to children aged 6+. 

In 1995 Ark in the Park by Wendy Orr illustrated by Kerry Millard was the winner. I wish this little gem was still in print. Kirkus said "The magic of getting what you wish for is told in graceful prose full of gentleness and whimsy; the beguiling line drawings are full of amusing details that invite closer scrutiny, especially as they work their way in and out of the text. Satisfying and most charming."

One of my favourites from this group is The Magnificent Nose by Anna Fienberg illustrated by Kim Gamble which won in 1992. I have read this book many times aloud to groups of children and I have gifted copies of this book too. I own a recording read by Anna Panquin.  Read my comments here.

It is such a treat to see poetry books featured on the CBCA list of past winners and shortlisted titles. One of the best is surely Beetle Soup shortlisted in 1997 and complied by Robin Morrow and illustrated by Stephen Michael King.  Oddly when this book was republished it was given a different cover and a different title. Read my thoughts here. 

Other poetry books from the 1990s are Following the Gold by Bill Scott shortlisted in 1990 and Honey Sandwich by Elizabeth Honey honour book in 1994. If you look back at the 1980s Max Fatchen's poetry book A Paddock of Poems was an honour book in 1988 and in 1987 you will see the very funny but slightly odd book Sister Madge's book of Nuns by Doug McLeod illustrated by Craig Smith.

Now let's take a look at some memorable novels.

Swashbuckler by James Moloney was the winner in 1996. It is good to pair this book with the sequel Buzzard Breath and Brains (1999 shortlist) which looks at the same story from a different perspective. I have talked about Victor's Quest by Pamela Freeman illustrated by Kim Gamble (1997 shortlist) in a previous post. Odo Hirsch is one of my favourite Australian authors. I recently re-read his Hazel Green series. Antonio S and the mystery of Theodore Guzman was an honour book in 1998 and it contains terrific line drawings by Andrew McLean. Sadly this book is out of print but I imagine it may still be in some school libraries. 

The Big Bazoohley by Peter Carey illustrated by Stephen Michael King (the original was illustrated by David Macintosh) was an honour book in 1998. It must have been an interesting debate for the judges that year. The winner was Swashbuckler, which is a wonderful story but I have been recommending The Big Bazoohley as a terrific class read aloud for over twenty years. Perhaps in 1998 these two books could have been considered as joint winners.

Finally here are two famous authors and one book every child in senior primary classes needs to hear or read. Emily Rodda has had so many books on the CBCA list. Prior to Bob the Builder and the Elves she had books in 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1994, 1997 and then Bob the Builder and the elves in 1999. I recently did some volunteer reading group work in a local primary school and I shared this book with my small group. It was the perfect choice. I now realise I need to share more about this book here on my blog. I will add Bob the Builder and the elves to my pile of books to share with you.

Morris Gleitzman is a famous name. Blabber Mouth from 1995 was one of his earliest books. I think it was his fourth book. My favourite book by Morris Gleitzman is one very few people seem to know - Too Small to Fail. 

Read my thoughts about The Burnt Stick by Anthony Hill illustrated by Mark Sofilas (Honour book 1995). This is a book that should be shared every year with Grade 6 students.