Children's Book Council of Australia 2024 Winners

See the announcement here

Today the CBCA announced the winners in six categories for our prestigious Australian Children's book awards. SO how did I go with my choices?

• I did predict Scar Town to be a winner in Younger Readers - such a brilliant book and in my view 'streets ahead' of the others in that category.
• I did predict Hope is the thing would win New Illustrator - I loved the art from the moment I saw this one BUT I am sorry to say I think the cover lets this one down.
• I did not read all of the Older Readers shortlist as they are beyond the scope of this blog but by chance I did read Grace Notes and so I am very happy to see a prize given to a verse novel.
• Timeless is really good and certainly contains lots of things you can discuss with your readers but I thought Bowerbird Blues would win or at least gain an honour award and I was sure Every Night at Midnight would also gain an honour.
• I am disappointed to see Bob Graham (The Concrete Garden) did not make the official prize list It was the Shadow Judges choices. Shadow Judges are groups of children who focus on one category using an abridged set of judging criteria. I talked about this here. 
• I did talk in glowing terms about Australia Colour of Country - Eve Pownall honour book. It is a fabulous book and one I would happily gift to children who do not live here in Australia.  I did not get the chance to read other books in this category. 
• I did like Gymnastica Fantastica but the clever dual story lines (visual and in text) used in One Little Duck mean it surely was worthy of an honour. It is good to see heartwarming sentiment of Bear and Duck are Friends rewarded with an Early Childhood Honour. 

Here are the Shadow judges' choices.  

I am very happy that The Concrete Garden has some level of acknowledgement, but I do think the Shadow Judging should be announced separately - it is very confusing and to my mind (sorry for the unpopular opinion) this takes away from the serious work done by the adult judges. This is a literary award not a children's choice award - we have lots of those in our Australian states such as KOALA here in NSW. I think it was better when the shadow choices were announced about a week after the main awards announcement. I do hope the CBCA Awards committee reconsider this decision for the 2025 awards. 

I did the NCACL (National Centre for Australian Children's literature) notes for Every Night at Midnight. 

Here are the 2024 short lists. Pop each title into my side bar to read more about nearly all of these:

Younger Readers

Early Childhood

Picture Book of the Year

Eve Pownall (Non-Fiction)

New Illustrator

Here is a comment from winner Tristan Bancks for ABC News:

"I don't think kids bump into books perhaps as easily as they used to. It takes teacher librarians, educators and booksellers that work so hard to just make people aware [of books]. There's not as many column inches for books anymore. There's never been a more important time than for something like the CBCA (awards) to highlight books and to celebrate what reading can give you that perhaps other forms of entertainment can't."

Pictures at Play: Metafiction in Art Eric Carle Museum

 

Image from Julie Morstad It Began with a Page

Pictures at Play: Metafiction in Art

Metafictive books: those that tell stories about stories and about the art of storytelling itself. Artists experiment with styles, typography, and page design to delightfully disrupt the rules of how books usually work. 

Metafiction is not a new concept. Also on display are such classic titles as Peter Newell’s The Hole Book (1908), Dorothy Kunhardt’s Pat the Bunny (1940), and Crockett Johnson’s Harold and the Purple Crayon (1955).

The exhibition at the Eric Carle Museum is from May 4 - November 3, 2024 and it will feature the work of 29 illustrators. Wish I lived there so I could go! Read more here. [There is a bonus surprise at the bottom of this post]

I have added links to the illustrators webpages:

Aaron Becker, Richard Byrne, Lauren Child, Jason Chin, Raúl Colón, Lulu Delacre, Tony DiTerlizzi, Deborah Freedman, E.B. Goodale, Ekua Holmes, Oliver Jeffers, Barbara Lehman, Brian Lies, David Macaulay, Barbara McClintock, Oge Mora, Yuyi Morales, Julie Morstad, Christopher Myers, Kathryn Otoshi, Brian Pinkney, Jerome Pumphrey, Jarrett Pumphrey, Peggy Rathmann, Adam Rex, Dan Santat, Lane Smith, Melissa Sweet, Don Tate, Corey Tabor, Chris Van Allsburg, David Wiesner, Mo Willems, Pamela Zagarenski. 

My posts:

• Aaron Becker
• Deborah Freedman
• EB Goodale (she did the cover for the US edition of We are Wolves by Katrina Nannestad).
• Oliver Jeffers
• Brian Lies
• Oge Mora
• Melissa Sweet
• Chris van Allsburg
• David Wiesner

The exhibition has three thematic sections:

Speaking Out. While characters typically speak to each other in picture books, sometimes they break the fourth wall to speak directly to the reader.

Pictures within Pictures. Metafiction creators love the idea of infinity—infinite ways of reading and infinite meanings of a book.

Books about Books. Metafiction plays with the physical parts of a book. Characters can misbehave or battle each other across the pages, they can disappear into the gutter, or readers can even see themselves holding the same book they just opened.

You're finally here!

Here are a few books that match the topic of this exhibition:

Wordless books by Barbara Lehman

This is a Dog

Bear Hunt

Zoom

Press Here

The Wall in the Middle of the Book

Open this Little Book

Do not open this book!

This might be a bit of a stretch but our 2024 CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) slogan is Reading is Magic and I think you could add in some books from this post.  My friend from Kinderbookswitheverything (see below) has been exploring this theme in a variety of very creative ways but perhaps another idea might be look at books that 'break the fourth wall' - they certainly are examples of book magic!

KINDERBOOKSWITHEVERYTHING - explore these links - they are fabulous:

Reading is Magic: Magic: Everyday Items

Reading is Magic: Magical Creatures: Genies

Reading is Magic: Vocabulary

Reading is Magic: Potions, Spells, Charms and Curses

Reading is Magic: Magical Creatures: Magicians vs Wizards

Reading is Magic: Magical Creatures: Fairies

That Bird has Arms! by Kate and Jol Temple illustrated by Niharika Hukku and Ronojoy Ghosh

I would be very tempted to read this book to a group without showing the illustrations. You could show them later after a discussion about the story and its purpose. There is one page that is especially important. When the other birds discover Roy has arms, they tease and bully him and use social media (Tweets) to spread their 'hate speech'. Roy could do several things to react to this - your group could list his possible responses. What actually happens shocked me.

"The birds laughed. The mean laugh. The laugh that makes you sad and mad and bad with everyone. Roy started poking people. He picked his beak. He picked other bird's beaks. He flicked people. He did graffiti. He wiped his hand on stuff."

Luckily things do change - Roy to the rescue - when Marvin the pigeon is tangled in some wires. Again, you could talk with your group about possible reactions and why Roy decided to be kind. 

Roy saves the day and the other birds now see him as a hero BUT will this fame and glory be short-lived. We have already witnessed that the birds have short attention spans, and that social media quickly flips to other topics. What will happen next?

Bookseller blurb: Roy is an ordinary bird in every way. He is not the biggest, or the smallest. His squawk is not the loudest or the quietest. He even follows the same football team as everyone else. He was very normal except for one thing – he has ARMS. Absolutely nobody knows – and Roy would like to keep it that way...  That Bird Has Arms is a story about difference and identity. It’s about learning to see that what sets you apart is what makes you strong, and it’s about pride in your own uniqueness.

This is a decidedly odd book. I am only going to talk about it very briefly because it has been shortlisted for our Picture Book of the Year award by the Children's Book Council of Australia. As a previous judge of this award I did have to weather some criticisms of our short list (and winner) choices (see below). I wonder if the three judges for this round are receiving any comments about this selection?

CBCA Judges' Comments: This quirky story oozes originality. It embraces popular culture, such as social media and popularity contests and cleverly explores themes of identity and accepting difference 

through the main character, Roy, a bird with human-like arms. The use of language is sophisticated and engaging, featuring direct speech of the avian characters alongside more traditional narration. The high-quality, colourful and engaging illustrations represent characters effectively and provide a clever sub-text to the narrative, including gentle humour appropriate for a dual audience. There is pleasing symmetry between the text and visual elements that embodies the mood and enhances the narrative. The plot that follows Roy coming to terms with his difference, as well as others’ eventual acceptance of him includes a joy-filled resolution.

Here are some teachers notes to explore from Lamont (I highly recommend their standing order service).

Companion books:

Scary Bird

Oddbird

Calvin can't fly

We're all wonders

Another book you could try to find which is VERY old, but it has a powerful story about difference and using your talent is The Mouse with the too Long Tail. 

Niharika Hukku is a ceramics artist practicing in Sydney, Australia. Her work has a deep connection to her heritage of India, drawing inspiration from traditional earthenware and ceramics. Prior to commencing her ceramic artworks, Hukku spent a over a decade as an illustrator. She fuses these talents by delicately hand-painting her ceramics with expressive skies, landscapes and Australian wildlife. She is married to Ronojoy Ghosh. Read more about Ronojoy Ghosh here. And also about Kate and Jol Temple.  I previously talked about this book:

Ollie and the Wind

Just for interest here are the 2023 Picture Book short listed titles - the winner was My Strange Shrinking Parents.

Timeless by Kelly Canby

Publisher blurb: Emit (whose parents turned back time to name him) is surrounded by busyness. Dad is too busy to read stories, Mum is too busy to play games and Emit’s brother and sister are simply too busy doing nothing to do anything, at all. Emit tries everything he can think of to get more time, he tries to catch it, wait for it, but it’s not until Emit tries to buy some time that he learns the secret which is, if you want time, you have to make it.

A story about time - a perfect match for my blog which began when a little kindergarten child told me her mum or dad did not have time to read her the library book she had taken home that week. This made me so sad and then I thought of Momo by Michael Ende which is an allegory about time and the time thieves of the modern world (today that means phones).

Here is part of the text from Timeless:

"It began in no time at all. And continued, time after time, day after day, until eventually there was simply no time at all. Someone was always running out of it ... or losing track of it ... or lying around letting it slip through their fingers."

Emit wants to help his parents - they say they need more hours in the day. He hears the words 'time flies' but he just couldn't catch any of it in his net.  He hears the words 'time passes you by' so he stopped and waited to see time passing but all he saw were busy people rushing through the city. Someone mentioned time is precious so Emit decided to look in the museum, the art gallery, the mint and the bank because that is where precious things are stored. Then someone else said 'time stands still' so Emit tried standing but that was just a waste of time. 

Finally, the solution arrives. Emit sees a newspaper advertisement - This year give the gift of time. Grabbing his money Emit goes to the store to buy some time as a gift but the shop lady has none for sale. Instead she offers this advice:

"If time is what you want, you have to make it. Remember that, always!"

Now Emit has the answer but how he applies this information is a little curious. We see him with his family. The have opened a shop called Emit and Family Quality Time. The shop is filled with clocks because this is a repair shop - we make, build and repair. 

Go back through the book and look for all the things Emit would love to do with someone in his family - play a ball game; have a hit of tennis; enjoy a family board game (Funopoloy); read a book together!; go fishing; draw a picture; and enjoy some gardening.  Here he is with his book and his distracted father.

Here are a few ideas from the teachers notes (Fremantle Press) plus some of my additions:

The title of this book is Timeless – what does the word ‘timeless’ mean? The cover design shows that 
there is a double meaning in the title. By using two different colours, the word ‘timeless’ has been 
broken into ‘time’ and ‘less’. What does this tell you about the story? What do you think the boy is trying to catch with his net?

Do you ever feel like you don’t have enough time? What takes up your time? What things do you like to spend time on? What lesson does Emit learn in this book? Do you think anyone else learnt this lesson? How can you tell? Would you like to share this book with your parents or other adults - why or why not?

How does Emit make time at the end of the book? Do you think this is a real way to make time, or is it 

symbolic? Emit’s shop is called ‘Quality Time’. What does the word ‘quality’ mean? What is ‘quality time’? 

See inside Timeless here. Here is an interview with Kelly Canby about her book. And here are more illustrations from the book. And you should explore her webpage. 

You could share some sayings or wise words about time with your library group:

• Time is the wisest counselor of all. Pericles
• Never leave ’till tomorrow which you can do today. Benjamin Franklin
• Time stays long enough for those who use it. Leonardo da Vinci
• The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot. Michael Altshuler
• Time isn’t the main thing. It’s the only thing. Miles Davis
• You will never find time for anything. If you want time you must make it. Charles Buxto
• Enjoy yourself. It’s later than you think. Chinese proverb
• Time flies over us but leaves its shadow behind. Nathaniel Hawthorne
• A man who dares to waste one hour of time has not discovered the value of life. Charles Darwin
• Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Steve Jobs
• Do we need more time? Or do we need to be more disciplined with the time we have? Kerry Johnson
• Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time. Marthe Troly-Curtin
• I recommend you take care of the minutes and the hours will take care of themselves. Earl of Chesterfield
• Time is a gift that most of us take for granted. Cheryl Richardson
• The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now. Chinese proverb

And here are some time idioms.

A sign of the times; Behind the times; A whale of a time; Time on your hands; Strapped for time; Time is of the essence; In the nick of time; A race against time; Time flies (when you’re having fun).

Timeless has been shortlisted by the CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) for the 2024 award - Picture Book of the Year. Here are the judges' comments:

Witty, entertaining and visually delightful, this book delves into time and time constraints through young Emit’s eyes, whose family always craves more hours in its day. Minimal but sophisticated, the well thought-out text distils the complexity of the abstract concept it explores, cleverly playing with time related idioms and word puns. Bright, engaging illustrations, as if hand-drawn by a child, seamlessly integrate with the printed text demonstrating excellence in design. Varied layouts and perspectives enrich the visual experience, with key ideas highlighted through vibrantly colourful large text that sometimes becomes part of the composition. The masterfully crafted endpapers, in a league of their own, entertain and encourage further reflection about time and our relationship with it, while echoing a satisfying resolution to Emit’s own search for time.

I also love how Canby’s unique illustration style of sketchy brush strokes evokes a sense of the urgency of movement and activity that Emit sees around him. Similarly, pages cluttered with vibrantly coloured amorphous objects, busy background scenes and hurried people with harried facial expressions, further develop the theme of busyness. Reading Time

Timeless is striking and filled to the brim with heart and swathes of colour. From the first page, you can’t help but be endeared toward Emit in his stripy green shirt and expressive illustration. Paired with Canby’s rhythmic storytelling, Timeless is heart-warming and incredibly clever. It’s a gorgeous tale that’s playful, innovative and – in our busy modern world – very timely.’ Better Reading

‘This beautiful book is filled with vibrant and appealing illustrations on each double page and striking endpapers full of busyness and explosions of colour. The simple yet powerful text tells a story that will resonate with children and the adults in their lives.’ ReadPlus

When I read Timeless for the first time I stopped when I saw this chilling and important image - I am naming this the thief of time - parents on phones!

Then I saw these two images on Instagram today - they could be wonderful discussion starters with a group of older students, and I would also add them to a parent talk.

Sophie Blackall - new book Ahoy! due 2nd April

Image Source: Instagram

Image from a new book illustrated by Felicita Sala - If you run out of words

Image Source: Instagram and here

Companion books:

Now we're together

Five more minutes

Tisha and the Blossom

I adored a previous book by Kelly Canby:

Littlelight

If I was a Horse by Sophie Blackall

Begin here with this video where Sophie talks about her book. 

'If I was a Horse is for anyone who ever wanted, 
even for a moment, to be something else.'

Now pick up the book and move the cover up and down so you can see the glitter on the tutu. I am very curious about the image under the dust jacket but sadly my copy, borrowed from a library, is covered in plastic so I cannot check this - I know Farmhouse also by Sophie Blackall had a delicious image hiding under the dust jacket so I assume there is one here too. 

If you watched the video above you have seen the end papers in action - pictures of horses - sophisticated and simple galloping across the page. 

Image source - Books of Wonder

Book seller blurb: If I was a horse, I would gallop all day. I could go anywhere I want . . . If you were a horse, what would you do? Could you fit in your clothes? Would you give your little sister a ride? Would your brother even notice? Gallop along with two-time Caldecott Medallist Sophie Blackall through this riotous day in the life of a child who imagines their life as a horse. Sophie's delightful text and resonant illustrations that feature a giant horse in familiar settings offer a visual feast, a grand dose of joy and a celebration of the real power of imagination to help us navigate the world.

Here are some excellent very detailed teachers notes for If I was a Horse. And also a set from Lamont Books (I highly recommend their Standing Order service).

Each page in this charmer contains one easy sentence or phrase that expresses an idea about “horsiness,” allowing very young listeners or emergent readers to focus on the clear, simple language and to follow up with their own imaginative responses. Kirkus

Blackall has created a wonderful story around a not uncommon childhood dream of being someone or something else. With the girl imagining herself to be a horse, we hear of all the things she most loves in the world, and the things she is not too keen on or thinks less of. If she was a horse, she would  gallop all day, going anywhere she wanted to, but come home for a meal. She would let her little sister ride on her back to school, where everyone would welcome her onto their team, but her older brother would not believe her. In the rain she would stay outside, rolling in the mud, laughing all the while. ReadPlus

Gallop along with two-time Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall through this riotous day in the life of a child who imagines their life as a horse. What ensues are uproarious, resonant episodes that feature a giant horse in familiar settings offering both a visual feast, a grand dose of joy, and a celebration of the real power of imagination to help us navigate the world. Powells

Check out my blog post where I explore other books by Sophie Blackall - she is a favourite illustrator of mine. Here is her webpage. 

If I was a Horse has been shortlisted by our CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) for the 2024 Picture Book of the Year award. 

Here are the judges' comments: Attention is demanded right from the appealing dust jacket and clever endpaper illustrations that communicate the context of childhood growth beautifully. Full of imagination and gentle humour, the main character leads the reader through highly relatable aspects of family life through the perspective of a horse. The delightful illustrations provide outstanding detail and invite the reader to pore over the images. The simple plot is expressed through scarce but rhythmic text, with the exquisite illustrations doing most of the storytelling. The clever representation of home and school settings effectively contributes to the storyline of playful rebellion against the ‘constraints’ of childhood.

Tiny things to notice in the illustrations in If I was a Horse:

• Title page - horse shoe on their front door
• Painting of an apple - you will see more apples on the following pages (such as the lounge room).
• The dappled coat of the horse matches the t-shirt worn by the older sibling
• The flowers in the field on the first page echo the wall paper and also contain dandelions which we associate with wishes
• In the kitchen there is a bowl of apples; there is only one cookie in their cookie jar; and dad has given the kids tiny carrots with their sandwiches. Horse love carrots.
• On the school window you can see a sketch of each child in the class including one child who has drawn a horse!
• The brother loves knitting. You can see the wool trailing across the floor while he works on the computer and later we see him knitting while mum is reading (a book) and dad is reading (his Kindle) on the lounge.
• Every room in the house has a book collection - even the bathroom!
• The horse drawing on the child's bedroom wall is the same image as the one we saw on the end papers.
• The night scene also has a trojan horse; a horse race poster; and even horse stickers on the bed - this kid really loves horses. 
• On the back cover the child has a horse on their backpack and a first place ribbon. There is a painting on the wall of a horse running across a field. This house must have two staircases because the wall paper on the back cover is different from the front cover.

Do you remember the picture book Daddy's Having a Horse. I remember Lisa Shanahan talking about hearing a young child talking at the shops. The child declared mummy's having a baby and daddy's having a horse and thus a book idea was born! I kept thinking about that book when I read If I was a Horse because this book was also inspired by a simple conversation with a young child.

With your class or library group it would be good to talk about the skill needed to draw horses. I do have a Pinterest collection of picture books about horses. The link to the teachers notes above also contain a list of terrific picture books that feature horses and horse riding. 

Here are some books I really like about horses.

This is a splendid junior novel with brilliant sketches of horses. Jerry

Merrylegs