Libby Gleeson author and Australian Hans Christian Andersen Award nominee

IBBY Australia is proud to announce the names of the Australian nominees for the 

Hans Christian Andersen Awards 2020:

Ann James (for Illustration) and Libby Gleeson (for Writing)

Libby Gleeson - Author

You might like to begin with my previous post about Ann James - our IBBY Australia illustrator nominee for the HCA medal.

Here is the press release from IBBY Australia:

Libby Gleeson, AM began her career as a teacher and has been a full-time writer since 1990. She has written more than thirty books, taught occasional courses in creative writing, and visited many schools throughout Australia to speak about her work. She has played a dedicated advocacy role in her work with the Australian Society of Authors, Copyright Agency and West Words.

Libby Gleeson is not only one of Australia’s foremost writers of picture book texts but has also written sensitively for younger children, and important socially progressive works for young adults.

Her body of work is astoundingly diverse and she is critically esteemed as one of the very best of Australian writers of literary fiction for young people. On her picture books she has collaborated with some of the finest internationally-regarded artists such as Armin Greder, and Kate Greenaway Medal winner, Freya 2 Blackwood – both on a number of texts – and with Craig Smith, Julie Vivas and John Winch.

Her junior fiction has included two delightful series – Hannah and Cleo – and she has also written award winning stand- alone titles.

On her teenage fiction she has been vocal about the need for strong female characters and has routinely been interested in social justice issues re the plight of refugees, outsiders and the dispossessed or powerless.

She has also written three books about writing and done some writing for television programs, Bananas in Pyjamas and Magic Mountain.

Her awards include being appointed a member of the Order of Australia (AM) (2007), the Dromkeen Medal (2011), the Nan Chauncy Award for contributions to Australian children’s Literature (2015), and many book awards including 1992 Winner Prime Minister’s Multicultural Award for Big Dog (illustrated by Armin Greder), 2000 Bologna Ragazzi Award for The Great Bear (with Armin Greder), 2002 CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award for An Ordinary Day (illustrated by Armin Greder) and the 2013 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Red (2012). Libby has been Adjunct Associate Professor, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney since 2006. She is one of Australia’s most highly regarded writers for young people.

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Here is Libby's very first picture book illustrated by John Winch.

I adore these two books about farms and farming by Libby Gleeson. Both were short listed by our CBCA.  Banjo and Ruby Red was a CBCA Honour Book in 2014 and Shutting the Chooks in was an Honour Book in 2004.

Another theme in Libby's book is moving house and making new friends.  Amy and Louis won CBCA Picture book of the Year in 2007 and Clancy and Millie and the Very fine house was an Honour Book in 2010.

There is also the topic of a new baby in the family. Go to Sleep Jessie was the CBCA Winner Picture Book of the Year (Early Childhood) in 2015.

One of her earliest novels which I read during my first years as a teacher-librarian is Eleanor Elizabeth which was Highly Commended by the CBCA in 1985. Here is the Kirkus review. I have found a range of different covers.

Here is Libby's newest book - Published in March 2019 and illustrated by Anna Pignataro.

This is a precious book about saying goodbye. It's also about acceptance. Not just of change, but of sadness and how each of us deals with it in our unique way. Kid's Book Review