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The Walter Scott Prize shortlist 2017
The shortlist for the 2017 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction has been announced – and includes seven books instead of the usual six. Congratulations to all the authors and publishers.
The Judges commented: ‘Our shortlist was achieved by the judges’ instinctive reaction to each book. The seven shortlisted novels, a mix of old hands and new voices, offer readers joy in the discovery of unusual subjects and times; appreciation of historical research and insight worn lightly and applied skilfully…
Five reasons we love Elizabeth and Zenobia by Jessica Miller
Elizabeth and Zenobia by Jessica Miller is one of the six books shortlisted for this year’s Readings Children’s Book Prize. Here are five reasons why we think it’s brilliant.
1. Avid readers (and teachers!) will delight in the clever ways this book pays tribute to other classic children’s stories.
Elizabeth and Zenobia is a multi-layered story that nods to a range of classic tales, including fairytales, mythology and beloved favourites such as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Secret Garden…
The CBCA Book of the Year Awards shortlists 2017
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) have announced their Book of the Year Awards shortlists for 2017. Congratulations to all the authors, illustrators, editors and publishers!
Here are the shortlists for each category.
Older Readers
Waer by Meg Caddy
Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon
Yellow by Megan Jacobson
Frankie by Shivaun Plozza
One Would Think the Deep by Claire Zorn
Younger Readers
Rockhopping by Trace Balla
Within These Walls by Robyn…
Our children's and YA top ten bestsellers of the week
Under the Love Umbrella by Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo
Frankie Fish and the Sonic Suitcase by Peter Helliar and Lesley Vamo
Florette by Anna Walker
Really Weird! (WeirDo Book 8) by Anh Do and Jules Faber
Grover Finds a Home (Grover McBane, Rescue Dog Book 1) by Claire Garth and Johannes Leak
A Most Magical Girl by Karen Foxlee
In My Heart by Jo Witek…
Our top ten bestsellers of the week
The Dry by Jane Harper
Gut by Giulia Enders (translated by David Shaw)
First We Make the Beast Beautiful by Sarah Wilson
They Cannot Take the Sky by Michael Green, Angelica Neville, André Dao, Dana Affleck and Sienna Merope
The Barefoot Investor by Scott Pape
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
Between a Wolf and a Dog by Georgia Blain
Insomniac City by Bill Hayes
Lion: A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley
Translation, children's books and John Nieuwenhuizen
Hawthorn bookseller Mike Shuttleworth reflects on translation, children’s books and the work of John Nieuwenhuizen.
In Australian young adult fiction circles, the name Agnes Nieuwenhuizen is quite well known. Agnes founded the Centre for Youth Literature in 1991, was awarded a Dromkeen Medal in 1994, created several guidebooks on teenage literature, and still writes book reviews for national publications today.
Perhaps less well known, her husband John Nieuwenhuizen is a distinguished translator of fiction from Holland and Belgium. Last week…
We test out recipes from the Monday Morning Cooking Club's new cookbook
Earlier this week we roadtested different recipes from Monday Morning Cooking Club’s new cookbook, It’s Always About the Food. We invited the sisterhood to come in and select the best one and were thrilled that three members of the club (Lisa Goldberg, Merelyn Chalmers and Natanya Eskin) obliged – coming all the way from Sydney.
Here are the results of our office cook-off…
Jan Lockwood made ‘Roasted Cauliflower and Pear Salad’ (pg. 78):
I chose this recipe as I’ve…
What we're reading: Ian McDonald, Cath Crowley and Sarah Bakewell
Each week we bring you a sample of the books we’re reading, the films and TV shows we’re watching, and the music we’re listening to.
Jan Lockwood is reading Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
I don’t normally read YA as there is already so much choice on adult shelves. But I was encouraged to try Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley by a colleague and I’m so glad I did. For me, this book is every bit…
An update from the Readings Foundation
The Readings Foundation assists Victorian organisations that support the development of literacy, community integration and the arts. Grants Officer Leanne Hall visited Banksia Gardens Community Services recently – one of the eleven projects being supported by the Foundation in 2017.
Banksia Gardens Community Services is an easy landmark to find in Broadmeadows because it is such an important and bustling community hub for so many people in the area. At the time of my visit, I just missed out on…
Heavy feelings, queer friendship and making comics
by Alice Chipkin & Jessica TavassoliAlice Chipkin and Jessica Tavassoli (or Tava) share the story behind their debut graphic memoir, Eyes Too Dry, which explores heavy feelings, queer friendship and the therapeutic possibilities of making comics.
Holding this book in its fully formed and thumbable state feels surreal. Mainly because this project started as a way for us to work through and reflect on 2015, a difficult period of time for both of us. In the thick of it we had struggled to find…
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