YABBAs, KOALAs and Krocs Shortlist

Alice-Miranda in China is on the shortlists!

As you all know, children’s literacy and the importance of getting all children reading is a particular passion of mine.  This is one of the reasons why, the awards which allow, encourage and motivate children to choose which books and writers inspire them to read, are very close to my heart.

I was delighted and honoured to find out that Alice-Miranda in China has been shortlisted for these 2017 Reading and Enjoying Australian Literature (REAL) Awards, which provides the shortlist for the following children’s choice awards; New South Wales (KOALA’s), Victoria (YABBA’s)and the Northern Territory (KROC’s). I am humbled to be in the company of some of the leading lights of Australian children’s literature (many, who also happen to be great friends); I am also inspired by the depth of talent and passion that Australian children’s writers and the children themselves clearly have for reading.

If you would like your school to participate in the awards process (voting will take place very soon), please talk to your librarian or teacher. The links to the award websites are here:

KOALAs

YABBAs

Congratulations to everyone on the shortlists.

Picture storybooks

• Circle (Jeannie Baker, Walker Books)
• Do Not Open This Book (Andy Lee, illus by Heath McKenzie, Lake Press)
• Fire (Jackie French, illus by Bruce Whatley, Scholastic)
• Lilli-Pilli’s Sister (Anna Branford & Linda Catchlove, Walker Books)
• Mr Chicken Arriva a Roma (Leigh Hobbs, A&U)
• Mr Huff (Anna Walker, Viking)
• Pig the Winner (Aaron Blabey, Scholastic)
• Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas (Aaron Blabey, Scholastic)
• The Fabulous Friend Machine (Nick Bland, Scholastic)
• What Do They Do with All The Poo from All The Animals at the Zoo? (Anh Do, illus by Laura Wood, Scholastic)

Fiction for younger readers

• Alice Miranda in China (Jacqueline Harvey, Random House)
• Billie B Brown: The Bad Butterfly (Sally Rippin, illus by Aki Fukuoka, HGE)
• EJ Spy School: Puppy Alert (Susannah McFarlane, illus by Dyani Stagg, Lemonfizz Media)
• Ella And Olivia: The Christmas Surprise (Yvette Poshoglian, illus by Danielle McDonald, Scholastic)
• Ella Diaries: Friendship S.O.S (Meredith Costain, illus by Danielle McDonald, Scholastic)
• Hotdog! (Anh Do, illus by Dan McGuiness, Scholastic)
• The Bad Guys Episode 2: Mission Unpluckable (Aaron Blabey, Scholastic)
• The Gateway: Midnight Mercenary (Cereberus Jones, illus by Craig Phillips, HGE)
• WeirDo: Mega Weird! (Anh Do, illus by Jules Faber, Scholastic)
• You Choose: Alien Invaders from beyond the Stars (George Ivanoff, Random House)

Fiction for older readers

• Exploding Endings: Painted Dogs and Doom Cakes (Tim Harris, Harbour Publishing)
• Grimsdon (Deborah Abela, Random House)
• Keeper of the Crystals: Eve and the Last Dragon (Jess Black, illus by Celeste Hulme, New Frontier)
• My Dead Bunny (Sigi Cohen, illus by James Foley, Walker Books)
• Our Australian Girl: Nellie’s Quest (Penny Matthews, illus by Lucia Masciullo, Puffin)
• Our Australian Girl: Rose in Bloom (Sherryl Clark, illus by Lucia Masciullo, Puffin)
• The 78-Storey Treehouse (Andy Griffiths, illus by Terry Denton, Pan)
• The Impossible Quest: Escape from Wolfhaven Castle (Kate Forsyth, Scholastic)
• The Ivory Rose (Belinda Murrell, Random House)
• The Other Christy (Oliver Phommavanh, Puffin)

Fiction for years 7-9

• Carnage (Michael Adams, Scholastic)
• Cry Blue Murder (Kim Kane & Marion Roberts, UQP)
• Every Breath (Ellie Marney, A&U)
• Freedom Ride (Sue Lawson, Walker Books)
• Laurinda (Alice Pung, Black Inc.)
• One True Thing (Nicole Hayes, Woolshed Press)
• Pennies for Hitler (Jackie French, HarperCollins)
• Risk (Fleur Ferris, Random House)
• The First Third (Will Kostakis, Penguin)
• Through My Eyes: Naveed (John Heffernan, ed by Lyn White, A&U).