'Between' is a poetic, artistic picture book for all ages. It evokes the imaginative, the intangible, the profound… My interview with #AnnaWalker about #Between' at #paperbarkwords blog (link in bio). #AnnaWalker #Scribblepublisher #annawalkerbooks #KEANandCreative #australianpicturebooks

Rachel Perkins lunch and interview about her new book #theaustralianwars with #HelenPitt at #bushrestaurant #bush #rachelperkins #bushredfern #redfernrestaurant #australiannativefoodsydney #grantlawn #nativesandinvasivesfood #allenandunwin #sustainablesydneyrestaurant #sydneymorningherald

Hear from illustrious #drbellealderman about the farsighted, vital work of the #nationalcentreforaustralianchildrensliterature in #magpiesmagazine Read the complete interview in the November issue. #ncacl #australianchildrensbooks #bobgraham #childrensliteraturearchives #ibbyaustralia #rarebooks

My November #magpiesmagazine editorial about #australianchildrensliterature talks about building community engagement with children’s books. One way is through newsletters, including substacks. Here’s an extract with shoutouts to #karysmcewen #katrinagermein #cassypolimeni #lizledden & others

#ThePeachKing by #IngaSimpson illustrated by #TannyaHarricks is a contemporary fable about the resilience of nature in #picturebook form. Enjoy our interview at #PaperbarkWords blog (ink in bio) #HachetteAustralia #LothianChildrensBooks #thepeachking

Sophia Whitfield (who writes the story of Ava Spark as Alex Field) shares the deeply loving life of her son Luke, who had cerebral palsy. Read at #PaperbarkWords blog (link in bio) @newfrontierpublishing #avaspark #avasparkhelloimhere #sophiawhitfield #alexfield #joannabartel #cerebralpalsyaustralia

The NEW #BfK is here, packed with interviews, articles, news, comment and #childrensbooks reviews. Weekend reading sorted! #KidLit #KidLitUK #BookSky booksforkeeps.co.uk/issue/bfk-27...

Reflecting upon William Robinson's incredible career, which rethought the Australian landscape genre.

"another triumph of Australian speculative fiction ... Davis builds out his weird premises slowly, bringing the reader along into a shocking but somehow believable alternate future." Robert Goodman reviews Rhett Davis's novel Arborescence: newtownreviewofbooks.com.au/rhett-davis-... #BookSky 💙 📚

Inside The CBCA 2025 Shortlist & Winners paperbarkwords.blog/2025/03/25/i... #InsidetheCBCAWinners at #paperbarkwords blog Congratulations to these amazing winners and all the shortlisted creators and publishers. Thanks to #cbcaustralia #insidethe2025cbcashortlist #bookweek2025 #CBCAwinners

'The Great Undoing' by Sharlene Allsopp is a groundbreaking novel. Winner of the #qldliteraryawards 2024 Fiction award & shortlisted for the #People'sChoice award. My interview with Sharlene is at #paperbarkwords blog (link in bio) #sharleneallsopp #ultimopress #thegreatundoing

So many big smiles at the ‘Desert Tracks’ launch on Saturday! 😁 Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate Marly and Linda Wells, with Joanna Brooke guiding a beautiful conversation. Magabala Director Lenka Vanderboom also attended. 📸 Grace Auld Photography

The MEAA, AWG, APRA and more say the Productivity Commission's AI suggestions will legitimise theft.

Your guide to the best new fiction to read in Australia in August 2025.

ICYMI this week's reviews: Linda Godfrey on Suzanne Do's debut novel The Golden Sister Braham Dabscheck on sociologist Simon James Copland's The Male Complaint Lucy Sussex on Ben Peek's novella The Red Labyrinth newtownreviewofbooks.com.au #AustralianWriters #BookReviews #BookSky 💙📚

The Enchantment of Golden Eagle by Margaret Wild & Stephen Michael King My interview with book legend #MargaretWild about her new #australianpicturebook illustrated by #stephenmichaelking #TheEnchantmentofGoldenEagle at #paperbarkwords blog (link in bio) @allenandunwin.bsky.social

The Foal in the Wire by Robbie Coburn #HachetteAustralia Finding a Wounded Foal by Robbie Coburn for #JoyinBooks at #paperbarkWords blog (link in bio) #robbiecoburn writes beautifully about his verse novel #thefoalinthewire #loveozya #australianversenovel #versenovel #YAversenovel

This Bird: Noticing Our Urban Birds by Astred Hicks, with Holly Parsons @csiropublishing Guest author post by author-illustrator and freelance book designer extraordinaire @astredhicksdesigncherry about her new book #ThisBird for #JoyinBooks at #PaperbarkWords blog (link in bio)

Joy Lawn Freelance book reviewer & book judge Interview with the #YKNR team: #megandaley#AllisonTait & #AllisonRushby with #JoyLawn #JoyinBooks at #paperbarkwords blog (link in bio) #yourkidsnextread #kean.and.creative #affirmpress #yknr

Congratulations to #sianglu who has won the #milesfranklinliteraryaward for his superlative novel #GhostCities It was first shortlisted for the 2024 #QLAadultfictionaward & #qldpeopleschoiceaward when I was panel chair. Ghost Cities is an ingenious celebration of books, art and their creators. #UQP

Burgers back at #Bush Taste amazing. Sustainable venison. #bushsydney #bushredfern #seaurchinspaghetti #sydneyrestaurant #sydneynativefood #redfernrestaurant

Penny Tangey shares her new novel Music Camp about young musicians and #climatecrisis Great @loveozmg read. Read more at #paperbarkwords blog (link in bio) @uqpbooks @pennytangey #musiccampbook

#AggieFleaStealstheShow written by #taniaingram illustrated by #AYi is shortlisted for the #2025CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers. My interview with Tania is at #paperbarkwords blog (link in bio) #insidethecbcashortlist #insidethe2025cbcashortlist #bookweek2025 #scholasticaustralia

Karys McEwen #karyswrites not only writes amazing books, such as #thepaperbarktreecommittee but has an informed substack newsletter #ireadalot Her piece for #paperbarkwords blog is about #therightbookfortherightreader #loveozmg #textpublishing

'A Wreck of Seabirds' is #karleahOlson 's fine YA debut. Shortlisted #CBCA2025 Interview at #paperbarkwords blog #AWreckofSeabirds #fremantlepress #australiancoastalgothic #insidethecbcashortlist #insidethe2025cbcashortlist #bookweek2025 #cbcaustralia #LoveOzYA

'All the Ways to Pray' picture book for young children. Interviews with #KathleenKelly & #anneyryan at #paperbarkwords blog (link in bio) #wilddogbooks #AlltheWaystoPray #australianpicturebook

One Little Dung Beetle by Rhiân Williams, ill. Heather Potter & Mark Jackson paperbarkwords.blog/2025/07/18/o... #OneLittleDungBeetle by #rhianwilliams ill. #heatherpotter #markjackson is shortlisted for the #2025CBCA Interviews #paperbarkwords blog #wilddogbooks #insidethecbcashortlist

Pleased to be asked to write a post for Paperbark Books by the great @joyinbooks.bsky.social Naturally, I chose to bring up my most favourite topic/least favourite thing - fossil fuel sponsorship! paperbarkwords.blog/2025/07/13/m...

Internationally acclaimed illustrator #GusGordon has created his first #graphicnovel #IntotheBewilderness A must read. See our interviews at #paperbarkwords blog (link in bio) & #magpiesmagazine #HardieGrant

It's been great to be around and about speaking (& writing) about the #cbcashortlist #WeLiveinaBus by #DavePetzold is generating lots of interest and is very popular with children. Our interview at #paperbarkwords blog (link in bio) #Thames&Hudson #insidethecbcashortlist #insidethe2025cbcashortlist

Fluff: Mess Up! is a #cbcaustralia 2025 shortlisted book. Interview with the amazing #mattstanton at #paperbarkwords blog (link in bio) #insidetheshortlist #insidethecbcashortlist #insidethe2025cbcashortlist #harperkidsau #bookweek2025 #fluffmessup #funnykidseries #bookweek #CBCA

#howtomoveazoo is a picture book that tells the true story of Jessie the elephant who walked from Moore Park to #tarongazoo It is shortlisted in the #cbca2025 awards. Read what book creators #ksimpsonbooks & #owenswan have to say about Jessie and the book at #paperbarkwords blog (link in bio)

Honoured to interview legend #emilyrodda about her new fantasy trilogy (3 books in one) #landovel and other books for children and teens at #paperbarkwords blog (link in bio) #allenandunwin #harperkidsau #scholastic_au #deltoraquest #keytorondo #hisnamewaswalter #bestkeptsecretbook #somethingspecial

Hannah Kent has followed up her ground-breaking novel #burialrites with a memoir #alwayshomealwayshomesick that tells more. My review is at #artshub @macmillanaus @hannahkentwrites #paperbarkwordsblog #joyinbooks #memoir

#theloverandthedumbwaiter at #ensembletheatre is worth seeing. 2 one-act plays by #HaroldPinter My review at #artshub #thedumbwaiter

#howtosurvive1985 by #teganbennettdaylight is the hotly awaited sequel to #royals My interview with this multifaceted, awarded author is at #paperbarkwords blog (link in bio) #simonschusterau #loveozya #timeslipnovel #genznovel #1985novel #socialculturalhistory #narnia #thefarawaytree

40 Years of Magpies magazine and how our children’s literature has changed in that time. My feature article, with insights from many of our experts in the field, in the March issue of #magpiesmagazine #40yearsofchildrensliterature #australianchildrensliterature #australianchildrensbooks #NCACL #IBBY

#NewIllustrationOfTheDay by Thai-American Tull Sawannakit from his graphic novel/picturebook Higher Ground, the story of a devastating flood and two children surviving on a rooftop with their wise grandmother. This image shows pages of their record-keeping notebook. New Frontier Publishing, 10 April

#Biggirlsdontcry at #BelvoirSt is worth seeing. Playwright and lead Dalara Williams is luminous, Stephanie Somerville surprises, Megan Wilding is a dynamo. Important issues and a new #redfernspeech My review at #artshub

We're really keen to yarn with creatives about bringing Blak stories to life through animation. Magabala Books is exploring opportunities to adapt First Nations books in exciting new ways, so if you're a First Nations animator email Skye at [email protected] 📚

'Bloom' the musical is hilarious - and raises important truths about intergenerational relationships and caring for the elderly with respect and kindness. (My review at ArtsHub) #sydneytheatrecompany #Bloom #TomGleisner #australianmusicaltheatre @artshub.bsky.social

Inside The CBCA 2025 Shortlist paperbarkwords.blog/2025/03/25/i... #Insidethe2025CBCAShortlist The CBCA shortlist has been announced. 6 incredible categories. Congratulations to all involved. Interviews & more about the books by #joyinbooks at #paperbarkwords blog #cbcaustralia #cbca (link in bio)

In news so beyond thrilling I can barely string a fancy sentence together about it, THUNDERHEAD MIGHT BE COMING TO THE BIG SCREEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In her new novel #100yearsofbetty Debra Oswald has written an engaging social history, a vast saga told on an intimate canvas. It will be fascinating to speak with her at #wordsatwagstaffe this Saturday. Close to sold out. #wordsonthewaves #allenandunwin #debraoswald @debraoswaldoz

Insightful, generous interview by #AndreaGoldsmith about her compelling new novel #Theburiedlife at #paperbarkwords blog (link in bio) #transitloungepublishing #australianliteraryfiction #books

Judith Rossell’s sumptuous middle-fiction novel, #TheMidwatch evokes the gothic feel of her #StellaMontgomery series. It's a ideal gift, & has application in schools. Read our interview at #PaperbarkWords blog (link in bio). #hardiegrantkids #chren_kali #loveozmg #illustratednovel #judithrossell

Hadestown Through music, song and dance a talented, diverse cast brought us into the light and dark of Greek myth.Thrilling, intelligent songs and performance with layered ideas and contemporary messages makes it a must-see #Hadestownau #orpheusandeurydice #persephoneandhades #operaaustralia

My interview with the amazing #MegRosoff about #AlmostNothingHappened and some of her other novels at #PaperbarkWords blog (link in bio). #bloomsburypublishing #davinabell #HowILiveNownovel #YAawardedauthor

Australia has a world-first Verse Novel Resource at the National Centre for Australian Children's LIterature Inc. The resource features Australian Verse Novels for Young Adults, & Verse Novels for Younger Readers. sway.office.com/s/2SoONOemm8... sway.office.com/s/pmf07sBufF...

Now (still) in paperback! Try #TheWorldsWeLeaveBehind, by me and #LeviPinfold. A strange and shadowy kids book for our times, puzzling over revenge/justice/forgiveness in the dark woods of ethics. An other-people's-shoes machine, with the creepiest art I know. I like it, you/your kids might too...