The Children's Book Council of Australia ACT Branch recognises the outstanding contributions made to children's literature in the ACT of the following people:
Belle Alderman OAM
Julie Long
Lynne Babbage
Reverand John Tyrrell
Charlotte Zolotow Award
Congratulations to Bob Graham, winner of the 2009 Charlotte Zolotow Award in recognition for outstanding writing in a picture book published in the U.S., for How to Heal a Broken Wing.
This award is named in honor of the work of the distinguished children's book editor and author Charlotte Zolotow.
Australia Day Honours
Congratualtions to June Valerie Smith for her service to the promotion of children's literature, particularly through the Children's Book Council of Australia, and as a supporter of emerging authors and illustrators.
Congratulations to Jack Heath, winner of the ACT Young Australian of the Year 2009, and science fiction author. Jack Heath wrote his first novel when he was just 13 years old and by 18 he had a publishing contract. He has since published a further two books, one of which was shortlisted for the Aurealis Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. As an internationally published author Jack inspires other students interested in writing and generously shares his knowledge with them. He recently toured schools during Book Week and encourages other young people to follow their literary dreams. He believes his own success was partly due to timing. When his first novel was released most fiction for early-to-mid teens was issues based. But Jack wanted to write purely entertaining books that kids his age, particularly boys, would want to read, so he started writing about 'robots and explosions.' The idea first came to him when he was studying the human genome project in his Year 7 science class and he believes it was a success because 'I was a kid when I was writing it so the things I was looking for were the same things many other teenage readers were looking for.' Jack's fourth book is soon to be released, and in the highly competitive world of publishing he offers a positive example for all those young would-be writers.
International Awards and Medals
Many awards and medals have been announced over the Australian summer. To see a full list of the hounours, please click here.
Printz Award
Congratulations to Melina Marchetta, winner of the 2009 Printz Award in Denver, Colorado, for On the Jellico Road
Congratulations to Margo Lanagan, who was shortlised for her novel Tender Morsels
Aurealis Award
Congratulations to Melina Marchetta, for Finniken of the rock, winner of the Best Young Adult Novel.
Congratulations to Emily Rodda, for The Wizard of Rondo, winner of Best Children's Novel.
Congratulations to Richard Harland & Laura Peterson (illustrator) for Escape!, Under Siege, Race to the Ruins, The Heavy Crown, The Wolf Kingdom series, winner of Best Children's Illustrated Work/Picture Book
Dromkeen Librarian's Award
Congratulations to Ruth Jones, President of the Children's Book Council of Australia, Northern Territory Branch, winner of the 2008 Dromkeen Librarian's Award in recognition of a wonderful career spent bringing children and books together.
Queensland Premier's Literary Awards
Congratulations to Matt Ottley, winner of the 2008 Young Adult Book Award at the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards for Requim for a Beast
IBBY Australia Ena Noel Encouragement Award
Congratulations to Markus Zusak , winner of the 2008 Ena Noel Award.
One of the judges made the following comment: Zusak took a real risk by combining so many boundary-pushing literary devices in one text. He risked over-stretching himself, and losing his readership by sabotaging his characters, plot and themes with an over-promised and under-delivered text. The Book Thief is an example of the best in literature. It combines an author's willingness to take his writing to a new level, without just relying on pure talent. Zusak demonstrated his willingness to put in the time and effort needed to research and redraft until the text is as close to the best any text can be. The editors and publisher are also to be commended for lifting the bar. Perhaps what is the most notable is that Zusak is under 35, and The Book Thief has been written so early into his writing career. The Book Thief is a text most authors would be proud to have written. As a critic and observer I am quietly excited as I suspect the best is yet to come.
Zusak took a real risk by combining so many boundary-pushing literary devices in one text. He risked over-stretching himself, and losing his readership by sabotaging his characters, plot and themes with an over-promised and under-delivered text. The Book Thief is an example of the best in literature. It combines an author's willingness to take his writing to a new level, without just relying on pure talent. Zusak demonstrated his willingness to put in the time and effort needed to research and redraft until the text is as close to the best any text can be. The editors and publisher are also to be commended for lifting the bar. Perhaps what is the most notable is that Zusak is under 35, and The Book Thief has been written so early into his writing career. The Book Thief is a text most authors would be proud to have written. As a critic and observer I am quietly excited as I suspect the best is yet to come.
http://www.alia.org.au/~ibby/
Nan Chauncy Award
Congratulations to Margaret Wild , winner of the 2008 Nan Chauncy Award.
Congratulations to Margaret Hamilton AM, Steve Parish OAM, Carol O'Dell OAM and the Ipswich District Teacher-Librarian Network's Festival of Children's Literature for your Australia Day Honours.
The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award
Congratulations to Sonya Hartnett on receiving the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. The jury’s motivation is as follows:
“Sonya Hartnett (Australia) is one of the major forces for renewal in modern young adult fiction. With psychological depth and a concealed yet palpable anger, she depicts the circumstances of young people without avoiding the darker sides of life. She does so with linguistic virtuosity and a brilliant narrative technique; her works are a source of strength.” Press photographs and further information about the award winner can be found at the award website www.alma.se .
The Australia Day Honours list for 2007 saw Belle Alderman made a Member of the Order of Australia.
“For service to Australian children's literature as an academic, researcher and mentor to emerging writers and illustrators, to the development and management of the Lu Rees Archives of Australian Children's Literature and to professional associations.”