LIBRARY
AND THE WINNER IS...
In the last newsletter I listed and described the books that were shortlisted in the Children's Book Council of Australia, 'Book of the Year' awards.
Last Friday the winners were announced!!!
In the category of Book of the Year - Older Readers, the winner was Between Us by Clare Atkins. Between Us is the story of two teenagers separated by cultural differences, their parents expectations and twenty kilometres of barbed wire fence.
"Is it possible for two very different teenagers to fall in love despite high barbed-wire fences and a political wilderness between them? "
Clare Atkins is a Darwin based author and scriptwriter and Between Us is her second novel.
Her debut novel Nona and Me was also shortlisted in the 2015 CBCA awards and awarded as a CBCA Honour Book winner. Nona and Me tells the story of a friendship between Rosie who is white and Nona who is Aboriginal and the divisions that arise after a political announcement. Nona and Me is set in the Northern Territory, in the remote Arnhem Land communities of Nhulunbuy and Yirrkala.
HONOUR BOOKS
Small Spaces by Sarah Epstein and Lenny's Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee were both recognised as honour books in the category of Book of the Year - Older Readers.
Small Spaces has been described as a "deliciously creepy" young adult psychological thriller.
Lenny's Book of Everything has been described as "a book about finding good in the bad that will break your heart while raising your spirits in a way that only a classic novel can."
If you are interested in the work of Clare Atkins or any of the books discussed here follow the links below to find out more:
Between Us Q&A with Clare Atkins
Any student or staff member interested in reading any of these titles - please contact the library to borrow or place a reservation.
Follow this link to view all the award winners: 2019 Book of the Year Winner and Honour Books
LIBRARIES GOING STRONG
A few years ago, the future of libraries was in question with the advent of ebooks and Kindles and the extensive amount of resources available electronically. There is however, many examples of the longevity and love of libraries and commitment to reading and sharing books. I thought I would share a few.
Library Planet and Library tourism - Library Planet is an online project where library lovers profile the world's libraries and images of them. Libraries are some of the safest and welcoming places you can visit and there are many examples of striking architecture whether historical or contemporary. Locally, the State Library of Victoria's reading room is a popular site as is Geelong's new dome library.
Library in the Clouds - In 2008, a Boeing 727 was retired from service in Mexico and in 2018 it was reopened after being repurposed as a 21st century library. Since then countless students from preschool to university have visited the library to make use of its facilities.
Street Libraries - Communities across the world and right here in Australia are sharing their love of reading and building a sense of community by setting up free street libraries. It is essentially a box of books on the street where the public can take a book to read or contribute their own books to the street library.
Janene Watson
Resource Centre Manager