21st Century 

Learning Space

Library News

CHILDREN’S BOOK COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA (CBCA)

In the last newsletter we had a look at the nominations for the Picture Book of the Year for this year’s Children’s Book Awards. The awards are Australia’s most prestigious children’s literature awards. 

Lets take a look at the next two sections of the awards. The six nominations for the Eve Pownall Award for Information Books are:

A is for Australian Reefs by Franc Lessac

An alphabet book full of interesting facts about Australian sea creatures and reefs. I’d never heard of Irukandji which are the smallest and one of the most dangerous jellyfish in Australian coastal waters and reefs. It’s tentacles resemble a string of pearls but they can be deadly. This book is beautifully presented and answers some of the more obscure questions about animals that live in the sea. 

Amazing Animal Journeys by Jennifer Cossins

Jennifer Cossins looks at twenty five different animal and bird migrations explaining the extraordinary feats they undertake to survive. From Wildebeest and Humpback Whales to the Bogong Moth, the Andean flamingo and Zebras. There is a good variety of animals and birds depicted. The book also looks at conservation and the changing environments that effect the animals migration patterns and how global warming through floods, storms and bushfires is affecting these animals.

Come Together: Things Every Aussie Kid Should Know About the First Peoples by Isaiah Firebrace

Musician Isaiah Firebrace grew up on the banks of the Murry River. In this book he helps us understand topics from an Aboriginal perspective such as caring for the land, the importance of Elders, the dreaming stories, ceremonies, songlines, and dot paintings to name a few of the twenty subjects covered in this book. The blurb says that “the more we can all learn about each other, the better we can understand each other and live together in harmony.”

Deep: Delve into Hidden Worlds by Jess McGeachin

You are never too old to learn! I really enjoyed this deep dive into the hidden worlds beneath our feet! A world full of trillons of miniscule atoms in our body, or creatures found in our oceans. There is always something new to know and treasures to find, by exploring new places and heading into space, going underground or looking within. This is my pick for the gold award winner!

Opal and Dart by Vianne Brian

This is a lovely narrative non fiction story about migrating swallows who travel from Queensland to Tasmania every year. We ride along with Opal and Dart as they navigate the hardships and the dangers along the way. How these tiny birds survive is remarkable. 

Wild Australian Life by Leonard Cronin

The eye-catching illustrations and page headings captivate the reader from the start. Perilous Predators, Fabulous Frogs, Thorny Devil, Dinosaur Bird and Deadly Venomous to name a few. The headings draw you to the content, diagrams and facts and you will discover a lot about Australia’s remarkable creatures.

The six nominations for the The Book of the Year: Early Childhood Section are:

Bev and Kev by Katrina Germein

Bev and Kev is beautifully illustrated. Mandy Foot has captured Bev the giraffe’s expressions extremely well and by doing so has added more meaning to the story. Bev is in search of a new place “a place that feels right, day and night.” She is also looking for a friend and feeling at her lowest when suddenly Kev appears! Kindness and hope win the day.

Jigsaw: A Puzzle in the Post by Bob Graham

Whenever I see Bob Graham’s name on a book I know it's going to be a good one! I really enjoyed the story, about a jigsaw piece that goes missing (the last one needed to complete the puzzle) and the turn of events in how the family go about finding it. What are the chances you’ll find one little piece of the puzzle? This is all about the details, perspective, mystery and hidden visual secrets that made me smile! I hope this book is the gold award winner! I loved it. 

Lionel and Me by Corinne Fenton

This lovely story is about friendship and being left out when something new comes along. Maverick’s life was perfect until Lionel arrives. Can two dogs fit into one family? Can they tolerate each other and find friendship along the way?

Market Day by Carrie Gallasch

Colourful and vibrant. Market Day is exciting. A girl is given some money to spend at the City Market. There is so much to choose from that she hesitates until the last minute when a stranger gives her something without expecting anything in return. Now she knows what to do with her coin.

Snap! By Anne Walker

The blurb on this book says that it’s a “soundscape adventure.” The story is told by words you might hear in the forest: tap tap, splash, drip drop drip… frog is listening and the sounds finish with the full orchestra! Clap, clap, clap! Simple fun for very young readers.

Where the Lyrebird Lives by Bikki Conley

On reading this book I remembered doing the same thing – taking the family for a walk in the forest and trying to find a Lyrebird. The fact that Lyrebirds can mimic noises including other birds and animals makes this an exciting journey. It’s always rewarding to find what you are looking for. 

The Australian shortlisted books make great reading. They are all waiting to be explored, discussed, shared with others and read. If you ever see a book with the CBCA book award logo take another look at it, as they can be some of the best books published in Australia especially for Australian children.

Let’s get “wild about reading!” 

Jackie Hicks

21st Century Learning Space Manager