Best Australian Children's Books 2011

The Midnight Zoo, a novel by Sonya Hartnett due out here next month, took the top honors in the "older readers" category when the Children's Book Council of Australia announced its 2011 books of the year last Friday. The Eve Pownall nonfiction award went to Ursula Dubosarsky's Return of the Word Spy, illustrated by Tohby Riddle. Jeannie Baker's Mirror, also published to acclaim here in the States, was one of two picture books of the year. For all the winners and honorees, click on the above link.

Comments

[JudiJ]

Thanks so much for the coverage. If I could just add that Mirror was joint winner of the Picture Book category with a graphic novel adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet, by Nicki Greenberg. The judges felt that both books were inseparable. There were two other categories: Younger Readers, which was won by Isobelle Carmody for The Red Wind, the first book in a new fantasy trilogy for that age group, and the Early Childhood winner was Maudie and Bear, a collaboration between Jan Ormerod, and Kate Greenaway-winning illustrator, Freya Blackwood. The Return of the Word Spy was illustrated by Tohby (not Tony) Riddle. I was fortunate enough to one of this year's judges and have coverage of all the books on my blog (using the tags is the best way to go).

[Susan T.]

Thank you for the additional information and corrections. I appreciate it! I always enjoy hearing about these awards, and have "discovered" some good books from the lists over the years.