Cat with a murky history takes author to prestigious children's book prize
With lovely illustrations by Danny Snell, the story traces a cat who befriends a truck driver and its subsequent adventures, exploring ideas of migration, belonging and home.
Frenkel is 'pretty overwhelmed' with the award, saying she grew up loving books with the CBCA signature medal on the covers.
The 40-year-old mother of two says her day job as a copywriter in an advertising agency has helped hone her ability to write concisely. She pays credit to the illustrations by Snell, saying he has an incredible ability to draw emotion into his pictures. The two have another book coming out next year.
In the Younger Readers category, Maryam Master won for Laughter is the Best Ending. The powerful Always Was, Always Will Be - by Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson - won the highly respected Eve Pownell award and is one of two indigenous category winners, while the new illustrator award went to Brisbane illustrator Sarah Capon, who specialises in creating intricate layered-paper illustrations, for Grow Big, Little Seed.
Young adult author Gary Lonesborough has won the older readers category for I'm Not Really Here. A heartwarming debut from Darwin tradie Darren McCullum, with award-winning illustrator Craig Smith, The Wobbly Bike, has won the Early Childhood Category.
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The CBCA Book of the Year Awards are divided into six categories: Early Childhood, Younger Readers, Older Readers, Picture Book of the Year, New Illustrator and the Eve Pownall Award.
This year 730 entries were assessed by 15 judges, showcasing 730 books, representing 121 publishers, 555 writers and 368 illustrators. This year marks the council's 80th anniversary.
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West Australian
4 days ago
- West Australian
KATE EMERY: Faffing about with Book Week costumes is worth the pay-off of getting kids excited to read
Parents have lots of reasons to complain. Book Week is not one of them. By all means bemoan the fact that parenthood starts with one person pushing a bowling ball out of their bathing suit area or that bedtime is proof of what Albert Einstein suggested in his theory of relativity: the existence of a new time dimension where everything slows to a crawl. Just don't whinge about the existence of an annual celebration of books, stories and reading — especially not when our kids are facing a reading crisis. But the costumes! No. But it's just another burden on working parents! No. But my kid wants to go as Elsa from Frozen every year and every year I cave in and have to explain to judgmental parents and teachers that, actually, there are a number of Frozen book spin-offs so technically the costume is fine. No (but I feel your pain). In a school year crammed with marathon assemblies, ill-timed parental morning teas and school bags overflowing with drawings and craft projects that must be discreetly disposed of under cover of darkness, Book Week is one 'burden' that should be welcomed every year. This isn't because I particularly enjoy trying to convince my six-year-old that those op-shop pants, when teamed with this ladies green jacket, absolutely makes her look like Wolf Girl and not a member of the Artful Dodger's street gang with access to a Witchery chain. It's because Book Week is designed to get kids excited about books in a world that is increasingly geared towards dopamine-spiking screens and 20 second videos to cater for the modern attention span. Is that not worth a bit of faff with the tin of orange hairspray required to turn my eight-year-old into the Flame Princess from the Adventure Time graphic novels? Book Week can be as hard or half-arsed as you care to make it. Is your time really so precious that you can't afford to get up five minutes early to draw a zig-zag scar on your kid's forehead and call it a day? This year marks 80 years of Book Week, which is the work of the Children's Book Council of Australia. The CBCA's mission statement, when it was established in 1945 was partly about promoting Australian stories, at a time when most Aussie kids grew up reading about white Christmases, English boarding schools and trying to figure out what the heck spotted dick was anyway, and partly about encouraging a love of reading. Raising a kid who loves to read isn't just good for them academically, although kids who read regularly not only perform better in reading tests but in general intelligence tests. One study suggested that children who read daily improve their school marks as much as though they had studied for an extra three months. Reading is also shown to improve kids' social skills, empathy, mental health and happiness. It's also just fun. The statistics on kids reading for pleasure are bleaker than the plot of Wolf Girl (if you know, you know). Between 2018 and 2022 the percentage of Australian kids reading books for fun fell from 79 per cent to 72 per cent (71 per cent in WA). This should be no surprise to anyone, given screens' colonisation of childhood. A still-forming brain, faced with the choice between brightly-coloured moving images on a screen that promises no-effort entertainment and words on a page they have to read that might not get good until Lucy finally gets through that wardrobe doesn't have much of a choice. Turning kids into readers isn't just the responsibility of schools — parents need to do more. I've banged this drum before but it's a tune that bears repeating: if your kid isn't reading for pleasure it's probably your fault. Let your kid see you reading books for fun, take them to the library or bookshop and let them choose what they like and limit their access to screens. And when your child comes home and tells you they need a Book Week costume, instead of putting another pin in the voodoo doll of your school principal, feign some excitement, invest in a hot glue gun and try to smile.
The Advertiser
7 days ago
- The Advertiser
Darwin tradie's Wobbly Bike debut wins kid's book prize
A Darwin tradie has won a prestigious literary award for a picture book inspired by his daughter's efforts to ride a bike. Darren McCallum makes a living as a house painter, and his first book The Wobbly Bike has won the early childhood category at the Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards. The father of two says he has long dreamed of publishing a story, and remembers seeing the silver and gold book of the year stickers in the library as a kid. "When I was growing up and going to the library, and I found a book with one of these special awards, I would pick it up and think 'Wow, this must be really good book'," he said. "To think I've written a book with one of those stickers on it is surreal and awesome." The awards have been announced at the National Library of Australia in Canberra on Friday, as the Children's Book Council celebrates its 80th anniversary, along with Children's Book Week which starts Saturday. Illustrated by Craig Smith, The Wobbly Bike was inspired by McCallum's daughter Summer, who at the age of three started calling her bicycle "wobbly bike" when her parents removed the training wheels. The book was developed through a Northern Territory writing workshop named Octopus, and it has been some years in the making - Summer is now 15. The Wobbly Bike encourages kids to be kind and inclusive, and to never give up. It stars grandparents among the characters, partly because families rely on grandparents more than ever, according to McCallum. The book also shows off the beauty and multiculturalism of suburban Darwin, with Indigenous children included in the tale under the guidance of Larrakia elder Richie Fejo. It's a multi-layered tale that shows anyone can write a story, says McCallum: "You don't have to be the smartest kid in the class, we all have imaginations, and we can use them." The judges assessed 730 books to find the winners, representing the work of 555 writers and 368 illustrators. About 4000 children also participated in the award's shadow judging initiative, choosing their favourites alongside the main awards. Both big and little judges agreed on The Truck Cat for picture book of the year, and Laughter is the Best Ending as the winner for younger readers. CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA BOOK OF THE YEAR WINNERS: * Older Readers - I'm Not Really Here, Gary Lonesborough * Younger Readers - Laughter is the Best Ending, Maryam Master, illustrated by Astred Hicks * Early Childhood - The Wobbly Bike, Darren McCallum, illustrated by Craig Smith * Picture Book - The Truck Cat, Danny Snell, illustrated by Deborah Frenkel * Eve Pownall Award - Always Was, Always Will Be, Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson A Darwin tradie has won a prestigious literary award for a picture book inspired by his daughter's efforts to ride a bike. Darren McCallum makes a living as a house painter, and his first book The Wobbly Bike has won the early childhood category at the Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards. The father of two says he has long dreamed of publishing a story, and remembers seeing the silver and gold book of the year stickers in the library as a kid. "When I was growing up and going to the library, and I found a book with one of these special awards, I would pick it up and think 'Wow, this must be really good book'," he said. "To think I've written a book with one of those stickers on it is surreal and awesome." The awards have been announced at the National Library of Australia in Canberra on Friday, as the Children's Book Council celebrates its 80th anniversary, along with Children's Book Week which starts Saturday. Illustrated by Craig Smith, The Wobbly Bike was inspired by McCallum's daughter Summer, who at the age of three started calling her bicycle "wobbly bike" when her parents removed the training wheels. The book was developed through a Northern Territory writing workshop named Octopus, and it has been some years in the making - Summer is now 15. The Wobbly Bike encourages kids to be kind and inclusive, and to never give up. It stars grandparents among the characters, partly because families rely on grandparents more than ever, according to McCallum. The book also shows off the beauty and multiculturalism of suburban Darwin, with Indigenous children included in the tale under the guidance of Larrakia elder Richie Fejo. It's a multi-layered tale that shows anyone can write a story, says McCallum: "You don't have to be the smartest kid in the class, we all have imaginations, and we can use them." The judges assessed 730 books to find the winners, representing the work of 555 writers and 368 illustrators. About 4000 children also participated in the award's shadow judging initiative, choosing their favourites alongside the main awards. Both big and little judges agreed on The Truck Cat for picture book of the year, and Laughter is the Best Ending as the winner for younger readers. CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA BOOK OF THE YEAR WINNERS: * Older Readers - I'm Not Really Here, Gary Lonesborough * Younger Readers - Laughter is the Best Ending, Maryam Master, illustrated by Astred Hicks * Early Childhood - The Wobbly Bike, Darren McCallum, illustrated by Craig Smith * Picture Book - The Truck Cat, Danny Snell, illustrated by Deborah Frenkel * Eve Pownall Award - Always Was, Always Will Be, Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson A Darwin tradie has won a prestigious literary award for a picture book inspired by his daughter's efforts to ride a bike. Darren McCallum makes a living as a house painter, and his first book The Wobbly Bike has won the early childhood category at the Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards. The father of two says he has long dreamed of publishing a story, and remembers seeing the silver and gold book of the year stickers in the library as a kid. "When I was growing up and going to the library, and I found a book with one of these special awards, I would pick it up and think 'Wow, this must be really good book'," he said. "To think I've written a book with one of those stickers on it is surreal and awesome." The awards have been announced at the National Library of Australia in Canberra on Friday, as the Children's Book Council celebrates its 80th anniversary, along with Children's Book Week which starts Saturday. Illustrated by Craig Smith, The Wobbly Bike was inspired by McCallum's daughter Summer, who at the age of three started calling her bicycle "wobbly bike" when her parents removed the training wheels. The book was developed through a Northern Territory writing workshop named Octopus, and it has been some years in the making - Summer is now 15. The Wobbly Bike encourages kids to be kind and inclusive, and to never give up. It stars grandparents among the characters, partly because families rely on grandparents more than ever, according to McCallum. The book also shows off the beauty and multiculturalism of suburban Darwin, with Indigenous children included in the tale under the guidance of Larrakia elder Richie Fejo. It's a multi-layered tale that shows anyone can write a story, says McCallum: "You don't have to be the smartest kid in the class, we all have imaginations, and we can use them." The judges assessed 730 books to find the winners, representing the work of 555 writers and 368 illustrators. About 4000 children also participated in the award's shadow judging initiative, choosing their favourites alongside the main awards. Both big and little judges agreed on The Truck Cat for picture book of the year, and Laughter is the Best Ending as the winner for younger readers. CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA BOOK OF THE YEAR WINNERS: * Older Readers - I'm Not Really Here, Gary Lonesborough * Younger Readers - Laughter is the Best Ending, Maryam Master, illustrated by Astred Hicks * Early Childhood - The Wobbly Bike, Darren McCallum, illustrated by Craig Smith * Picture Book - The Truck Cat, Danny Snell, illustrated by Deborah Frenkel * Eve Pownall Award - Always Was, Always Will Be, Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson A Darwin tradie has won a prestigious literary award for a picture book inspired by his daughter's efforts to ride a bike. Darren McCallum makes a living as a house painter, and his first book The Wobbly Bike has won the early childhood category at the Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards. The father of two says he has long dreamed of publishing a story, and remembers seeing the silver and gold book of the year stickers in the library as a kid. "When I was growing up and going to the library, and I found a book with one of these special awards, I would pick it up and think 'Wow, this must be really good book'," he said. "To think I've written a book with one of those stickers on it is surreal and awesome." The awards have been announced at the National Library of Australia in Canberra on Friday, as the Children's Book Council celebrates its 80th anniversary, along with Children's Book Week which starts Saturday. Illustrated by Craig Smith, The Wobbly Bike was inspired by McCallum's daughter Summer, who at the age of three started calling her bicycle "wobbly bike" when her parents removed the training wheels. The book was developed through a Northern Territory writing workshop named Octopus, and it has been some years in the making - Summer is now 15. The Wobbly Bike encourages kids to be kind and inclusive, and to never give up. It stars grandparents among the characters, partly because families rely on grandparents more than ever, according to McCallum. The book also shows off the beauty and multiculturalism of suburban Darwin, with Indigenous children included in the tale under the guidance of Larrakia elder Richie Fejo. It's a multi-layered tale that shows anyone can write a story, says McCallum: "You don't have to be the smartest kid in the class, we all have imaginations, and we can use them." The judges assessed 730 books to find the winners, representing the work of 555 writers and 368 illustrators. About 4000 children also participated in the award's shadow judging initiative, choosing their favourites alongside the main awards. Both big and little judges agreed on The Truck Cat for picture book of the year, and Laughter is the Best Ending as the winner for younger readers. CHILDREN'S BOOK COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA BOOK OF THE YEAR WINNERS: * Older Readers - I'm Not Really Here, Gary Lonesborough * Younger Readers - Laughter is the Best Ending, Maryam Master, illustrated by Astred Hicks * Early Childhood - The Wobbly Bike, Darren McCallum, illustrated by Craig Smith * Picture Book - The Truck Cat, Danny Snell, illustrated by Deborah Frenkel * Eve Pownall Award - Always Was, Always Will Be, Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson
Sydney Morning Herald
7 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Cat with a murky history takes author to prestigious children's book prize
A cat with a murky history appeared at author Deborah Frenkel's door a few years ago, inspiring her book, The Truck Cat, which has won the Children's Book Council of Australia outstanding Picture Book of the Year. With lovely illustrations by Danny Snell, the story traces a cat who befriends a truck driver and its subsequent adventures, exploring ideas of migration, belonging and home. Frenkel is 'pretty overwhelmed' with the award, saying she grew up loving books with the CBCA signature medal on the covers. The 40-year-old mother of two says her day job as a copywriter in an advertising agency has helped hone her ability to write concisely. She pays credit to the illustrations by Snell, saying he has an incredible ability to draw emotion into his pictures. The two have another book coming out next year. In the Younger Readers category, Maryam Master won for Laughter is the Best Ending. The powerful Always Was, Always Will Be - by Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson - won the highly respected Eve Pownell award and is one of two indigenous category winners, while the new illustrator award went to Brisbane illustrator Sarah Capon, who specialises in creating intricate layered-paper illustrations, for Grow Big, Little Seed. Young adult author Gary Lonesborough has won the older readers category for I'm Not Really Here. A heartwarming debut from Darwin tradie Darren McCullum, with award-winning illustrator Craig Smith, The Wobbly Bike, has won the Early Childhood Category. Loading The CBCA Book of the Year Awards are divided into six categories: Early Childhood, Younger Readers, Older Readers, Picture Book of the Year, New Illustrator and the Eve Pownall Award. This year 730 entries were assessed by 15 judges, showcasing 730 books, representing 121 publishers, 555 writers and 368 illustrators. This year marks the council's 80th anniversary.
