WA Branch Newsletter
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Dear Members,

Unprecedented times call for creative measures since traditional methods are no longer an option so I hope you enjoyed viewing the CBCA 2020 Book of the Year Shortlist announcement on YouTube on 31 March and am sure you will join me in congratulating all the authors, illustrators and publishers featured there. If you missed it or wish to revisit the wonderful Shortlist announcement, the video will remain on the CBCA webpage and YouTube at this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8oijqBrq8w



We are particularly proud of our WA creators on the Shortlist – Meg McKinlay for Catch a Falling Star in the Younger Readers category and Karen Blair for When Billy was a Dog (written by Kristy Murray) in the Early Childhood category. We also applaud Magabala Books for their strong showing especially in the CBCA Award for New Illustrator. I gather that Bren MacDibble has recently settled in WA so, whilst it may be too soon to claim her as one of our own, we welcome her and certainly celebrate her place on the Shortlist; indeed, we congratulate everyone listed there and in the Notables 2020. https://cbca.org.au/news/announcing-the-cbca-2020-shortlist

Given the increasing restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 situation the CBCA Board has taken the tough but necessary decision to suspend business as usual:

CBCA Book of the Year Awards and CBCA Book Week 2020: The date for both these events - the Awards announcement and CBCA Book Week 2020 - will be postponed until term 4 at a date to be decided. 
This will apply in 2020 only, recognising the exceptional circumstances of the pandemic.
The decision was made on the basis that:

• These two events go hand-in-hand;
• CBCA Book Week relies for its success on students and families gathering together in classrooms, libraries and other community spaces;
• Creators, some of whom rely for much of their income on speaking, can be supported in their speaking tours during CBCA Book Week;

As the return to school will be marked with financial and social disruption, the CBCA can work proactively to support branches, schools and libraries to deliver CBCA Book Week as a very bright and exciting feature of the term.

CBCA Book Week Merchandise: The merchandise season will be postponed until a date aligning with the new CBCA Book Week. The eStore will not open and merchandise distribution will be held off until then.
 
CBCA CONFERENCE 2021: Given that the projected financial impact of the pandemic could extend until late 2021, the conference will be postponed.

With the majority of us now in social isolation I applaud the many creators who are being extra kind and generous in sharing their work, reading aloud on YouTube, posting ideas on social media and offering online workshops and tutorials. Many creators have already had their livelihoods threatened by the cancellation of public appearances such as school and festival visits so please be aware of the copyright implications if you were planning anything similar and read the guidelines from publishers later in this newsletter.

Briony Stewart has started an initiative called #BookCharactersUnite, Jen Jackson is running a Paper Bird Books Home Club with authors/illustrators live streaming via YouTube and many bookstores are offering home delivery so you need never run out of reading material. SLWA and the public libraries are closed temporarily but they still offer many services online. Check their websites and Facebook pages regularly for updates.

This is a Muriel Barwell Award year and what a perfect antidote to the current gloom and doom it would be to acknowledge someone who has made a significant contribution to Children’s Literature.  Please consider nominating a worthy friend or colleague for this award. Applications close on 30 June. More details further in this newsletter.

A Night with our Stars, our 17^th event, was a huge success and we were so fortunate that it was able to go ahead as planned. It was a massive team effort by the WA Branch committee assisted by some special friends and family members and the atmosphere was warm, friendly and celebratory. It was such a shame to have to cancel our inaugural Afternoon Tea with our Stars as Jan Pocock and Beth Herbert had put heart and soul into planning it and we were so looking forward to a southwest event.

As you would be aware, we have cancelled the WA Branch AGM which was scheduled for 23 April and are looking into alternatives including the possibility of holding the meeting as a Zoom teleconference. In line with our Constitution members will be notified at least 21 days ahead of the proposed new AGM date. The Judges' Talks scheduled for 23/24 May have also been postponed and no future dates will be set at this stage. You can access the Judges’ Critiques in the members only section of the national CBCA website. Please respect the fact that this information is for CBCA Members only and do not share the login details.
Username: mycbca
Password: &cbca2020

Many of our official supporting WA Branch bookstores are offering home delivery as well as their usual excellent service so please continue to support them by purchasing your books there. You can phone or contact them online.

I look forward to being able to see you all at a CBCA WA Branch event once the COVID-19 crisis is over and wish you and your families good health and good reading at this challenging time.

Very best wishes,



Jan Nicholls
CBCA WA Branch President

As you are aware, the National Board has announced that CBCA Book Week will be postponed until Term 4 at a date still to be determined. CBCA WA has confirmed funding from Healthway, and is awaiting confirmation of funding from the Department of Local Government, Sports and Cultural Industries (DLGSCI) for CBCA Book Week 2020.
Healthway is giving a 6-month extension on funded planned events, which should enable us to provide small grants to libraries to conduct their CBCA Book Week events in Term 4. 
Thank you to those libraries that have submitted their EOIs.  In light of the current circumstances we are still taking EOIs and have extended the deadline to Friday 8 May 2020.  
As soon as DLGCCI confirm funding arrangements we shall notify libraries accordingly. Thank you for your patience and understanding in these unprecedented circumstances.
If you have any questions please send an email marked ATT: CBCA BOOK WEEK 2020 GRANTS in the subject line to wa@cbca.org.au
Keep well and safe, 

Nola Allen and Mary Gimondo
Grants and Regional Centres Subcommittee

This was our 17th event and we were delighted that it was able to go ahead as planned. Here is some lovely feedback from a first-time attendee followed by some of the ANWOS stars:

To the Children`s Book Council WA Branch.  I want to thank you for organising a very interesting and enjoyable evening on the 13^th March.  The chance to listen to and watch children’s and young adult authors and illustrators talk about the process of creating a new work of fiction to entertain and educate children and young people and indeed see their skills and personalities  on display was a wonderful and new experience for me.  I certainly hope to be able to attend again next year.
Jan Connor

Getting to meet teachers and librarians who were planning to share I Would Dangle the Moon with their students was the highlight of my first ANWOS - thanks to CBCA WA for giving authors and illustrators the opportunity to connect with these amazing advocates for reading! 
Amber Moffat

I had a wonderful time speaking at my first ANWOS! It was like going to an ice cream shop and getting to sample all the yummy author and illustrator flavours WA has to offer. I also got to meet so many wonderful book lovers, librarians and teachers who support the local author community. A great event - thank you!  
Gavin Aung Than

Thanks so much for Friday night. I've been before, in the audience, but it still didn't prepare me for the level of support shown to me as a debut author. The room was filled with goodwill and a love of books, and that was perfect!
HM Waugh

Biggest thanks for having me, Jan, and congrats on such a successful night! 
Holden Sheppard
 
For first-timer Katie Stewart who was quite nervous ANWOS was ‘the intersection of dreams and nightmares!’ When asked if we could quote her she replied “Haha, that has to be the first time I've ever said anything anyone thought worth quoting! I really did enjoy the night, by the way, in between panic attacks!”
 
It was so nice to be invited to ANWOS, Jan even though I was as nervous as hell:) Thanks to you and everyone else for all of your work. I really appreciate that we are all in this industry to help the kids become well informed, creative and imaginative human beings.
Mike Speechley

Curious Creatures, Wild Minds
 
As soon as the new date of CBCA Book Week is announced we will plan an event to celebrate and hope that you can all join us.
 
 

How it Feels to Float
by Helena Fox
Dial Books

Winner of the Victorian Premier's Literary Awards Prize for Writing for Young Adults 'Every now and then you pick up a novel and you know you've found something wonderful - a glorious voice, a character you adore. Helena Fox's novel delivers. It is exquisite. Read it.' Cath Crowley

Deep Water
by Sarah Epstein
Allen & Unwin

Sarah Epstein’s first book, Small Spaces, was a CBCA 2019 Book of the Year: Older Readers Honour Book.

 

 

DID YOU KNOW? Heather Rose, author of Museum of Modern Love and Bruny, writes books for children with her friend Danielle Wood under the pen name Anjelica Banks. There are three books in the Tuesday McGillycuddy Adventure series by Anjelica Banks for younger readers: Finding Serendipity, A Week Without Tuesday and Blueberry Pancakes Forever.
 
Gail Spiers
 

Tony is a renowned Australian author, academic, activist and radio presenter who speaks regularly at writer’s festivals. He has received many accolades for his authorship. His book Ghost River won the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Indigenous Writing, Blood was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award and in 2017 he was awarded the Patrick White Literary Award. He presented at UWA as a guest for Literature & Ideas, part of the Festival of Perth. In a Q&A session his powerful novel The White Girl, published in 2019 through University of Queensland Press was discussed. Set in 1960’s rural Australia in a fictional town called Deane it is the story of those who lived on the fringes and were subjected to government regulations of removal of Aboriginal children from their families.
Odette Brown is the memorable matriarch, who for some time avoids the authorities and protects her granddaughter Sissy. However, when a new overzealous policeman arrives in the town, Odette has to make life changing decisions, take huge risks and fight to keep Sissy.

Tony spoke with empathy for and understanding of his characters. His strong background in the humanities was evident. He explained that his mixed heritage of Aboriginal, Irish, West Indian and Indian has assisted in giving him deep cultural understandings. Growing up around Fitzroy in working class Melbourne in the 1960’s – 1970’s also contributed to what he terms “real life”. Tony is politically active in the areas of Climate Change and Native Title.

It was a great pleasure to meet Tony after his presentation to plan sessions on behalf of the school where I teach. He will be working online with Year 12 English students at the School of Isolated and Distance Education who are studying The White Girl in term 2. This is part of the school’s Author Online program.

Liz Allen

PLEASE JOIN THE BEAR HUNT! 

Inspired by the classic book We’re going on a bear hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury, children and families in Australia and around the world have placed toy bears in street-facing windows to help alleviate COVID-19 boredom.

Sadly, according to press reports Former UK Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen is unwell, having spent time in intensive care recently.

If you wish to participate in the bear hunt please share your photos to our Facebook page here.

https://www.kidsnews.com.au/humanities/were-going-on-a-bear-hunt-were-going-to-catch-a-big-one-what-a-beautiful-day-were-not-scared/news-story/a732ccf7b65b9ff80fd2bfb418cf2f34

Nadia L King, WA author of Jenna’s Truth and short stories for adults has published her first picture book. It was launched at the recently renovated Subiaco Library on 24 February. A range of ages were in attendance from 3 years up with families, teachers, librarians and many of Nadia’s SCBWI WA colleagues present. CBCA WA President Jan Nicholls, resplendent in her cape, shared some insights into . . .changing the world . . . with the younger of the audience participants on the floor at the front of the gathering. Jan launched the book with great aplomb and Nadia read the story accompanied by a power point.
In a rather quirky anecdote, Nadia explained the author/illustrator connection. Nadia, who is originally from Ireland and now lives in Perth actually wrote the text whilst in New Zealand and illustrator Alisa Knatko, who is Russian was in St Petersburg when she did the illustrations and is now back living in Moscow. Nadia has yet to meet her. Claire Malone is a little girl with big ideas who plans to and eventually succeeds in making a difference in her local community. She will be a great role model for our girls and boys.
The launch included drinks and nibbles with lots of pizza varieties, fruit juices and to finish the evening special Claire Malone cupcakes. Nadia signed many copies and we wish her well with Claire Malone, who wakes up at 4.30am every day, reads 20 online newspapers and magazines before breakfast and knows everything that goes on in the world!

Liz Allen

What Colour is the Sea?
by Katie Stewart
Published by
Fremantle Press

As a member of the Avon Valley Writers Group which meets weekly at the Northam Library, I was treated to a wonderful event, generously arranged by the library and opened by Kim Colbourne, Library Manager and Cate Sutherland, Children’s Editor at Fremantle Press.
 
There was no doubt that the one thing everyone was waiting for was the arrival of the special guest – Kiera the Koala. Kiera, a resident at the WestOz Wildlife Centre had slept all the way from Perth and was full of energy – as much energy as a Koala can muster – to entertain the crowd. As she sat in her ‘tree’ chomping happily on the provided gum leaves, many took the opportunity to have a photo with her, while her keeper answered questions. All in all, a great afternoon!

Katie Stewart

 

Katie Stewart’s debut picture book What Colour is the Sea? is a delightful story about a koala asking a question and receiving a variety of different answers from the other animals in the bush.

Katie first came up with the story as a child and it has stuck in her mind ever since. A library full of friends helped her celebrate finally bringing it into colourful, stylish reality at an afternoon tea function. The cutest koala biscuits were served and to the delight of everyone, a live koala was an extra special guest complete with its own afternoon tea snack of fresh gum leaves. The kids who arrived for koala craft activities after the speeches were almost as enthralled as the smitten adults.   
Anyone considering a book launch can now forget the old adage about never working with children or animals.  Having a cute Australian animal in attendance is now a great recipe for a successful launch!

Norman Jorgensen

Bedtime Daddy
Book Launch
by Sharon Giltrow and
Katrin Dreiling
2.00pm
21 June
Paper Bird
42 Henry Street
Fremantle

Libby Hathorn and Lisa Hathorn-Jarman
Illustrated by Mel Pearce
No! Never!
Hachette
April 2020

Maureen Jipyiliya Nampijinpa O'Keefe and Christina Booth
Mum's Elephant
Magabala Books
April 2020

Helen Milroy
Willy-willy Wagtail
Magabala Books
April 2020

Helen Milroy
Backyard Birds
Fremantle Press
April 2020

Kamsani Bin Salleh
What do you call a baby...?
Magabala Books
May 2020

Sharon Giltrow and Katrin Dreiling
Bedtime Daddy
EK Books
May 2020

Aunty Fay Muir & Sue Lawson
Illustrated by Lisa Kennedy
Respect
Magabala Books
May 2020

Elaine Forrestal
Goldfields Girl
Fremantle Press
May 2020

Child Education Services
96 Royal Street, East Perth WA 6004
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48 Prince Street, Busselton WA 6280
T: (08) 9754 4410