I have just added nine new reviews to Aussiereviews. Click on the links to read them.

Enjoy!

Picture Book Review: Ned Kelly and the Green Sash, by Mark Greenwood Reviewed by Sally Murphy

A wonderful historical picture book.

Book Review: The Marriage Club, by Kate Legge Reviewed by Sally Murphy

No one really knows what goes on inside a marriage.

Children's Book Review: Summer Days, by Lenny Pelling Reviewed by Sally Murphy

First in the pen-pals forever series.

Children's Book Review: The Complete Adventures of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, by May Gibbs Reviewed by Sally Murphy

Including Little Ragged Blossom and Little Obelia.

Children's Book Review: One Perfect Pirouette, by Sherryl Clark Reviewed by Sally Murphy

Following your dreams can be hard.

Nonfiction Book Review: Tasmania's Convicts, by Alison Alexander Reviewed by Sally Murphy

How felons built a free society.

Children's Book Review: The Hunt for Ned Kelly, by Sophie Masson Reviewed by Sally Murphy

Part of the My Australian Story series.

Picture Book Review: Baby Wombat's Week, by Jackie French Reviewed by Sally Murphy

Sequel to Diary of a Wombat.

Children's Book Review: Chess Nuts, by Julia Lawrinson Reviewed by Sally Murphy

The game is set to change.

It's been a while - in fact I didn't post a single new review in June - although I was busy reading wonderful books and even writing reviews. But, because I had such a busy month I didn't actually get the reviews posted.

So, last night I remedied that by posting 22 new reviews on the Aussiereviews site, some by myself and others by fellow reviewer Claire Saxby. You can read the reviews by clicking on the links below. Enjoy - I'll be posting more soon.

Children's Book Review: Saving Pandas, by Dr Carla Litchfield Reviewed by Claire Saxby
Hello Panda!
Children's Book Review: Girls Only, by Kerrie Hess Reviewed by Claire Saxby
How to plan a party.
Children's Book Review: Esty's Gold, by Mary Arrigan Reviewed by Claire Saxby
From Ireland to the Goldfields.
YA Book Review: Fury, by Shirley Marr Reviewed by Claire Saxby
What lies beneath the gloss?
Children's Book Review: Crooked Mick, by Dave Luckett Reviewed by Claire Saxby
Aussie Tall Tales.
Children's Book Review: Pearlie in Central Park, by Wendy Harmer Reviewed by Claire Saxby
Pearlie's in New York.
Children's Book Review: Who Wants to Be a Billionaire, by Colin Thompson Reviewed by Claire Saxby
Book 9 in The Floods series.
Children's Book Review: Alice-Miranda at School, by Jacqueline Harvey Reviewed by Claire Saxby
First in a new series.
Children's Book Review: Slowcoach Turtle, by Kyle Mewburn Reviewed by Claire Saxby
Pop Hooper is in town!
YA Book Review: Somme Mud, by Private Edward Lynch Reviewed by Claire Saxby
One man’s experience of war.
Picture Book Review: I Love My Mum, by Anna Walker Reviewed by Claire Saxby
Ollie B is back.
YA Book Review: Finding Freia Lockhart, by Aimee Said Reviewed by Claire Saxby
How (not) to be a successful teenager.
YA Book Review: After January, by Nick Earls Reviewed by Claire Saxby
What happens when school is over?
Picture Book Review: The Wonky Donkey, by Craig Smith Reviewed by Sally Murphy
APRA Children's Song of the Year, 2008.
Children's Book Review: Conspiracy 365 - February, by Gabrielle Lord Reviewed by Sally Murphy
The second in this action-packed series.
Picture Book Review: Hunting for Dragons, by Bruce Whatley Reviewed by Sally Murphy
Dragons are everywhere.
Book Review: Below the Styx, by Michael Meehan Reviewed by Sally Murphy
A complex read.
Picture Book Review: My Country, by Dorothea Mackellar & Andrew McLean Reviewed by Sally Murphy
A lovely gift.
Picture Book Review: Zoobots, by Bruce Whatley & Ben Smith Whatley Reviewed by Sally Murphy
Crazy creatures.
Nonfiction Book Review: Looking for Lionel, by Sharon Snir Reviewed by Sally Murphy
How I lost and found my mother through dementia.
Children's Book Review: Hot and Cold Reviewed by Sally Murphy
The first in the EJ12 Girl Hero series.
YA Book Review: Solace & Grief, by Foz Meadows Reviewed by Sally Murphy
The Rare Book One.

What a busy month it has been at Aussiereviews. We have added twenty new reviews over the past week, so if you are a looking for a great read, click on the following links.   Picture Book Review:The Little Yellow Digger and The Bones, by Betty & Alan Gilderdale Under the landslide. Children's Book Review: Camelot, by Colin Thompson A new series.  Children's Book Review: Scratch Kitten and the Ghost Ship, by Jessica Green A new adventure.     Children'sBook Review:The Tsunami Book, by Dr Gill Jolly More than a tidal wave.
Picture Book Review: Pirate Peter and the Pig, by Simon Grant A pet for a pirate.  Children's Book Review: Pilot & Huxley and the Holiday Portal, by Dan McGuiness Pilot and Huxley are back!   Picture Book Review: Papa's Little Penguin, by Anna Pignataro For Fathers' Day.  Children's Book Review: Nanny Piggins and the Runaway Lion, by R. A. Spratt New Nanny Piggins adventures.  Young Adult Book Review: The Wrath of the Silver Wolf, by Simon Higgins A new Moonshadow adventure.  Children's Book Review: How to Draw Mythical Creatures, by Marc McBride Create your own characters.  Picture Book Review: Fairies, by Alison Maloney All abouut fairies.  Picture Book Review: Bear and Chook by the Sea, by Lisa Shanahan A new Bear and Chook adventure.  Children's Book Review: Battlefield, by Alan Tucker One boy's war.  Children's Book Review: Aussie Legends, by Tom Baddley Some famous Australians. YA Book Review: Dancing in the Dark, by Robyn Bavati An absorbing tale about following your dreams.  Book Review: Blood Moon, by Garry Disher A wonderful crime fiction offering.  Children's Book Review: Style Files, by Amanda Nicholls The first in the Totally Stylin' series.  Cook Book Review: The AWW Cooking School Learning to cook Step-by-Step. Picture Book Review: Itsy-Bitsy Babies, by Margaret Wild & Jan Ormerod Ideal for cuddle time.  Picture Book Review: Wibbly Wobbly Street, by Trudie Trewin Whimsy and fun on every page.  Children's Book Review: Duck for a Day, by Meg McKinlay A novel to love. Thanks for dropping by!

I added seven new reviews to the Aussiereviews website last night. As always, there's a bit of a mix, including picture books, children's, YA, adult fiction and nonfiction. Click on the links to see the reviews,

Picture Book: Gina the Dancing Queen, by Marisa Alo
Feel the rhythm.
Picture Book: Delilah's Dream, by Ian Trevaskis & Janine Dawson
Very cute.
YA: About a Girl, by Joanne Horniman
Beautiful.
Children's: The Land of Dragonay, by Sally Morgan and Ambelin, Blaze & Ezekiel Kwaymullina
Stopwatch Book 3.
Fiction: Torn Apart, by Peter Corris
New in the Cliff Hardy series.
Fiction: What Kate Did Next, by Lisa Heidke
It's time for Kate to follow her dreams.
Nonfiction: Max Your Marks, by Rowena Austin & Annie Hastwell
Tips from top students on how to conquer year 12.

The shortlists for the NSW Premier's Literary Awards were announced today. They are as follows (with links to any titles which have been reviewed on Aussiereviews). I love awards season :)

The Christina Stead Prize for Fiction

 

•Summertime by J.M. Coetzee

 •Wanting by Richard Flanagan

 •The World Beneath by Cate Kennedy

 •88 Lines about 44 Women by Steven Lang

 •Ransom by David Malouf

 •Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey

  

Douglas Stewart Prize for Non-Fiction

 

•The Water Dreamers: The remarkable history of our dry continent by Dr Michael Cathcart

 •Churchill and Australia by Graham Freudenberg

 •Piano Lessons by Dr Anna Goldsworthy

 •The Wolf by Richard Guilliatt and Peter Hohnen

 •Kill Khalid by Paul McGeough

 •Up from the Mission: Selected Writings by Noel Pearson

 

Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry

 

•The Sonnet According to 'M' by Jordie Albiston

 •The Darwin Poems by Emily Ballou

 •Storm and Honey by Judith Beveridge

 •The Striped World by Emma Jones

 •White Camel by Morgan Yasbincek

 

Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature

 

•Hollywood Ending by Kathy Charles

 •Worldshaker by Richard Harland

 •Liar by Justine Larbalestier

 •A Small Free Kiss in the Dark by Glenda Millard

 •Vulture's Gate by Kirsty Murray

 •When the Hipchicks Went to War by Pamela Rushby

 

Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children's Literature

 

•Krakatoa Lighthouse by Allan Baillie

 •Grace by Morris Gleitzman

 •Alive in the Death Zone by Lincoln Hall

 •The Billionaire's Curse by Richard Newsome

 •The Hero of Little Street by Gregory Rogers

 •Harry and Hopper by Margaret Wild and Freya Blackwood

 

Community Relations Commission Award

 

•Leave to Remain: A Memoir by Dr Abbas El Zein

 •Reclaiming Patriotism: Nation-Building for Australian Progressives by Dr Tim Soutphommasane

 

UTS Glenda Adams Award for New Writing

 

•Things We Didn't See Coming by Steven Amsterdam

 •Hollywood Ending by Kathy Charles

 •Document Z by Andrew Coome

 •Siddon Rock by Glenda Guest

 •Little White Slips by Karen Hitchcock

 •The Ice Age by Kirsten Reed

 

Script Writing Award

 

•Bright Star by Jane Campion

 •East West 101: Episode 13 by Kristen Dunphy and Michael Miller

 •Mary and Max by Adam Elliot

 •Tangle: Episode 1, Yellow Amendments by Fiona Seres

 •Fairweather Man by Aviva Ziegler and Veronica Fury

 •Samson and Delilah by Warwick Thornton

 

NSW Premier's Prize for Literary Scholarship

 

•Robert Louis Stevenson in the Pacific: Travel, Empire and the Author's Profession by Dr Roslyn Jolly
•Networked Language by Professor Philip Mead
•Literary Activists: Writer-intellectuals and Australian Public Life by Dr Brigid Rooney

Winners in each category will be announced on May 17.  NSW Residents are also invited to vote in the People's Choice award. you can also read the judges' comments about each of the shortlisted titles on the awards website.

CBCA Awards Shortlist, 2010

Those of you who know me and/or follow this blog might know that I am both an author and a book reviewer. Usually, I manage to keep the two things separate, but today I'm not sure it's possible. See, normally, when the CBCA Awards shortlist is announced, I would share the list or a link to it here for your pleasure.

But today, as well as sharing the list with you, I  also want tos hare my absolute delight that for the first time in 30 books - I'm ON THE SHORTLIST  (excuse my yelling. I'm a little excited).

So, resuming normal programming, today the shortlist for the CBCA Chidlren's Book of the Year Awards has been announced, and is as follows:

Book of the Year: Older Readers


These books are for mature readers.

CHRISTOPHER, Lucy Stolen (Chicken House)

CLARKE, Judith The Winds of Heaven (Allen & Unwin)

LARBALESTIER, Justine Liar (Allen & Unwin)

METZENTHEN, David Jarvis 24 (Penguin Group Australia)

MILLARD, Glenda A Small Free Kiss in the Dark (Allen & Unwin)

TANGEY, Penny Loving Richard Feynman (University of Queensland Press)


Book of the Year: Younger Readers

Intended for independent younger readers.

FENSHAM, Elizabeth Matty Forever (University of Queensland Press)

HIRSCH, Odo Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool (Allen & Unwin)

LESTER, Alison Running with the Horses (Viking, Penguin GroupAustralia)

MCINTOSH, Fiona The Whisperer  (Angus & Robertson,HarperCollinsPublishers)

MURPHY, Sally Illus. POTTER, Heather  Pearl Verses the World (Walker Books)
STORER, Jen Tensy Farlow and the Home for Mislaid Children (Viking, Penguin Group Australia)


Book of the Year: Early Childhood

Intended for children in the pre-reading to early reading stages.

BLAND, Nick The Wrong Book (Scholastic Australia)

BOOTH, Christina Kip (Windy Hollow Books)

DUBOSARSKY, Ursula  Illus. JOYNER, Andrew The Terrible Plop (Viking, Penguin Group Australia)

GLEESON, Libby Illus. BLACKWOOD, Freya Clancy & Millie and the Very Fine House (Little Hare )
SHANAHAN, Lisa Illus. QUAY, Emma Bear & Chook by the Sea Lothian (Children’s Books, Hachett)

THOMPSON, Colin  Illus. DAVIS, Sarah Fearless ABC Books (HarperCollinsPublishers)


Picture Book of the Year

Intended for an audience ranging from birth to 18 years. (Some books may be for mature readers).

COOL, Rebecca  Text: MILLARD, Glenda  Isabella’s Garden (Walker Books)

DANALIS, Stella Text: DANALIS, John  Schumann the Shoeman (University of Queensland Press)

HARVEY, Roland To the Top End: Our Trip Across Australia (Allen & Unwin)

HOBBS, Leigh Mr Chicken Goes to Paris (Allen & Unwin)
OLIVER, Narelle Fox and Fine Feathers (Omnibus Books, Scholastic Australia)

ROGERS, Gregory The Hero of Little Street (Allen & Unwin)


Eve Pownall Award for Information Books

Intended for an audience ranging from birth to 18 years. (Some books may be for mature readers).

CLODE, Danielle Prehistoric Giants: The Megafauna of Australia  (Museum Victoria)

M is for Mates: Animals in Wartime from Ajax to Zep Department of Veterans’ Affairs in association with the Australian War Memorial

MACINNIS, Peter  Australian Backyard Explorer National Library of Australia

PATRICK, Tanya Illus: HUTCHESON, Nicholas  Polar Eyes: A Journey to Antarctica CSIRO

REEDER, Stephanie Owen Lost! A True Tale from the Bush (National Library of Australia)

YALATA & OAK COMMUNITIES with  MATTINGLEY, Christobel Maralinga: The Anangu Story Allen & Unwin


Where a book has been reviewed on Aussiereviews I have linked to  that review. Congratulations to all authors, illustrators and publishers with books on the list. The winners will be announced in August, in time for Children's Book Week.

It's been a busy month on Aussiereviews, with twenty two new reviews added. You can clcik on the links to check out the ones you're interested in:

Nonfiction Book Review: Great Moments in Australian History, by Jonathan King

Accessible history.

Children's Book Review: Jaguar Warrior, by Sandy Fussell
Brilliant.

YA Book Review: The Devil You Know, by Leonie Norrington
Set in Australia’s Northern Territory.

Picture Book Review: It's a Jungle in Here, by Steve Wide
The jungle is everywhere.

Young Adult Book Review: After, by Sue Lawson
Gripping.

Young Adult Book Review: Surf Ache, by Gerry Bobsien
Ever been surfing?

Children's Book Review: Horse Mad Whispers, by Kathy Helidoniotis
Title 7 in Horse Mad series.

Children's Book Review: A Belt Around My Bum, by Martin Chatterton
A new Willy Waggledagger adventure.

Children's Book Review: Send Simon Savage, by Stephen Measday
An adventure in time.

Children's Book Review: Edie Amelia and the Monkey Shoe Mystery, by Sophie Lee
Edie Amelia is an unusual girl.

Children's Book Review: Dragon Blood Pirates Series Three, by Dan Jerris
Arrrrr!

Children's Book Review: Big Book of Verse for Aussie Kids, edited by Jim Haynes
A wonderful collection.

Picture Book Review: Sarah's Heavy Heart, by Peter Carnavas
Gorgeous.

Picture Book Review: Schumann the Shoeman, by John & Stella Danalis
A beautifully wrought fable.

YA Book Review: Hostage, by Karen Tayleur
A fast-paced journey.

Picture Book Review: Hairy Maclary, Shoo, by Lynley Dodd
The invincible Hairy Maclary is back.

Picture Book Review: Possum and Wattle, by Bronwyn Bancroft
A visual delight.

Book Review: Lovesong, by Alex Miller
Beautiful.

YA Book Review: Genius Wars, by Catherine Jinks
The conclusion to the Genius trilogy.

Book Review: Manhattan Dreaming, by Anita Heiss
Chick-lit at its best.

Book Review: The Children's Writer, by Gary Crew
What happens to those caught up in a writer's world?

Book Review: Come Back to Me, by Sara Foster

A wonderful debut novel.