News

2021 Clayton's Night & 2020 Lelia St John Award

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 22:05:31 GMT

Traditionally, our Clayton's Night is held prior to the official CBCA Short List Announcement. This year is no exception!

The format may have changed but the spirit of the event lives on. Our panel of speakers will provide you with an amazing preview of the best children’s books published in Australia in 2020.

Zoom event on Wednesday, 17th March, 2021 starting at 4:30 p.m. Book your place now!

More information and booking from under our Events Tab.

Night of the Notables

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 04:37:58 GMT

Join us to celebrate the announcement of 2021 CBCA Book of the Year Notables List and hear from our special guest speakers, Jane Godwin, Leigh Hobbs & Bren MacDibble.

Tuesday, 23rd February, 2021 from 6:00 p.m. Further information under our Events Tab.

Welcome News

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 00:45:34 GMT

Books Illustrated have joined CBCA VIC Branch's Members' Benefits Program offering a 10% discount on purchases! Simply show your current membership card!

CBCA VIC Branch - YA Club

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 01:12:16 GMT

2nd YA Club book

The End of the World is Bigger than Love by Davina Bell.

17th November, 2020 from 6 p.m.

RSVP to the office - vic@cbca.org.au and a Zoom invite will be forwarded to you.

Another chance to discuss some of the great young adult literature available this year.

2020 Albert Ullin Award - WINNER

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 06:17:24 GMT

CBCA VIC Branch are delighted to announce the inaugural winner of the Albert Ullin Award is ANDREW MCLEAN!!!

A most worthy recipient and we congratulate him on this achievement.

To read a copy of Andrew's citation, head over to our Awards Tab.

2020 Albert Ullin Award - Invitation

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 03:14:00 GMT

Inaugural announcement of the Albert Ullin Award. This virtual event will be held on 19th October, 2020.

The Award will comprise of a framed certificate, together with a monetary prize of $10,000.

RSVP via email to vic@cbca.org.au

Online Presenting 101 - KIDS

Wed, 23 Sep 2020 05:56:20 GMT

Want to know the secret to making children's programming work online from three seasoned online presenters?

WHEN: Wednesday, 7th October, 2020

TIME: 4:00-5:00 p.m.

COST: FREE to all CBCA VIC Branch members; $10.00 for non-members

BOOK: Send an email to the office - vic@cbca.org.au - to register your attendence.

Further details click here

Call for CBCA Judges 2021 2023

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 06:09:49 GMT

Are you an avid reader and enjoy sharing and promoting great books for children and young people?

Now is the right time to apply to become a Judge for the CBCA Book of the Year Awards - closing date 30th October, 2020 - but you do need to be a financial member of this Branch to be eligible.

The official Application form and further information are available from the CBCA website.

Past judges often refer to this position as a personal and professional highlight!

Love YA?

Fri, 18 Sep 2020 05:54:00 GMT

With ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, Karys McEwen & Diana Kelly thought it would be a nice opportunity to get together (virtually!) and discuss some of the great young adult literature available this year. They would love any librarians, teachers, publishers, booksellers, creators, or other people who work with or enjoy young adult fiction to come along!

The first book will be Metal Fish, Falling Snow by Cath Moore.

13th October, 2020 from 6 p.m.

RSVP to the office - vic@cbca.org.au and a Zoom invite will be forwarded to you.

2020 CBCA Book of the Year Shortlist Announcement

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 22:46:00 GMT

The mysterious ‘Yahoo’, a compendium of weird and wonderful animals, and a day in the life of Birrarung (the Yarra River) are just some of the vivid characters and stories featured in the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Shortlist, announced on Tuesday 31st March 2020.

The 2020 CBCA Book of the Year received a record 517 entries and CBCA National Chair Professor Margot Hillel OAM said “the Shortlist paints a vibrant picture of Australia’s wildlife, history, people and Indigenous culture.”

“We have acclaimed Australian children’s authors Margaret Wild, Emily Rodda, Stephen Michael King, Anna Walker, Aunty Joy Murphy and Vikki Wakefield on the Shortlist, joined by first-time authors Helena Fox, Astrid Scholte and Sami Bayly,” Prof. Hillel said.

“Yahoo Creek brings an obscure and baffling part of Australian history to life using newspaper excerpts to describe encounters by European settlers with the enigmatic ‘yahoo’ or ‘yowie’, a solitary ape-like creature said to inhabit the bush along the Great Dividing Range.

“Some of the world’s most unusual and unattractive species are celebrated in The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Ugly Animals, a carefully researched and fascinating debut by natural history illustrator Sami Bayly.

“And Wilam: A Birrarung Story is a breathtakingly beautiful tribute to the Yarra River. As Birrarung meanders from the bush to the urban surrounds of the bay, we are taught the Woiwurrung language for its flourishing flora and fauna, which are captured by illustrator Lisa Kennedy in lush colour and detail.”

Notably, three of the six books in the CBCA Award for New Illustrator category are by Indigenous creators. The artwork within each is stunning and distinctive, depicting a smoking ceremony welcoming a baby to country, a day in the life of a little bird and a walk through Darug Country.

Prof. Hillel said: “Now, more than ever, our young people need relatable and inspiring characters and stories that uplift and entertain, bring them hope and help them to find a way through issues they face in their daily lives and in the wider world.”

“Several books on this year’s Shortlist explore confronting and challenging themes but the authors do so with skill and sensitivity and most importantly, with heart.”

The CBCA is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run organisation whose mission is to promote and advocate for the sharing of quality literature for young people across Australia. It showcases Australian creators and collaborates widely to foster a love of reading. Established in 1946, the CBCA Book of the Year Awards have become the most influential and highly respected in Australia and are presented in six categories: Older Readers, Younger Readers, Early Childhood, Picture Books, Eve Pownall Award and the CBCA Award for New Illustrator.

The winners of the 2020 CBCA Book of the Year Awards will be announced on August 21 – also the launch date for CBCA Book Week with this year’s theme ‘Curious Creatures, Wild Minds’.

For the full list of CBCA Book of the Year 2020 Shortlist please visit the CBCA website.

Clayton's Night 2020

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 22:42:00 GMT

Due to circumstances beyond our control, CBCA VIC Branch has unfortunately had to cancel our Clayton's Night celebrations on Tuesday 17^thMarch 2020 and apologise for any inconvenience caused.

All invoices will be cancelled and any credit card payments refunded. If you paid via direct credit (EFT), kindly advise the office of your banking details to facilitate your refund.

The evening’s handout, which includes the list of our guest speakers’ selections, will be sent to those who RSVPd via email.

Our official bookseller, The Kids’ Bookshop, is very happy to supply attendees with the books that were to be discussed, as well titles from the range of new (March/April) international and local books at 20% discount. For more information, please contact Graham at hello@thekidsbookshop.com.au

We look forward to seeing the CBCA Book of the Year Award’s shortlist announcement on Tuesday 31^st March, 2020. It will be released on the National CBCA website at noon AEDT (www.cbca.org.au).

Thank you for your continued support of CBCA VIC Branch.

2020 CBCA Book of the Year Awards - Notables List

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 22:38:00 GMT

The Notables Lists for the 2020 CBCA Book of the Year Awards were announced at 7pm on Tuesday 25th February. Congratulations to all the creators that were longlisted! Please click here to download the full list.

Night of the Notables 2020

Mon, 03 Feb 2020 10:02:00 GMT

Our Night of the Notables will be held from 6pm - 8pm on Tues 25 Feb at the David Williamson Theatre, Prahran.

The guest speakers are Libbi Gorr, Meredith Costain & Alex Miles.

Members: $10 / Non-members: $25

Booking forms and more information available here.

Maurice Saxby Creative Development Program

Mon, 25 Nov 2019 09:00:00 GMT

CBCA VIC Branch's Maurice Saxby Creative Development Program is offering emerging children’s and young adult writers and/or illustrators a two-week mentorship in Melbourne from 17th August – 2nd September in 2020.

Applicants are invited to submit one the following:

up to three children’s picture book texts (with or without illustrations);
one only younger reader manuscript;
one only Young Adult manuscript;
an illustration folio – in a pdf file or photocopies.

Submissions must be accompanied by a covering letter stating reasons for applying and a CV including contact details.

Send via email to: Helen Chamberlin (Acting Coordinator, Maurice Saxby Creative Development Program) at helenchamberlin@tpg.com.au or mail to Helen Chamberlin at 4/238 The Avenue, Parkville, VIC 3052.

ENTRIES CLOSE 31st January 2020
WINNERS ANNOUNCED 30th April 2020

CBCA MIDDLE GRADE FICTION PANEL

Thu, 22 Mar 2018 22:31:00 GMT

Join CBCA Vic on Wed 28 Mar 2018 at 6:30pm at Readings Hawthorn — 701 Glenferrie Rd, Hawthorn, Victoria, 3122 — to celebrate the shortlist announcement of the 2018 Book of the Year awards!

More information on the fantastic panel, as well as access to our middle grade fiction resources, can be found here.

The White Stuff for Reading

Wed, 04 Oct 2017 10:47:00 GMT

The a2 Milk Company and Victorian Branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia spread the word with 30 Book Boxes around the state.

See more information under the 'Resources' section of our webpage.