2013 REAL Awards shortlist announced
Scholastic Australia is proud to announce we have a selection of books that have made the REAL Awards shortlist
The shortlist for this year’s Reading & Enjoying Australian Literature (REAL) Awards, which acts as a shortlist for children’s choice book awards in the Australian Capital Territory (COOL Awards), New South Wales (KOALAs), the Northern Territory (KROC Awards) and Victoria (YABBA).
The shortlisted titles in each of the categories are:
Picture storybooks
- The Very Cranky Bear (Nick Bland, Scholastic Press)
Fiction for younger readers
- Bungawitta (Emily Rodda, Omnibus)
- EJ12: Pyramid Puzzle (Susannah McFarlane, Lemonfizz Media)
- The Golden Door (Emily Rodda, Omnibus)
Fiction for older readers
- Eric Vale, Epic Fail (Michael Gerard Bauer, illus by Jon Bauer, Omnibus)
Fiction for years 7-9
- Stolen (Lucy Christopher, Chicken House)
Children in the ACT, NSW, NT and Victoria will vote for their favourite books in each category in October. The winners of the COOL, KOALA, KROC and YABBA awards will be announced in November.
Shortlisted books for the Bilby Awards 2013
Scholastic Australia would like to announce the BILBY Awards shortlist 2013 has just been released and Scholastic have a selection of books on the list.
The BILBY Awards are children’s choice awards organised by the Queensland Branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia. The acronym stands for: Books I Love Best Yearly
The shortlisted titles are as follows
Books for Early Readers
- Bamboozled by David Legge - Scholastic Australia
- The Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen, ill. Dan Hanna - Scholastic Australia
Books for Older Readers
- Catching fire [The Hunger Games: 2] by Suzanne Collins - Scholastic Inc
- The Golden Door [Three Doors Trilogy: 1] by Emily Rodda - Omnibus Books
To review the entire list of shortlisted books, head to http://qld.cbca.org.au/bilby.htm
2013 Environment Award for Children's Literature
Scholastic Australia is proud to announce our picture book, Tanglewood (Omnibus Books) by Margaret Wild and illustrated by Vivienne Goodman has been shortlisted for the 2013 Environment Award for Children’s Literature for The Wilderness Society.
Each year, this award honours books that promote a sense of caring and responsibility for the environment through quality Australian children's books. Winners will be announced to coincide with World Environment Day on 5 June, 2013.
If you’d like to see the entire list of books shortlisted, click here.
This is a another wonderful nomination for this beautiful picture book, congratulations to the Margaret, Vivienne and the team at Omnibus books.
CBCA Shortlist Annoucment
We are delighted here at Scholastic Australia, as we have 5 books shortlisted today on the CBCA Awards for 2013.
Congratulations to our fabulous authors and illustrators and the publishing teams who help create these outstanding books!
The shortlisted titles are as follows
Early Childhood:
- The Terrible Suitcase (Emma Allen & Freya Blackwood, Omnibus)
- The Pros & Cons of Being a Frog (Sue DeGennaro, Scholastic)
- Peggy (Anna Walker, Scholastic)
Picture Books:
- Tanglewood (Vivienne Goodman, illus by Margaret Wild, Omnibus)
- Lightning Jack (Patricia Mullins, illus by Glenda Millard, Scholastic)
The winners of this year’s awards will be announced and presented on Friday 16 August, which marks the beginning of Children’s Book Week (17-23 August). The theme for this year’s Book Week is ‘Read Across the Universe’.
For more information about the CBCA Awards and Children’s Book Week, visit the CBCA website http://cbca.org.au/index.htm
2012 Aurealis Awards
The 2012 Aurealis Awards finalists have just been announced for Australia’s premier awards for speculative fiction. It was another big year with nearly 750 entries received over 13 categories.
Scholastic Australia is delighted to announced that The Silver Door (the second book in The Three Doors trilogy) by Emily Rodda (Omnibus Books) has been shortlisted for the children’s fiction award (told primarily through words).
Congratulations to Emily Rodda and the team at Omnibus Books.
The winners will be announced on the evening of Saturday 18 May at The Independent Theatre in North Sydney.
If you would like to see the complete list of shortlisted nominees, follow link below
http://www.aurealisawards.com/media-release_finalists-March-2013.pdf
Awards shortlist announcement for APA Design awards
The shortlist for the Australian Publishers Association (APA) Book Design Awards 2013 has just been released and Scholastic Australia is proud to announce we have two titles on the list.
Best designed children’s picture book
The Pros and Cons of Being a Frog By Sue deGennaro
Cover and internal design by Nicole Stofberg, published by Scholastic Press.
Best designed children’s fiction
Dragon Hunter by Nazam Anhar
Cover and internal design by Simone Kelleher, published by Scholastic Press.
Congratulations to our designers Nicole and Simone for making the shortlist.
If you would like to look at the full list, please follow the link. http://www.publishers.asn.au/awards.cfm?doc_id=24
The winners in each category, as well as, the winners of the ‘Best Designed Book of the Year’ and ‘Young Designer of the Year’ Award, will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Powerhouse Museum on 23 May during the Sydney Writers Festival.
Shortlist announcement for the 2012 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards
Scholastic Australia is proud to announce that Bungawitta by Emily Rodda and illustrated by Craig Smith has been shortlisted for the 2012 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards for The Patricia Wrightson prize for children’s books.
Congratulations to Emily, Craig and to the team at Omnibus Books. Fingers crossed it’s a win for this great little book!
The winners for the 2012 Premier’s Literary and History Awards will be announced together at the State Library of NSW on 30 November 2012.
Scholastic Shortlisted for KOALA
Scholastic Australia is proud to announce that we have three titles on the shortlist for the KOALA – Kids Own Australian Literature Awards for 2012.
Titles and categories are as follows:
- The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland nominated in the Picture Storybook category (Scholastic Press)
- Conspiracy 356: Revenge by Gabrielle Lord nominated in the Fiction Older Reader category (Scholastic Australia)
- The Three Doors: The Golden Door by Emily Rodda nominated in the Fiction Older Reader category (Omnibus Books)
View the full list of KOALA shortlisted titles here.
The winners will be announced in Sydney at the Monkey Baa Theatre on Tuesday 13 November 2012 at 10.30am.
Wishing all our authors the very best of luck!
CBCA 2012 Awards WIN!
Scholastic Australia is proud to announce that we have three winners of the 2012 CBCA Awards!.
The Runaway Hug by Nick Bland and illustrated by Freya Blackwood (Scholastic Press) is the winner of the Book of Year for Early Childhood Award.
Flood by Jackie French and illustrated by Bruce Whatley (Scholastic Press) was named an Honour Book in the Picture Book of the Year category.
Ben and Duck by Sara Acton (Scholastic Press) won the Crichton Award for best first-time illustrator.
Congratulations to our wonderful authors and illustrators who have done such a superb job. And congratulations to our publishing teams at Scholastic Press and Scholastic Australia. Well done!
If you would like to see the full list of 2012 CBCA Award winners, head to www.cbca.org.au.
You can view the entire list of nominations here, and the complete list of nominations for the Crichton Award here.
To purchase any of these titles please go to the Scholastic Store, your favourite Bookseller or watch your upcoming Book Club brochures.
Real Awards
Scholastic Australia is pleased to announce we have three titles selected for the 2012 shortlist for the Real Awards. This shortlist is formulated from student nominations collected by the Children’s Choice Book Awards in ACT (COOL awards), NSW (KOALA awards), NT (KROC awards) and VIC (YABBA awards).
On the shortlist we have
The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland for the Picture Storybook category (Scholastic Press)
Conspiracy 365 Revenge by Gabrielle Lord for the fiction for Older Readers category (Scholastic Australia)
The Three Doors trilogy: The Golden Door by Emily Rodda for the fiction for Older Readers category (Omnibus Books)
The winners for this year’s awards will be presented at an Awards Ceremony on Wednesday 7 November 2012 at Trinity Grammar School in Kew, Victoria.
CBCA Shortlist Announcement
Scholastic Australia wishes to congratulate our talented Australian authors and their publishing teams, who have made the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) shortlist for 2012. Our Shortlist titles are:
For the Older Reader category
Ishmael and the Hoops of Steel
by Michael Gerard Bauer
Omnibus Books
For the Younger Reader category
The Golden Door
by Emily Rodda
Omnibus Books
Bungawitta
by Emily Rodda
illustrated by Craig Smith
Omnibus Books
For Early Childhood category
The Runaway Hug
by Nick Bland
illustrated by Freya Blackwood
Scholastic Press
For Picture Book category
Flood
by Jackie French
illustrated by Bruce Whatley
Scholastic Press
To see the entire list of nominations and read more about the CBCA please visit http://cbca.org.au/shortlist_2012.htm .
To purchase any of the titles please go to the Scholastic Store, your favorite Bookseller or watch your upcoming Book Club brochures:
The Crichton Award for New Illustrators for 2012 has also been announced. This award encourages new talent in the field of Australian children’s book illustration. Congratulations to
Ben & Duck
by Sara Acton Scholastic Press
To see the entire list of nominations please head to http://cbca.org.au/ChrichtonShortlist_2012.htm .
National Simultaneous Storytime
Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. In 2011 over 170,000 children at over 1,100 locations across Australia took part in National Simultaneous Storytime, reading the book and enjoying a range of supporting educational activities designed to promote the value of reading and literacy.
National Simultaneous Storytime is an important annual national literacy campaign that guarantees more young Australians will 'Get Reading'. This year, reading takes place on Wednesday 23 May at 11am AEDT and we would love it if you could join us by sharing The Very Cranky Bear by Nick Bland, a wonderful Australian tale about friendship, sacrifice and learning that appearances aren't important.
We are delighted to announce that the 2012 National Simultaneous Storytime book is:
The Very Cranky Bear
Written by: Nick Bland
Published by: Scholastic Australia
Click here to order your copy.
For more information about NSS, and supporting resources please visit:
http://www.alia.org.au/nss/
Hugo Wins 5 Academy Awards!
The 84th annual Academy Awards was all about Hugo!
Hugo, directed by Martin Scorsese and based on the novel The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, took home five of the coveted Oscars. The 2011 film won Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects.
According to TweetReach, Hugo was the most tweeted-about movie on the night of the Oscars, with a total of 110,179 tweets! One person tweeted, 'If you are a parent watching the Oscars and The Invention of Hugo Cabret is not in your library — get on it! A fabulous movie based on an amazing book.'
Check out these interviews in which Brian Selznick discusses his inspiration for the novel, and don't miss our Amazing World of Brian Selznick discussion guide.
Visit the online store to purchase your copy of The Invention of Hugo Cabret.
The Hunger Games Movie Launch
Lionsgate will release THE HUNGER GAMES movie in Australia on March 22, 2012. THE HUNGER GAMES, based on Suzanne Collins' best-selling novel, is the first in a thrilling trilogy published by Scholastic. It has developed a massive global following, with over 16 million copies in print in the United States and over 350,000 in Australia.
Do you want to read the book? Visit our online bookstore to pick your copy today.
About THE HUNGER GAMES
Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the evil Capitol of the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. A twisted punishment for a past uprising and an ongoing government intimidation tactic, The Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which ‘Tributes’ must fight with one another until only one survives.
Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor, Haymitch Abernathy. If she's ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
SCHOLASTIC AUSTRALIA, TRUSTEE OF THE DROMKEEN NATIONAL CENTRE FOR PICTURE BOOK ART, GIFTS ENTIRE COLLECTION TO THE STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA
Ken Jolly, Chairman of the Board of Scholastic Australia, has used this year’s annual Dromkeen Dinner to announce that, on the advice of the Dromkeen Board of Governors, Scholastic Australia is to present the entire Dromkeen Scholastic Collection to the people of Australia through the State Library of Victoria. Speaking from the Library, Mr Jolly said the collection consists of some 7500 original artworks and illustrations from the prepublication material of many of Australia’s best-loved children’s books. The Collection also includes an historical book collection and seven bronze sculptures of picture book characters.
The Collection was founded by Courtney and Joyce Oldmeadow at the historic ‘Dromkeen’ homestead in Riddell’s Creek in 1973. Dromkeen quickly became a haven for illustrators and authors and attracted many thousands of school students and teachers. Joyce Oldmeadow’s vision of ‘bringing children and books together’ saw the implementation of inspiring educational programs and teacher development workshops. Within a few years, their efforts had received international recognition, winning the Eleanor Fargeon Award for contributions to children’s literature. It was the first time the award had been presented outside of Great Britain. Following Joyce Oldmeadow’s death in 2001, her daughter, Kaye Keck, took on Directorship of Dromkeen until her own passing in 2010, after which her brother, John Oldmeadow, assumed the role.
In 1982, Scholastic Australia became the Trustee for the Collection and has overseen the ongoing acquisition, preservation and exhibition of original artworks. The company also ensured the continuation of the education programs, as well as general upkeep of the property. In noting Scholastic’s long-term commitment, Mr Jolly paid tribute to Richard (Dick) Robinson, Executive Chairman of Scholastic Inc in New York, saying, ‘Dick has been personally supportive of Dromkeen throughout the 35 years of the Trusteeship, visiting the homestead and maintaining a close interest in the Collection.’
Following Ms Keck’s death, the Governors sought a new home for the Collection, a home that would see to the ongoing preservation of the pieces as well as its continued growth. Importantly, the Collection needed to be housed in a manner that made it accessible through exhibitions and displays, as well as online—somewhere that would engage children and adults with the world of books and children’s literature. ‘The State Library of Victoria ticked all of these boxes, and the Library was extremely keen to ensure the Collection’s continued presence here in Melbourne,’ reported Mr Jolly.
Welcoming the donation of the Dromkeen Scholastic Collection, the President of the Library Board of Victoria, the Hon John Cain, said, ‘We are delighted to accept this important national collection. It is wonderful that it is being given to the Library during the National Year of Reading. The Library will build and exhibit the collection, support research and continue programs to engage young people in the Library and on-line. In this way we will maintain the vision of Courtney and Joyce Oldmeadow, and Scholastic as Trustee, and work to support literacy amongst young people.’
Mr Cain said that Dromkeen will maintain its Exhibition and Education program at the Dromkeen Homestead in 2012. Shane Carmody, Director of Development at the Library, believes that the transfer of all parts of the Collection will be completed by the end of the year.
| Ken Jolly Chairman of the Board Scholastic Australia |
John Cain President of the Library Board of Victoria |
2012 Celebrate the National Year of Reading
It is now officially the National Year of Reading. It will be an exciting year as libraries and associations across Australia make plans to celebrate reading and literacy within their communities.
The National Year of Reading is an initiative of Australian public libraries and is supported by the Australian Government.
It is all about children learning to read and keen readers finding new sources of inspiration. It’s about supporting reading initiatives while respecting the oral tradition of storytelling. And most of all, it’s about Australians becoming a nation of readers.
Nearly half our population can’t read with any fluency. It’s a shameful and worrying statistic. The National Year of Reading goals are to encourage children to understand the benefits of reading as a life skill; to help promote a reading culture in every home; and to invite families to share books with their children every day.
For more information visit the website www.love2read.org.au
To celebrate the National Year of Reading, Scholastic has joined forces with MARVEL. Together we are in search of
Australia’s Greatest Reading Super Hero. If you are aged 14 years and under then why not enter
the competition! Click here for more details.
www.scholastic.com.au/readingsuperhero
2011 Queensland Premier's Literary Awards
Scholastic Australia are proud to announce that the shortlist for the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards have just announced and we have two children's books on the shortlist. Congratulations to Michael Gerard Bauer for his shortlist for Just a Dog and to Luke Edwards for his picture book, The Staring Owl. And congratulations to the team at Omnibus Books for producing both books. The following link below will take you to the full list of shortlisted books for the awards. http://www.premiers.qld.gov.au/awards-and-recognition/literary-awards/2011-shortlist.aspx#children
The Queensland Premier's Literary Awards aim to nurture Australia's greatest talent, and support and encourage the development of emerging authors.
Since its inception in 1999, the Queensland Premier's Literary Awards have grown to become one of the leading literary awards programs in Australia, with a proud history of recognising, celebrating and supporting outstanding Australian writers.
Awards are presented across 14 categories, including two for unpublished writers. It is a fantastic opportunity for both emerging and established authors to develop their craft of writing and gain national recognition.
Children's Book - Mary Ryan's Award
- Michael Gerard Bauer for Just a Dog, Omnibus Books
- Christine Bongers for Henry Hoey Hobson, Random House Australia
- Luke Edwards for The Staring Owl, Omnibus Books
- Elizabeth Fensham for Bill Rules, University of Queensland Press
- Tina Matthews for Waiting for Later, Walker Books Australia
Congratulation again goes out to Michael Gerard Bauer who on Friday 19 August won the Honour award at the Children's Book Council of Australia Awards for his book, Just a Dog for the Younger Reader of the Year category. Big Congrats to Michael and the team at Omnibus Books.
Follow this link to see the full list of winners http://cbca.org.au/winners2011.htm
2011 Australian Book Industry Awards
The 2011 Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) were presented on Monday 25 July 2011 with 20 awards honouring and recognising authors, booksellers and publishers. The award winners were chosen by an academy of booksellers and publishers.
Scholastic Australia is proud to announce that the series, Conspiracy 365 by Gabrielle Lord has won the Book of Year prize for Older Readers.
Congratulations to our author Gabrielle Lord and to the team at Scholastic Australia.
KOALA - Children's Choice Book Awards for 2011
Scholastic Australia is pleased to announce that we have four titles on the shortlist for the KOALA - Children's Choice Book Awards for 2011.
Books that have been chosen for the shortlist are:-
Wrong Book by Nick Bland (Scholastic Press) for Picture Storybook award
Farticus Maximus: Stink-Off Battle of the Century by Felice Arena (Scholastic Australia) for Fiction for Older Readers
Conspiracy 365 (the series) by Gabrielle Lord (Scholastic Australia) for Fiction for Older Readers
EJ12 Girl Hero: Rocky Road by Susannah McFarlane (LemonFizz Media and Scholastic Australia) for Fiction for Younger Readers
Congratulations to our authors and to the publishing teams from Scholastic Press and Scholastic Australia.
The winners will be announced on Wednesday 26 October.
2011 Prime Minister's Literary Awards - Shortlists announced
The announcement for the 2011 Prime Minister's Literary award has just been released and Scholastic Australia would like to congratulate author Lucy Christopher who has been selected for her book, Flyaway, published by Chicken House. Congratulations to Lucy who was shortlisted for this award last year for her book Stolen.
To see the entire shortlist head to www.arts.gov.au/pmliteraryawards/shortlists
Book Design Awards 2011
Scholastic Australia is proud to announce that The Staring Owl by Luke Edwards (Omnibus Books) won The Best Designed Children's Cover of the Year sponsored by Xou Creative for the 59th Annual Book Design Awards 2011 which is hosted by the Australian Publishers Association.
The entire list of results is attached if you would like to read more or head to the APA website - www.publishers.asn.au
Congratulations to author and illustrator Luke Edwards and the team at Omnibus Books.
2011 New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards
The winners of the 2011 NSW Premier's Literary Awards were announced at a gala dinner at the Sydney Opera House last night.
Scholastic Australia is delighted to inform everyone that our author Sophie Masson won the prestigious Patricia Wrighton Prize for Children's Literature for her book, My Australian Story: The Hunt for Ned Kelly (Scholastic Press).
Some of the countries leading writers and luminaries were at the event, including ABC TV presenter Jennifer Byrne (as MC), NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell and former Prime Minister of Australia, Malcolm Fraser.
The NSW Premier's Literary Awards help to establish values and standards in Australian literature and draw international attention to some of the country's best writers and to the cultural environment that nurtures them.
Please see link for the full list of winners, here.
Congratulations to Sophie and to the team at Scholastic Press for their great efforts.
2011 Shortlist for the REAL Awards
Scholastic Australia is proud to announce the 2011 shortlist for the REAL Awards. This shortlist is formulated from student nominations collected by the Children's Choice Book Awards in ACT (COOL), NSW (KOALA), NT (KROC) and VIC (YABBA).
Our books that have made the shortlist are as follows
Section 1: Picture Storybooks
The Wrong Book by Nick Bland (Scholastic Press)
Section 2: Fiction for Younger Readers
EJ12: Girl Hero: Rocky Road by Susannah MacFarlane (Lemon Fizz Media/Scholastic Australia)
Section 3: Fiction for Older Readers
Farticus Maximus: Stink-Off Battle of the Century by Felice Arena (Scholastic Australia)
Conspiracy 365 - full series by Gabrielle Lord (Scholastic Australia)
The winners of this year's awards will be presented at an Awards Ceremony on Wednesday
10 November 2011 in Melbourne -
venue to be advised.
To view the complete shortlist listing, click here.
Congratulations to all our authors/illustrator and the teams at Scholastic Press and Scholastic Australia.
2011 CBCA Awards Shortlist Announced
Scholastic Australia is proud to announce that Just a Dog by Michael Gerard Bauer (Omnibus Books) has just been shortlisted for the 2011 CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) Book of the Year Awards at an awards ceremony today in Adelaide. Just a Dog is shortlisted in the Younger Readers category.
Scholastic Australia is also proud to announce that Can I Cuddle the Moon?, illustrated by Lisa Stewart and written by Kerry Brown (Scholastic Press) is shortlisted for the 2011 Crichton Award for new illustrator.
The winners of this year's award will be announced and presented on Friday 19th August, which marks the beginning of Children's Book Week (20-26 August 2011)
To see the entire list of books on the shortlist, head to http://cbca.org.au/Shortlist_2011.htm.
Congratulations to Michael Bauer, Lisa Stewart and the teams at Omnibus Books and Scholastic Press.
Get Reading 50 Books You Can’t Put Down Guide
Get Reading 50 Books You Can’t Put Down Guide has had THREE Scholastic titles selected in this year’s promotion.
Scholastic Australia has also been asked to produce the free giveaway book for the campaign (The Land of Dragons by Emily Rodda). This book is adapted from Tales of Deltora (with additional new content) and is the perfect bridge book into the new trilogy The Three Doors (The Golden Door being book #1). Get Reading will give away 60,000 copies of the free book in the period August 24 to September 24, a great opportunity to promote Emily Rodda's new series.
Maggie Stiefvater, who lives in the US, is touring Australia to promote the release of the trilogy finale to Shiver and Linger (Forever — August release) and Emily Rodda will also be touring and promoting her release of The Golden Door, the first book in her new series. It is confirmed that both Maggie Stiefvater and Emily Rodda will appear at the Melbourne Writers Festival in August/September and at the Brisbane Writers Festival in early to mid September. Emily and Maggie will also be heading to Sydney for some events. We will let you know if any further cities/states are included.
The Wonky Donkey was our first selected title in a number of years to make the Get Reading campaign; let’s hope these three perform as well. Wonky was the number one seller of the 50 titles.
For further information on the Get Reading initiative head to their website:
http://www.getreading.com.au/index.php
Award announcement for NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2011
Scholastic Australia is proud to announce that we have three titles on the shortlist for the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards for 2011.
All three titles are up for the Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children's Literature Award which is offered for a work of fiction, non-fiction or poetry written for children up to secondary school level.
There are six books shortlisted on this year's list, three of which belong to Scholastic Australia (so half the list!)
- The shortlisted titles are
- Shrieking Violet by Emma Quay - Scholastic Press
- My Australian Story: The Hunt for Ned Kelly by Sophie Masson - Scholastic Press
- Where There's Smoke by John Heffernan - Omnibus Books
To see the entire list please head to website link.
Congratulations to Emma, Sophie and John and the publishing teams for Scholastic Press and Omnibus Books.
Dromkeen Medal Tips the Oscars
Scholastic Australia and the Dromkeen National Centre for Picture Book Art is proud to announce author, illustrator and film maker Shaun Tan has been honoured and is the worthy recipient of the Dromkeen Medal for 2010. This award is made annually to an Australian citizen for making a significant contribution to the appreciation and development of children’s literature in Australia. It is presented by the Governors of the Dromkeen Children’s Literature Foundation.
This is a double celebration for Shaun Tan who was unable to attend the Dromkeen Medal Citation held last Saturday 26th February as he was in the United States for the 83rd Academy Awards, at which he has just won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film! Shaun’s 15-minute animation, The Lost Thing, is based on his book of the same title. It’s his first Oscar, but hopefully not his last!
Shaun Tan’s career as an illustrator, author and film maker has seen his work adapted for the theatre, cinema and for orchestral and other musical performances. He is represented in many galleries and has earned wide international recognition and respect from critics, academics, sci-fi aficionados, and of course readers of all ages.
Shaun Tan’s amazing ability to write and illustrate his own work has seen him win many awards over the years and he has been variously recognised for illustration, best art work, fantasy artist, comic book, CBCA Picture Book of the Year and the NSW Premier’s Award. And now he has topped it all off by winning an Oscar!
Shaun has been involved in children’s literature for many years and was a worthy — and highly popular — winner of the Dromkeen Medal for 2010. The Dromkeen homestead, situated at Riddells Creek in Victoria, houses a world-renowned picture-book art collection. It is indeed the national centre for picture-book art. Dromkeen is owned, operated, staffed and maintained by Scholastic Australia, and the company is proud to be caretaker of such a magnificent and unique collection.
Heartiest congratulations to Shaun Tan on his wonderful achievement!
Scholastic Corporation is the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books and a leader in educational technology. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-based book fairs, and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries, and television networks; and the Company’s Internet Site, www.scholastic.com. The Australian site is www.scholastic.com.au.
The Dromkeen homestead housing the world recognized picture book art collection is located at Riddells Creek in Victoria, a half hour drive north-west of Melbourne Airport. Dromkeen homestead is owned by Scholastic Australia Pty Limited. The company purchased it in 1985 so The Collection could be kept and displayed in its original setting. Scholastic Australia’s commitment to the Dromkeen Children’s Literature Collection has been remarkable. With all monies from programs and visitors going into The Collection’s Foundation account, there has been no direct monetary return for Scholastic. All maintenance staffing, property and promotion is covered by Scholastic
Shortlisted for the Annual Book Design Awards
On the 21st of February the Australian Publishers Association's 59th Annual Book Design Awards for 2011 were announced and Scholastic Australia is proud to acknowledge our designers/illustrators that have made the list.
Congratulations to our author and illustrator Luke Edwards for making three categories for the design awards for his picture book The Staring Owl (Omnibus Books). The Staring Owl is shortlisted for The Best Designed Cover of the Year, The Best Designed Children's Cover of the Year and The Best Designed Children's Picture Book.
Congratulations Luke Edwards and the team at Omnibus Books.
Congratulations also to our own Simone Kelleher for being shortlisted for her shortlist for designing Twinkle by author/illustrator Nick Bland (Scholastic Press). Simone is shortlisted for the Best Designed Children's Cover of the Year.
Congratulations to Simone Kelleher, Nick Bland and the team at Scholastic Press.
If you would like to see the full list of books on the shortlist, click here.
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Powerhouse Museum on Thursday 19th May.
Good luck to both Luke and Simone.
2010 COOL, KROC Awards winners announced
Scholastic Australia is delighted to announce the winning titles in the 2010 Canberra's Own Outstanding List (COOL) and Kids Reading Oz Choice (KROC) Awards.
The winning title in the COOL Awards are:
Fiction Older Readers: The Battle for Rondo (Emily Rodda, Omnibus Books)
The winning titles in the KROC Awards are:
Fiction Years 7-9: Tales of Deltora (Emily Rodda and Illustrations Marc McBride, Scholastic Press)
Fiction Older Readers: The Battle for Rondo (Emily Rodda, Omnibus Books)
The COOL Awards are the children's choice book awards for young people in the Canberra region, while the KROC Awards are determined each year by children in the Northern Territory voting for their favourite books.
2010 INKY AWARDS WINNER ANNOUNCED
Scholastic Australia is delighted to announce today the Inky Awards were announced. The Inky awards are an international award for teenage literature that are voted for online by the readers of insideadog.com.au and organized by the Centre for Youth Literature.
The winning title for The Gold Inky (for an Australian book/author)
Stolen by Lucy Christopher (Chicken House)
The winning title for The Silver Inky (for an international book/author)
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic Inc)
In addition, the Inkys incorporates the Inkys Creative Reading Prize – an award for young people, for the best creative response to a book of their choice – this year the winner picked Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins as their book to creatively respond to...
Congratulations to all our authors and illustrator and to the teams at Omnibus Books, Scholastic Press, Chicken House and Scholastic Inc
Scholastic Rewards Map Launched
The new Scholastic Rewards Map launched today allows you to easily view the total value of free books and classroom rewards earned by Schools in Your State.
Scholastic launches social networking site: www.youarewhatyouread.com
To celebrate the importance of books and reading, Scholastic is launching You Are What You Read, a social networking site for readers around the world. Users log on to www.youarewhatyouread.com, list the five books that had the biggest impact on their lives, and connect with readers all over the world through these shared “Bookprints.” The site also contains the Bookprints of more than 130 “Names You Know” – notable people from entertainment, academia, business, media, publishing, and more – including Scarlett Johansson, Al Roker, Sir James Dyson, Venus Williams, Jodi Picoult, Malcolm Gladwell, Judy Blume, President William Jefferson Clinton, and President George H.W. Bush.
After logging into You Are What You Read via Facebook or Scholastic.com accounts, users can:
- Discover new books through an interactive web that shows how users' Bookprints are connected
- Find and connect with users across generations and from around the world to see the books in their Bookprints
- Compare their Bookprints to those of the participating 'Names You Know,' and find out if they share a book in their Bookprint with famous athletes, award-winning entertainers, world-renowned scientists, or iconic business leaders
- 'Favorite' other books they like and check out what similar users enjoy reading
- See which books have been chosen as Favorites from around the world
- Share a book in the real word through Pass It On, which encourages users to give a favorite book to a family member, a friend, or even a complete stranger.
- Coming Soon: Users can join ongoing conversations about books and Bookprints in “Book Buzz,” a live feed of comments, news, and reviews.
You Are What You Read also features a separate community for young readers that provides kid friendly information about books and other activities.
Books leave an indelible mark on who we are and who we will become. You Are What You Read is a celebration of the books that bind us together, and the personal connection we feel when we read a great book. In addition, the new site adds a tool in our arsenal to help kids and parents find the books that will keep kids reading every day. We know that parents struggle with this challenge and yet they are the number one source kids’ rely on for recommendations. We plan to help them.”
The site is part of Scholastic’s Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life. global literacy campaign, in celebration of Scholastic’s 90th anniversary. For more information on the Read Every Day campaign, visit scholastic.com/readeveryday.
KOALA Awards Announced for 2010
On Wednesday, 27 October, the KOALA Awards for 2010 were announced (KOALA, stands for Kids Own Australia Literature Awards) and we are delighted to inform everyone that we have some winning books.
Fiction of Older Readers category - The Battle for Rondo (Omnibus Books) by Emily Rodda was the winner
Picture Storybook category - The Wrong Book by Nick Bland (Scholastic Press) was announced as an Honour Book.
Fiction for Years 7-9 category - Tales of Deltora (Scholastic Australia) by Emily Rodda and illustrated by Marc McBride was announced as an Honour Book.
The KOALA Awards also awarded Emily Rodda with the 'Legend Award' which is given to an author or illustrator each year who they feel has made an amazing contribution to children’s literature and to the KOALA Awards. Emily was first shortlisted for the Koala Awards in 1988 and in the past 22 years has only missed out on the shortlist 5 times, and has of course won numerous occasions.
Congratulations to our authors and illustrators Emily Rodda, Marc McBride and Nick Bland on their success and to the publishing teams.
For more information about the KOALA awards head to their website http://www.koalansw.org.au
BIG RED DOG TO SKYWALK FOR LITERACY AWARENESS
Scholastic, the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books unveils global literacy campaign: Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life.
The much-loved children’s book and television character Clifford the Big Red Dog is set to do the Sydney Skywalk at Sydney Tower on Friday 22nd October at 9.00 am as part of a global campaign to raise awareness about literacy and also to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Scholastic worldwide. Our beloved Big Red Dog will have something to bark home about as he will be armed with The Childs Right to Read as he also ventures out around the city to greet people.
To mark Scholastic’s 90th anniversary and promote the Read Every Day Campaign on October 22nd, Clifford the Big Red Dog will be visiting famous landmarks around the world, including stops in Los Angeles, Chicago, London, the Philippines, Malaysia, India, the Empire State Building in New York City and a bungee jump off the top of the harbour bridge in Auckland New Zealand to help spread the message about children’s literacy. Also in New York City, the top of the Empire State Building will be lit red in recognition of 90 years of Scholastic and the Read Every Day campaign.
In Sydney, Scholastic Australia will also be taking Clifford the Big Red Dog onto the landmarks, streets and waters of Sydney to distribute information about A Child’s Right to Read and to encourage everyone to read every day.
Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life is a campaign that underscores the importance of reading as the pathway for young people to succeed in the 21st century. The cornerstone of the Read Every Day campaign is A Child’s Right to Read, eight beliefs that inform Scholastic’s commitment to increasing literacy in the 21st century. These beliefs affirm every child’s right to read in today’s world – from access to books and great stories to the ability to analyse, interpret and understand information in the digital age.
Scholastic Australia’s Manager Director David Peagram said “as we mark our 90th anniversary and begin the second decade of the 21st Century, Scholastic recognizes that the ability to read, write and to understand text has never been more important. We hope that the Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life. Campaign will create a better awareness in our communities and will help promote the importance and value of reading for success at school and for the future of our children and their children to come”.
Approximate times for Clifford the Red Dogs activities for a photo opportunity
- 0800 - 0850 Martin Place Sydney, outside Channel 7 Sunrise studios
- 0900 - 1000 Sydney Skywalk at Sydney Tower,Podium Level 100 Market Street, Sydney
- 1000 – 1200 Around The Rocks – Dawes Point Park
For more information see the dedicated website about the Read Everyday campaign: http://scholastic.com/readeveryday
Scholastic Australia Raises $25,000 for the Australian Orangutan Project
Scholastic Australia has partnered with the Australian Orangutan Project in an Australia wide initiative to raise much-needed funds for critically endangered orangutans as part of the International Year of Biodiversity.
Throughout June, July and August, Scholastic promoted the Australian Orangutan Project’s Education Program, Colour It Orange via its book club program run in primary and high schools throughout Australia. Scholastic sold orangutan posters for $1 and wristbands for $3 to raise awareness and education about the endangered species and had an enormous response from students and teachers nationwide. With the support of many Australian schools, an astonishing $25,000 worth of posters and wristbands were sold!
On September 24th Scholastic presented the Australian Orangutan Project with a cheque for $25,000 to go toward protecting and supporting orphan orangutans in rehabilitation care centres in Sumatra, where just 7000 are left in the wild. Approximately $3,000 will be used toward the care of Mamat Lepan, an orphan orangutan baby that has recently arrived at Batu Mbelin Quarantine Station Care Centre in Medan after a farmer found him in poor health. The remainder of the donation will go towards a much needed x-ray and ultrasound machines which will help diagnose orangutan injuries and illness.
"Through the Colour it Orange initiative, thousands of students in schools across Australia learned a powerful lesson - small and simple acts can make a valuable difference to our world," said Celina Farrell, Manager of Scholastic Book Clubs.
"Colour it Orange program celebrated the International Year of Biodiversity by teaching children about philanthropy and the importance of protecting our many ecosystems and their inhabitants."
The generous support of Scholastic will help the Australian Orangutan Project to continue supporting orangutan conservation organisations in Borneo and Sumatra. The Australian Orangutan Project is a not-for-profit organisation designed to help to prevent further habitat destruction of endangered orangutans, prevent rainforest destruction and unsustainable palm oil plantations and care for orphaned infant orangutans.
Continued forest clearing for palm oil plantations is destroying orangutan and wildlife habitat. 80 percent of orangutan habitat has been altered or lost and the orangutan population has decreased by approximately 50% in the last decade alone.
For just $55/year members of the public can adopt an infant orangutan and help provide the care they need. This will ensure their veterinary and nurse care, fresh food and jungle training so that they have a chance to return to the wild.
All schools can get involved in Colour It Orange. For more information please visit http://education.orangutan.org.au or http://www.orangutan.org.au
The 39 Clues bestselling multi-media franchise
The 39 Clues® bestselling multi-media franchise breaks new ground with
the launch of part two "The 39 Clues: Cahills Vs. Vespers On April 5, 2011.
Multi-author lineup to include worldwide bestselling author David Baldacci
Shortlisted for the KOALA awards
Scholastic Australia is pleased to announce that we have seven titles selected for the shortlist for the KOALA awards (Kids Own Australian Literature Awards).
Books that have been selected are...
- Pocket Dogs Go on Holiday by Margaret Wild and illustrations by Stephen Michael King – Omnibus Books
- Puffling by Margaret Wild and illustrations by Julie Vivas – Omnibus Books
- The Wrong Book by Nick Bland – Scholastic Press
Picture Storybook category
- EJ12 Hot and Cold by Susannah MacFarlane – LemonFizz Media/Scholastic Australia
Fiction for Younger Readers category
- Battle for Rondo by Emily Rodda – Omnibus Books
- Farticus Maximus: Stink-Off Battle of the Century by Felice Arena – Scholastic Australia
Fiction for Older Readers category
- Tales of Deltora by Emily Rodda and illustrations by Marc McBride – Scholastic Australia
Fiction for Years 7-9 category
For the full list of books on the shortlist, head to www.koalansw.org.au.
Congratulations to all the authors and illustrators who made the shortlist and to each publishing division.
The awards announcement will be held on Wednesday 27th October at Fairfield Public School, Fairfield.
The 2010 Prime Minister's Literary Awards
The 2010 Prime Minister's Literary Awards for Fiction, Non-Fiction, Young Adult Fiction and Children’s Fiction were announced today in Melbourne at 11.00 am. Scholastic Australia is delighted to announce that two of our titles have made the shortlist. Shortlisted for the Children’s Fiction award we have Harry and Hopper by Margaret Wild and illustrator Freya Blackwood from Omnibus Books and for the Young Adult Fiction award we have Stolen by Lucy Christopher from Chicken House.
Congratulations to Margaret, Freya and Lucy and to the team at Omnibus Books and Chicken House for being shortlisted for such a prestigious award.
Nine children’s fiction and seven young adult fiction works, as well as seven fiction and six non-fiction works have made the 2010 shortlist, selected from more than 320 entries.
The Prime Minister's Literary Awards celebrate the contribution of Australian literature to the nation’s cultural and intellectual life. The awards, held annually, recognize literature’s importance to our national identity, community and economy.
If you would like to read more and to see the entire shortlisted titles please head to http://www.arts.gov.au/literature/pmliteraryawards10
Blackwood wins Greenaway Medal
Australian illustrator Freya Blackwood has been announced as the winner of the 2010 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal, one of the world's premier awards for illustration.
Blackwood won the award for her illustrations to Margaret Wild's Harry & Hopper, published by Scholastic.
Margaret Pemberton, chair of the judging panel, said: 'In Harry & Hopper, Freya Blackwood excels in her use of muted colour, perspective, and exterior and interior space to give a powerful take on the father-son relationship, and a much-loved pet's death. A sensitive issue for young children is beautifully handled, with Harry's emotions and memories of Hopper expressed visually to great effect.'
The companion award to the Greenaway, the Carnegia Medal, has gone to Neil Gaiman for The Graveyard Book (Bloomsbury).
For more details, see http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/2010awards
Winner of the 2010 Environment Award for Children's Literature
Scholastic Australia is proud to announce that Something About Water by Penny Matthews, illustrated by Tom Jellett is the joint winner of the 2010 Environment Award for Children's Literature. If you would like to read more about the award, please see the attached press release.
Something About Water is an entertaining cartoon style book, presenting interesting and important information about this crucial liquid on which all life depends. Water is a finite resource which has been endlessly recycled over billions of years - the book contains interesting snippets such as the fact that the two-thirds of each person that is made up of water was once a part of a dinosaur, or a daffodil, or Leonardo da Vinci.
Congratulations to author Penny Matthews and illustrator Tom Jellett and to the publishing team at Omnibus Books.
NSW Premier's Literary award and Kate Greenaway Medal
Scholastic Australia wishes to congratulate Freya Blackwood and Margaret Wild whose picture book, Harry and Hopper, has been shortlisted for both the NSW Premier’s Literary award and also for the Kate Greenaway Medal.
Congratulations to the team at Omnibus Books.
The CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal is awarded annually for an outstanding book in terms of illustration for children and young people.
Shortlist for the Children's Book Council
The shortlist for the Children's Book Council Australia Awards 2010 has just been announced and the following titles have been shortlisted from our lists.
-
Book of Year – Older Readers 2010
Title: Stolen
Author: Lucy Christopher
Publisher: Chicken House -
Book of Year – Early Childhood 2010
Title: The Wrong Book
Author: Nick Bland
Illustrator: Nick Bland
Publisher: Scholastic Press -
Book of Year – Picture Book 2010
Title: Fox and Fine Feathers
Author: Narelle Oliver
Illustrator: Narelle Oliver
Publisher: Omnibus Books -
Crichton Award for best new illustrator 2010
Title: The Princess and the Frozen Packet of Peas
Illustrator: Sue deGennaro (author: Tony Wilson)
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Well done to all our publishing divisions for making the shortlist for the CBCA awards and congratulations to our fabulous authors and illustrators.
The official announcement of the winners will be made on August 20th 2010.
See here for the complete list.
The Crichton Award
On Tuesday the 3th of April the shortlist for the CBC Awards were announced along with the Crichton Award for New Illustrator.
The Crichton Award aims to recognise and encourage new talent in the field of Australian children’s book illustration.
Congratulations to Sue and Dan, our illustrators, and to our publishing teams.
See here for the complete list.
Shortlisted for the APA Book Design Awards
Scholastic Australia is proud to announce that two of our titles have been shortlisted for the 58th APA Book Design Awards.
Congratulations to our designer, Simone Kelleher, for being shortlisted for The Best Designed Children’s Picture Book Award for her design skills in producing The Princess and the Frozen Peas by Tony Wilson and illustrated by Sue deGennaro for Scholastic Press.
Also congratulations to our author and illustrator, Anna Walker, for being shortlisted for The Best Designed Children’s series for her Friends for Keeps series, Let’s Play House also published by Scholastic Press.
Well done Simone, Anna and the Scholastic Press publishing team.
The awards ceremony will be held at the Powerhouse Museum on Thursday 20th May 2010.
Shortlisted for the Children's Literature Award
The 2010 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature has just been announced and Scholastic Australia is proud to announce that Noodle Pie by Ruth Starke has been shortlisted for the Children’s Literature Award. Congratulations to our author Ruth Starke and to the team at Omnibus Books for their efforts and achievements.
The winners will be announced on Sunday 28th February on the first day of Adelaide Writers Week.
