Welcome to another busy CBCA WA year of activities and events designed to share, promote and celebrate the very best of Australian children’s literature.
On Friday 13 March we’re hosting our 17th A Night with our Stars and since this event has been sold out in the previous two years, it is essential that you book your tickets early by following the link in this newsletter. If you have not yet renewed your CBCA WA Branch membership, please attend to that first so you are eligible for the discounted rate. New members can download a form from our website.
Several important dates to mark in your diary are listed in the following pages and include the announcement of the Notables on Tuesday 25 February and the Short List on Tuesday 31 March. All our usual events will be happening including the Make Your Own Story Book competition, Book Discussion Group and talks by our current CBCA Book of the Year Judges, Sandi Parsons and Jan Pocock so watch out for that information. Remember to check our Facebook page in between newsletter issues to keep up to date.
The WA Branch functions with financial support in the form of paid memberships and we organise events thanks to the willingness and dedication of our committee members. We are always on the look-out for new faces so if you would like to give something back to the children’s literature community please get in touch. Enthusiasm and a commitment to one meeting per month are the basic requirements. At the moment we would be especially delighted to hear from anyone with social media and website management skills and anyone with a basic knowledge of Canva (or a similar design program). All roles will be officially confirmed at the WA Branch AGM on Thursday 23 April however expressions of interest are accepted at any time. Everyone is most welcome to attend our committee meetings held on the third Wednesday of each month at Oasis House in Nedlands.
Amidst the devastation and tragedy of the horrific bushfires it was particularly heart-warming to see the immediate, positive and generous response from authors and illustrators all around the country who offered items and services in a huge auction to raise funds for the CFA. Many people generously supported the CBCA Buy a Book campaign via the link on the National Website. One of our 2020 ANWOS stars Briony Stewart deserves special mention for single-handedly raising almost $3000 for schools directly impacted by the fires. That’s an awesome effort.
The theme for CBCA Book Week 2020 is Curious Creatures, Wild Minds and the official celebrations will begin with the announcement of the winners of the Book of the Year awards on Friday 21 August 2020.
Very best wishes for the year ahead and I look forward to seeing you at many of our WA Branch functions.
(Me with Jen Banyard and Julia Lawrinson taken at the SCBWI Christmas Party).
Jan Nicholls CBCA WA Branch President
New contact details for Jan Nicholls
Jan's new email address is jannicholls55@gmail.com
Please update your contact lists by removing janbooks@bigfoot.com.au and use this email for all future correspondence.
Membership
At this time of the year there are often staff changes as people retire or move to pastures new. Please ensure that you keep us informed of your current email contact details and advise us of any changes we need to make in terms of the contact person for school and institutional memberships.
Contact Sharon Coppin at cyrilina@iinet.net.au
New Membership Fees from 1 Jan 2020. Note: Invoices were sent out on 6 January 2020 for payment by 28 February.
Personal
$55
Institutional
$75
Concessional – includes SCBWI members, concession card holders, supporting bookstores
$40
CBCA WA Committee Meeting Dates
The CBCA WA committee meetings take place on every third Wednesday of each month, 7.00pm at Oasis House, Nedlands. Please see the list of future dates below.
19 February
18 March
29 April
20 May
17 June
15 July
12 August
16 September
21 October
18 November
9 December
Notice of CBCA WA Annual General Meeting
Members are cordially invited to attend the CBCA WA Branch AGM.
After the formal business is concluded, enjoy a drink, some nibbles and the opportunity to network and chat with some like-minded folk.
There are five CBCA WA newsletter editions throughout the year; February, April, June, September and November. If you would like to contribute an item for a newsletter, please see the deadline dates for the remaining editions below.
April - 29 March June - 29 May September - 28 August November - 30 October
Submissions and inquiries are to be emailed to beckborona@gmail.com
Stay tuned for the official merchandise image release!
CBCA Book of the Year 2020
Please see the following dates regarding the updates for the 2020 CBCA Book of the Year.
Notables:Published on our website at 7pm AEST on Tuesday, 25 February.
Short List:Announced at noon AEST on Tuesday, 31 March.
Winner and Honour Books: Announced at noon AEST Friday, 21 August.
CBCA WA 2020 Judges Talks
Please save the dates for the CBCA WA 2020 Judges Talks during Term 2. Venues and times will be confirmed in forthcoming newsletters and on the CBCA WA Facebook group.
Saturday 23 May
Sunday 24 May
2020 Afternoon Tea With Our Stars
Make Your Own Story Book Competition
Information for the Make Your Own Story Book competition is in your schools and libraries and on the CBCA WA website this month.
The closing date for entries is Friday 5 June, and the Awards Ceremony will take place on 23 August at The Literature Centre, Fremantle.
Book Discussion Group
February 26 This is How We Change the Ending
by Vikki Wakefield
UWA Club Cafe
6.00pm - 7.00pm
UWA University Club
Members' Room
7.00pm - 8.00pm
March 26 It Sounded Better in My Head
by Nina Kenwood
UWA Club Cafe
6.00pm - 7.00pm
UWA University Club
Members' Room
7.00pm - 8.00pm
April 22 Shortlist Discussion with Guest Judges
Oasis House
6.30pm
More details to be announced.
Paper Bird Fellowship
Writers Sharon Giltrow and Rebecca Newman received a Paper Bird Fellowship in Term 4 2019. Sharon and Rebecca met for the first time on the first day of their residency, and they made good use of their time! Rebecca finished writing her children’s poetry collection and Sharon completed the first draft of a junior chapter book, Samara and the Utility Belt, while also tackling final preparations for her upcoming picture book, Bedtime Daddy (out in May 2020 with EK Books, with illustrations by Katrin Dreiling).
Let’s Talk Children’s Poetry!
The Paper Bird Fellowship Evening on January 22 celebrated Rebecca Newman’s time as ‘Poet in Residence’ at Paper Bird Books and Arts. Rebecca completed her Fellowship in Term 4 of 2019, using her residency to complete a collection of poetry tentatively titled Rules for Sneezing. Rebecca has already had poetry published in The School Magazine and has a poem in an upcoming Bloomsbury anthology called Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble: Magical Poems Chosen by Paul Cookson.
Award–winning children’s writer, poet and educator Sally Murphy joined Rebecca in discussion for the Fellowship Evening. The two poets have a history of playful collaboration (their website Poetry Tag features poems they have written using each other’s prompts) so the conversation was informal and lively. The audience learnt not only about the poets’ approaches to writing children’s poetry, but also about their experiences engaging young people with poetry. The discussion spanned the role of humour in children’s poetry, the perils and power of rhyme, and the benefits of allowing children to listen to poetry for pleasure without expectation of analysis.
Both poets treated the audience by reading their work aloud. Rebecca explained how one of the poems she read, Bubble Wrap Stomp — which was awarded second prize in Jackie Hosking’s 2019 Spring Poetry for Kids Competition — was influenced by her work with a primary school choral speaking group. Sally shared a sneak-peek into her new verse novel Worse Things and discussed the book’s journey to publication. Hearing the accomplished work of Rebecca and Sally read aloud underscored the way poetry can evoke feeling and build connection. The audience of fellow writers and educators was enchanted.
Amber Moffat
A Paper Bird Fellowship Evening: The Power of Revision Join recent Paper Bird Fellowship author Sharon Giltrow, and author/editor Teena Raffa-Mulligan as they share their revision process and tips for polishing your own manuscript. This informal session features examples from Sharon’s upcoming picture book Bedtime Daddy and Teena’s editing of Sharon’s junior fiction work-in-progress.
Thursday 20 February
6.00 – 7.30 pm
Paper Bird
42 Henry Street
Fremantle
The Paper Bird Fellowship is a partnership between Paper Bird Children’s Books & Arts, City of Fremantle Library, The WA Branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia, and the Australia West branch of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators.
2020 WASLA Award
Nominations are now open for the 2020 WASLA Awards. They will be announced on Wednesday 1 April 2020.
The 2020 nominees for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award were announced at the Frankfurt Book Fair on October 17. We especially congratulate WA publisher Magabala Books and The Literature Centre on their nominations.
The full list of nominees can be foundhere. The 2020 ALMA laureate will be announced on March 31, 2020.
Library Lovers' Day
The theme for Library Lovers' Day on 14 February 2020 is:
'Uncover something new'
The theme recognises the ability of libraries to reveal to users; new people, ideas, organisations, fan-bases, and interests.
If you have a picture of a child, pet or any other interesting-bookish moment you'd like to share with our community to feature in our electronic newsletter, we'd love to see it! Please email it to beckborona@gmail.com.
Dates for Your Diary
WAYBRA Book Award AGM
Join the reading and writing community along with guest speaker Meg McKinlay, to celebrate 40 years of WAYRBA. Enjoy the afternoon to network, win prizes, and pick up your merchandise.
Clare Malone Changes the World
Book Launch
by Nadia L. King and
Alisa Knatko
Published by Dixi Books Monday 24 February
6.00pm
Subiaco Library
237 Rokeby Road
Subiaco
Love to Read Local Week 29 May - 7 June
Writing WA is excited to announce that we will be introducing this new state-wide initiative in 2020 to showcase and celebrate Western Australia’s many, many wonderful writers and illustrators, and the books they create.
CBCA WA Branch Committee Members President - Jan Nicholls, Vice President - Denise Robins,
Liz Allen, Nola Allen, Beck Borona, Sharon Coppin, Mary Gimondo, Felicia Harris, Sheena Matthews, Chloe Mauger, Trish Montgomery, Aniek Ragan, Gail Spiers, Jane Stanton, Sue Stopher, Sally Woffenden
National Board Director: Angela Briant Newsletter Editor: Beck Borona Website Manager: Aniek Ragan WA Book of the Year Judges: Sandi Parsons, Jan Pocock
