Gilgandra Shire Library News - August 29, 2023

DFYM LEGO® Club

Last week was Book Week all across Australia and at Designs From Your Mind LEGO® Club (DFYM) we celebrated by recreating some of the covers and pictures from the 2023 Children’s Book Council of Australia awards.

There were great characters and scenes in these books, including, frogs, dogs, campers by the sea, ghostly creatures, echidnas, farms and, penguins in red hats. Our book characters are on display in the library.

Book of the Year Awards

Also last week, during Book Week, the CBCA 2023 Book of the Year Awards were announced.

The winner of the Picture Book of the Year was ‘My Strange Shrinking Parents’ by Zeno Sworder. In this heartbreaking and heart-warming story, the author reflects on his own migrant parents’ sacrifices to create a universal story about what it means to give to those you love. Drawing from the sacrifices his Chinese mother made to raise her young family in a small country town. Sworder’s drawings are full of beautiful detail and fairytale settings that explore his own journey from child to parent.

The picture books ‘Dirt by Sea’ by Tom Jellett and Michael Wagner and ‘Paradise Gardens’ by Levi Pinfold were awarded Honour Books in this category.

Book of the Year for Early Child- hood was awarded to ‘Where the Lyrebird Lives’ by Vikki Conley and Max Hamilton. The beauty of the Australian rainforest and the magic of family-time come together in this lyrical and delightful story of intergenerational connection, habitat, and adventure.

The books ‘Bev and Kev’ by Katrina Germein and Mandy Foot and “Snap!” by Anna Walker were awarded Honour Books in this category.

The award for Book of the Year for Younger Readers was won by ‘Runt’ by Craig Silvey. In this story, Annie Shearer lives in the country town of Upson Downs with her best friend, an adopted stray dog called Runt. The two share a very special bond. After years evading rapture, Runt is remarkably fast and agile, perfect for herding runaway sheep. 

But when a greedy local landowner puts her family’s home at risk, Annie directs Runt’s extraordinary talents towards a different pursuit- winning the Agility Course Grand Championship at the lucrative Krumpets Dog Show in London. However, there is a curious catch: Runt will only obey Annie’s commands if nobody else is watch- ing. With all eyes on them, Annie and Runt must beat the odds and the fastest dogs in the world to save her farm!

The library has all these books and most of the CBCA Awards shortlisted titles, along with many other great Australian children’s books.

Happy reading!