Speech Pathology Australia book awards 2014 shortlists announced

Tuesday, 8 July 2014 Books+Publishing

The titles shortlisted for this year’s Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards have been announced.

The shortlisted titles in each category are:

Birth to three years

I’m a Dirty Dinosaur (Janeen Brian, illus by Ann James, Viking)
Baby Bedtime (Mem Fox, illus by Emma Quay, Viking)
This Little Piggy Went Dancing (Margaret Wild, illus by Deborah Niland, A&U)
Kissed by the Moon (Alison Lester, Viking)

Three to five years

Waiting for Hugo (Amanda Niland, illus by Claire Richards, Windy Hollow Books)
Starting School (Jane Godwin, illus by Anna Walker, Viking)
Bea (Christine Sharp, UQP)
Esther’s Rainbow (Kim Kane, illus by Sara Acton, A&U)
The Short Giraffe (Neil Flory, illus by Mark Cleary, A&U)
A Swim in the Sea (Sue Whiting, illus by Meredith Thomas, Walker Books)
Jonathan! (Peter Carnavas, illus by Amanda Francey, New Frontier)
Clementine’s Walk (Annie White, New Frontier)
Davy & the Duckling (Margaret Wild, Viking)
The Moose is Loose (Mark Carthew, illus by Matt Stanton, ABC Books)
The Naughtiest Reindeer (Nicki Greenberg, A&U)
Chooky-doodle-doo (Jan Whiten, illus by Sinead Hanley, Walker Books)

Five to eight years

My Dad Still Thinks He’s Funny (Katrina Germein, illus by Tom Jellett, Walker Books)
My Mum Says the Strangest Things (Katrina Germein, illus by Tom Jellett, Walker Books)
Silver Buttons (Bob Graham, Walker Books)
Johnny and the Pelican (Belva Ouliaris, illus by Meredith Thomas, JoJo Publishing)
The Wombats Go on Camp (Roland Harvey, A&U)
Funky Chicken: A Bushy Tale of Crocs and Chooks (Chris Collin, illus by Megan Kitchin, Funkybooks)
Where Are You, Banana? (Sofie Laguna, illus by Craig Smith, A&U)
The Hair Ball (Spider Lee, illus by Nathaniel Eckstron, JoJo Publishing)
When I See Grandma (Debra Tidball, illus by Leigh Hedstron, Wombat Books)
The Brothers Quibble (Aaron Blabey, Viking)

Eight to 10 years

Bonez, the Freaky Series 4 (Susan Berran, JoJo Publishing)
Runaways (Sherryl Clark, Puffin)
The Kensington Reptilarium (N J Gemmell, Random House)
Word Hunters: The Lost Hunters (Nick Earls, illus by Terry Whidborne, UQP)
Don’t Look Now Book 1: Falling for It and the Kangaroo Key Ring (Paul Jennings, illus by Andrew Weldon, A&U)
Rivertime (Trace Bella, A&U)
The Year My Life Broke (John Marsden, Pan)
The Adventures of Sir Roderick the not-very Brave (James O’Loghlin, Pan)
The 39 Storey Treehouse (Andy Griffiths, illus by Terry Denton, Pan)
Better Out Than In Number Twos (Adam Wallace, JoJo Publishing)

Indigenous children

Deadly D & Justice Jones: Making the Team (Scott Prince & Dave Hartley, Magabala)
Spinifex Mouse (Norma MacDonald, Magabala)
Alfie’s Search for Destiny (David Hardy, Magabala)
The Spotty Dotty Lady (Josie Boyle, illus by Ferm Martins, Magabala)
When We Go Walkabout (Rhoda Lalara, illus by Alfred Lalara, A&U)
Helping Little Star (Blaze Kwaymullina & Sally Morgan, Walker Books).

The Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards aim to ‘promote quality Australian books that help children get the best, most literate start in life’. The books shortlisted are judged on their ‘appeal to children, interactive quality and ability to assist speech pathologists and parents in communication and literacy development’.

This is the first year the awards have included a ‘birth to three years’ category.