‘Rivertime’ wins 2015 Readings Children’s Book Prize

Rivertime by Trace Balla (A&U) has won the 2015 Readings Children’s Book Prize.

The book was chosen from a shortlist of six. Also on the shortlist were:  

• The Mapmakers Chronicles: Race to the End of the World (A L Tait, Hachette)
• Ophelia and the Marvellous Boy (Karen Foxlee, The Five Mile Press)
• How to Save the Universe in Ten Easy Steps (Allison Rushby, A&U)
• Figgy in the World (Tamsin Janu, Omnibus)
• Stuff Happens: Jack (Tony Wilson, Penguin).

The Readings Children’s Book Prize, worth $4000, is open to Australian authors writing for children aged between five and 12 years who have had no more than four children’s books published. This year’s award was judged by author Sally Rippin and Readings staff Angela Crocombe, Alexa Dretzke, Athina Clarke, Isobel Moore, Emily Gale and Holly Harper.

Rivertime is a graphic novel suitable for children aged six to 10, with ‘an engaging environmental message of a boy and his bird-watching uncle on a paddling trip along Australia’s Glenelg River’.

Rippin said Rivertime ‘reminds us to slow down and open our eyes to all the beauty around us’. ‘In a time where we are bombarded by so much choice in how to fill our child’s day, Rivertime reminds us that it’s often the quietest moments that will be the most dearly remembered.’

For more information about the winner, visit the Readings website here. Read a review of Rivertime here.

Category: Junior Local news