Two children’s publishers launch in Australia; Magabala celebrates 30th birthday

Two new Australian children’s publishers have recently released their first titles. Dirt Lane Press has published The Sorry Tale of Fox and Bear (Margrete Lamond, illus by Heather Vallance), a 72-page illustrated hardback title inspired by Norwegian folk tales; and Little Pink Dog Books has released The World’s Worst Pirate (Michelle Worthington, illus by Katrin Dreiling), a picture book about a boy who tries to be a good pirate but does his best work in the ship’s galley.

Indigenous publisher Magabala Books is celebrating its 30th birthday this month. Magabala publishes books by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers and illustrators across memoir, poetry, fiction and nonfiction, with a strong focus on books for children and young adults. Over 30 years it has supported ‘more than 200 storytellers, authors and illustrators from all over Australia, published more than 250 titles, sold book rights into more than six countries and built an impressive resume of award-winning titles’. See some of its publishing highlights here.

The latest instalment in Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton’s ‘Treehouse’ series, The 91-Storey Treehouse (Pan), has become the fastest selling Australian book of all time at Australia’s largest chain bookstore Dymocks. The book was launched in August by local bookseller Readings at a sell-out event of 1900 attendees. The 91-Storey Treehouse is the seventh title in the bestselling junior-fiction series.

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Andrea Hanke
Editor
Think Australian
andrea.hanke@thorpe.com.au

Category: Think Junior editorial