Fuel your mind
Book Week is the longest running children's festival in Australia, celebrating its 63rd birthday this year.
The dates for Book Week this year are August 16th -22nd.
Each year, many schools and public libraries from all over Australia spend a week celebrating books and Australian authors and illustrators. Classroom teachers, teacher librarians and public librarians develop activities, offer competitions and tell stories relating to a theme to highlight the importance of reading.
Each year, many schools and public libraries from all over Australia spend a week celebrating books and Australian authors and illustrators. Classroom teachers, teacher librarians and public librarians develop activities, offer competitions and tell stories relating to a theme to highlight the importance of reading.
The theme in 2008 is... Fuel your Mind
Picture book shortlist
- The island - Greder, Armin
In the morning the people of the island found a man sitting on the shore, there where fate and the ocean currents had set him and his frail raft in the night. When he saw them coming towards him, he rose to his feet, he was not like them. Ages 7+. - You and me: our place - Norrington, Leonie
Every morning Uncle Tobias goes fishing. Sometimes he is joined by two little boys. Together they spend the day moving from one place to another - from the beach to the bridge, to the outskirts of the city. Ages 2+. Australian author. (SA: Reception - Year 2) - Ziba came on a boat - Lofthouse, Liz
Ziba came on a boat. A soggy old fishing boat that creaked and moaned as it rose and fell, rose and fell, across the endless sea. - Requiem for a beast - Ottley, Matt
Call Number: ON ORDER
WINNER - Dust - Thompson, Colin
In a perfect world, this book would not exist. But we do not live in a perfect world. At any given moment of any given day, there are people dying from natural disasters over which we have no control. Beyond natural disasters we add disasters of our own making, but even if we all learn to live in peace, there will still be millions of people who need help. - The Peasant Prince - Cunxin, Li
This true story of a poor Chinese peasant boy who, plucked unsuspectingly at the age of ten from millions of others across the land to be trained as a ballet dancer, is a fairytale that has already captivated many children and young adults. Ages 5+. (SA: Reception - Year 2)
Older readers shortlist
- Pharaoh: the boy who ruled the Nile - French, Jackie
Prince Narmer, first in line of succession, meets an oracle who changes his life. Ousted from the line by a disfiguring struggle with a crocodile, Narmer travels, learning much about faraway lands and his place in the world. Most of all, he learns what it means to be a true king and leader. Ages 10-14. (SA: Year 6 - Year 9). - The Ghost’s Child - Hartnett, Sonya
WINNER
This is a romantic tale about a young girl’s love for a boy named Feather. At the beginning, Maddy comes home to find a teenage boy sitting in her living room. She does not know him, but tells the boy the story of her life and her life with Feather. Ages 13+. (SA: Year 6 - Year 9). - Marty's Shadow - Heffernan, John
He had to run. To escape the voices. They weren’t there yet, but they were coming. He could feel them. If he ran hard and fast enough he might be able to escape them a little longer. If he pushed himself until his thighs ached and his heart pounded, they might fall back and leave him in peace and quite. Ages 14+. - Love Like Water - McDonald, Meme
More than a love story, this is a bold, confronting book about friendship, love, sex and identity at the heart of Australia, where black and white, bush and city collide. Ages 16+. - Black water - Metzenthen, David
Beautifully written and brilliantly told, this is the epic story of two boys’ struggle to make their way in a difficult world. Ages 13+. - Leaving Barrumbi - Norrington, Leonie
Dale stands up hanging onto the wire cage of the Toyota and see his home, Long Hole, shrinking away. The rusty iron roofs of the old people’s houses at the bottom camp are already disappearing into the red soil. And suddently it hits him that he’s leaving. Age 12+. (SA: Year 6 - Year 9)
Younger readers shortlist
- Sixth grade style queen [not!] - Clark, Sherryl
I don’t fit in my family or at school. I have friends, but sometimes even they think I’m weird. Some days the whole world just looks wrong to me. Ages 10+. - The Shaggy Gully Times: the funniest newspaper you’ll ever read - French, Jackie
Welcome, readers, to the Daggy Gully Limes, the punniest newspaper you’ll ever read. Ages 7+. - Amelia Dee and the Peacock Lamp - Hirsch, Odo
A funny, touching, thought-provoking novel, peopled with memorable characters and pulsing with ideas, from the inimitable author of Antonio S and the Mystery of Theodore Guzman and Hazel Green. Ages 8- 12. (SA: Year 6 - year 9). - Winning the world cup - Metzenthen, David
Behind Marco’s house there is a paddock. Behind Nam’s house there is a paddock, too and behind Steffi’s and Carlo’s and Mitch’s houses. And in this huge paddock, just about every day, the friends play soccer for the World Cup. All the kids are Australian - but they play for the country they came from. Ages 6+. (SA: Reception - Year 2) - Key to Rondo - Rodda, Emily
The day Leo Zifkak became the owner of the music box, his life changed forever. Leo didn’t know this at the time. His heart didn’t miss a beat as he took the box calmly from his mother and put it on his desk. He had no idea what he was holding in his hands. Ages 9+. (SA: Year 6 - Year 9) - Dragon moon - Wilkinson, Carole
WINNER
Ancient China. Han Dynasty. Ping and Kai have travelled far, but their journey is not yet over. Danger stalks them. Ping must find Kai a safe place. But how?
Printer-friendly shortlist
Early childhood shortlist
- Shhh! Little Mouse - Allen, Pamela
Will the little grey mouse find something to eat, or will he wake the sleeping cat? A picture book for the very young. Ages 2+. (SA: Reception - Year 2). - Pearl Barley And Charlie Parsley - Blabey, Aaron
WINNER
Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley are different in every way. Pearly Barley loves death-defying missions, solving mysteries, talking loudly and is a terrible show off. Charlie parsley prefers reading in quiet places to jumping off buildings, is scared of everything and everyone and is painfully shy. Ages 3+. (SA: Reception - Year 2) - Cat - Dumbleton, Mike
Share a day with Cat and find out how exciting, and downright dangerous life can be! A warm, funny picture book for children ages 2-3 years - The trouble with dogs - Graham, Bob.
Brought home from the Rescue Centre eight months back, Dave is small and sparky gets all excited. The trouble is, sometimes he gets too excited. Ages 2-5. (SA: Reception - Year 2) - The Night Garden - Hurst, Elise
When Sally paints a magical garden on the window of her room, it’s the start of a mystical advdenture. An enchanting tale brought to life by Elise Hurst’s whimsical illustrations. Ages 4-7. - Lucy Goosey - Wild, Margaret
Lucy Goosey has been playing happily in the same pond all her life. When the time comes to fly away, she is so terrified of getting lost in the huge sky that she refuses to leave with the others. For ages 2- 5. Australian author. (SA: Reception - Year 2)
Eve Pownall shortlist
- Australia’s deadly and dangerous animals - Cermak, Michael
Expert authors have compiled the most up-to-date facts and figures to provide a detailed overview of Australia’s deadly and dangerous animals. Packed with detailed animal profiles and full-colour photographs, it’s simple to understand and perfect for school project work. Ages 6+. - Girl Stuff: A Full-on Guide to the Teen Years - Cooke, Kaz
A life guide for girls aged 10 to 18 that parents, teachers and health professionals will also find invaluable. It covers as extraordinarily wide range of subjects, including puberty, physical changes, emotional issues, sexuality, life skills, friends, boys as well as body image and related matters. - Kokoda track : 101 days - Macinnis, P. (Peter)
An extraordinary story of a small force defeating a much larger one. It is the tale of 550 men of the 39th Militia Battalion. In eight short and brutal weeks, these soldiers slowed, and eventually stopped the advance of 6000 experienced Japanese troops of.
the Nankai division across the massive Owen Stanley range. Age 12+ - The Antarctica book: living in the freezer - Norman, Mark
The Antarctica Book: Living in the Freezer examines life in Antarctica. Who lives there and how do they survive? You will be amazed at how these clever creatures survive in the coldest place on earth. - Parsley Rabbit's book about books - Watts, Frances
WINNER
Takes the reader on a hilarious and stimulating journey through the world of books. An absolute treasure of a book for children. Ages 3-7. - Ned Kelly’s Jerilderie letter - Kelly, Ned
Ned Kelly’s stream of consciousness, with all of its fabulous invective and metaphor, has been edited by Kelly expert Carole Wilkinson. Carole has pruned and shaped his words to make them easily readable for anyone from 8-80, helping facilitate what Ned always wanted - that his story be heard by the people. Age 8+
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