Category: Awards

Announcements, authors, Awards, Book news, middle-grade fiction

Fantastic news for Wanderer!

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We are absolutely thrilled to announce the very exciting news that Victor Kelleher’s extraordinary novel, Wanderer, which we published last year in our Eagle Books imprint, has just been shortlisted for the very prestigious Patricia Wrightson Prize, which is the children’s category in the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards! This is absolutely wonderful news, and a very well-deserved major recognition of Victor’s magnificent book. Here’s what the judges said about the novel:

With danger at every turn and constant action that grinds to a dramatic climax, Wanderer by Victor Kelleher grips the reader from the start, never letting up on the drama, tension, and conflict. This novel stood out for its strong narrative voice and for its child protagonists who remain in control of their own destinies throughout. Theirs is a high-stakes, life-and-death struggle against the decaying, lawless world around them as they must battle and attempt to outwit adults, wild animals, and nature itself. 

This middle-grade novel is set in a dystopian future where ocean levels have risen and society has crumbled. Young Dane and his new friend, Lana, must complete a perilous quest that focuses on special treasures: precious, rare books. And, yet, Wanderer is also much more than this. It’s a tale of friendship, courage, endurance, and a warning of what the future may hold for humanity.

Huge congratulations to Victor! We are so proud to have been able to publish Wanderer, and so delighted that the book has been honoured in this wonderful way.

Winners of the Awards will be announced at the State Library of NSW, Sydney, on May 22. It will also be the opening event for the Sydney Writers’ Festival. #NSWPLA

authors, Awards, backlist, celebrations, News, Picture books

Congratulations to Gabrielle Wang, new Australian Children’s Laureate!

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Big congratulations to the wonderful author-illustrator Gabrielle Wang, who has just been announced as the new Australian Children’s Laureate for 2022-2023. So well-deserved!

At Christmas Press we are thrilled to have Gabrielle as one of our wonderful authors: her beautiful picture book with illustrator David Allan, Two Enchanted Tales from Old China, which we published in 2017, is an absolute delight. Still available now from all good bookshops! Gabrielle also has a story, Pony for Sale, which she illustrated herself (see illustration below, on right), in our 2017 anthology A Christmas Menagerie. (The anthology is also still available.)

Announcements, authors, Awards, Books, celebrations, Eagle Books, News

Very exciting news!

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PRESS RELEASE

September 27, 2020

 

Christmas Press is absolutely delighted to announce that Jenny Blackford’s fabulous middle-grade novel, The Girl in the Mirror, which we published in our Eagle Books imprint in 2019, is the winner of the Best Children’s Crime Novel category in the 2020 Davitt Awards.

The Awards, which were presented by legendary Scottish crime writer Val McDermid in a virtual ceremony yesterday, Saturday September 26, featured a shortlist of 24 books across six categories. You can find the video of the ceremony here.

Prestigious annual awards with a 20-year history, the Davitts are run by the Sisters in Crime Australia literary organisation and showcase the best crime novels by Australian women writers.

The Girl in the Mirror, an enthralling mix of murder mystery, time slip and ghost story, is the debut middle-grade novel of acclaimed poet and short story writer Jenny Blackford. Illustrated with atmospheric black and white pictures by Fiona McDonald, the novel has received wide acclaim, with reviewers praising its ‘clever storytelling’ (Buzz Words), ‘silky smooth prose’  (Compulsive Reader) and its ‘enjoyable and revelatory’ qualities (ReadPlus). As Geoffrey McSkimming writes in the back cover quote, it is truly a ‘spine-tingling winner.’

Publishing director of Christmas Press, Sophie Masson, said, ‘Jenny initially submitted her novel to us some time ago in one of our open submissions period, and it immediately caught the eye of our commissioning editor Beattie Alvarez, for its haunting atmosphere, gripping narrative and sharp, evocative writing. We loved working with Jenny and are very proud to have published The Girl in the Mirror. We warmly congratulate Jenny on this very well-deserved win and thank the Davitt Awards judges and Sisters in Crime Australia for supporting the best in crime fiction by Australian women writers.’

Announcements, Awards, Books, celebrations

Lucy Newton, Little Witch, shortlisted for prestigious award!

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We are delighted to announce that Phoebe McArthur’s fabulous chapterbook, Lucy Newton, Little Witch, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Book of the Year Awards from Speech Pathology Australia, in the 5-8 year old category. This is wonderful news indeed!

Big congratulations go to Phoebe McArthur for creating such an engaging, lively and fun book–and for the fantastic recognition of the shortlisting.

You can see the official announcement from Speech Pathology Australia, and a list of all shortlisted books, here.

Announcements, Awards, Books, Illustrators

Congratulations, Ingrid!

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wolfskin and huntressCongratulations to wonderful illustrator Ingrid Kallick, whose gorgeous illustration for Charlotte McConaghy’s story, Wolfskin and the Huntress, in our Once Upon A Christmas anthology(edited and compiled by Beattie Alvarez, published 2014) has just won the Society of Illustrators (USA) Bronze Medal for Children’s Illustration! It has also been chosen to feature in the Society of Illustrators’ big show in Los Angeles.

We are absolutely delighted!

Once Upon a Christmas front cover

Announcements, Awards, Books, Business, Events, News

Fantastic news: we have won a small business grant from Australia Post!

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Christmas_Press Aust Post imageFabulous news: we have won a small business grant from Australia Post,as part of their Our Neighbourhood Grants for 2015!
The official announcement from Australia Post is here:
The project we specifically applied for is an exciting new venture: Second Look, a special new list within Christmas Press, featuring new e-book and POD editions of fabulous out of print books by well-known Australian children’s authors, giving them new life and enabling new access to them both in Australia and overseas. Plays, poetry and fiction will be featured in the Second Look list, which will debut in 2016. Launch title will be Duncan Ball’s great collection of comic plays for kids, This School is Driving Me Nuts and other plays, fully revised and with a new play added, and with the original illustrations by Craig Smith (with kind permission of Harper Collins). Duncan’s book was originally titled Comedies for Kids, and was published by Angus and Robertson in 1988. We are absolutely delighted to be giving this great title new life and making it accessible to a new generation of young readers– and performers!comic plays by duncan ball
Two other titles, yet to be decided, will also be published in Second Look in 2016.
We are thrilled to receive the Our Neighbourhood grant as it will really help with the costs of the set up for the Second Look list and first three titles, and it’s also a fantastic validation of not only the idea, but of us as an innovative and creative business!