Friday 20th August 2010 is the date of the SA branch Annual Book Week dinner - see our   Events/Forms page. 

Following our successful Zoo Safari Community event in 2009 we are having another Community  Event to celebrate Book Week. This year it will be held at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens.  Go to our Events/Forms page for more information about these fun filled events.

CBC (SA branch) Annual Judge's talk was held on Monday 7th June 2010 at the SA Writers' Centre Conference Room, Adelaide.

Val Van Putten presented her opinion of the year’s entries and discussed the shortlisted (and other) books without giving away the winners! 
She categorised the books under the following headings - Those that showed the quality of delight; How things once were; Finding your way; Resilience and balance (and humour - mostly); Dealing with fears; Destruction; Dashed hopes and the crushing of the spirit; Mental illness and delusions; Death; Powerlessness; Heroes and their influence; Friendship and loyalty; Other Eve Pownall books.

We thank her very much for sharing her informed insight into the books which were entered for this year's award.

On the 22nd March we had our annual Clayton's night when a few brave people predicted which books would be on the shortlist. Thank you to the Burnside Public Library for providing the venue.
Katharine England (Reviewer and lecturer) managed to read 24 of the books entered for the Books for Older Readers category. She highlighted her favourite six which were - The Winds of Heaven by Judith Clarke, Winter of Grace by Kate Constable, I lost my mobile at the Mall by Wendy Harmer, Jarvis 24 by David Metzenthen, A small free kiss in the dark by Glenda Millard and Fill out this application and wait over there by Ruth Starke.

 

 

Beryl Siemionow (Literary Consultant) spoke about books entered in the Younger Readers category. She chose 10 as being possibilities for the Shortlist.  They were A ghost in my suitcase by Gabrielle Wang, A certain music by Celeste Walters, Billionaire's curse by Richard Newsome, All the colours of Paradise by Glenda Millard, The Museum of Mary Child by Cassandra Golds, Darius Bell and the Glitter pool by Odo Hirsch, Cicada summer by Kate Constable, Hero of Little Street by Gregory Rogers, Captain Congo & the Maharajah's monkey by Ruth Starke & Greg Holfeld, Running with horses by Alison Lester.

 

Amelia Field (Children's Librarian, City of Charles Sturt Library) spoke about the possible shortlist for the Early Childhood category.  She liked the following books  - Our daft dog Danny by Pamela Allen, The journey of the sea turtle  by Mark Wilson, Baby wombat's week  by Jackie French,  Bus to the zoo by Mary Murphy, Satnley Paste  by Aaron Blabey and  The terrible plop  by Ursula Dubosarsky.

Vicki Porter (Deputy, Middle School, Westminster School) spoke about the Picture Book category and chose the following as possible Shortlist material.  Stanley Paste by Aaron Blabey, Stuck! by Mark Jackson, Finding Home by Susy Boyer, Me, Oliver Bright by Sally Rippin, The terrible plop by Andrew Joyner, Wendy by Gus Gordon, Duck by Jonathan Bentley.

We sincerely thank the presenters for their time and effort taken to help make the night an informative and enjoyable occasion.

 

Congratulations to Lesley as the winner of the raffle for the night!  There were many jealous onlookers.  More images are available in the gallery.