A cat with a murky history appeared at author Deborah Frenkel’s door a few years ago, inspiring her book, The Truck Cat, which has won the Children’s Book Council of Australia outstanding Picture Book of the Year.
With lovely illustrations by Danny Snell, the story traces a cat who befriends a truck driver and its subsequent adventures, exploring ideas of migration, belonging and home.
Author Deborah Frenkel at Williamstown Library.Credit: Joe Armao
Frenkel is “pretty overwhelmed” with the award, saying she grew up loving books with the CBCA signature medal on the covers.
The 40-year-old mother of two says her day job as a copywriter in an advertising agency has helped hone her ability to write concisely. She pays credit to the illustrations by Snell, saying he has an incredible ability to draw emotion into his pictures. The two have another book coming out next year.
In the Younger Readers category, Maryam Master won for Laughter is the Best Ending. The powerful Always Was, Always Will Be – by Aunty Fay Muir and Sue Lawson – won the highly respected Eve Pownell award and is one of two indigenous category winners, while the new illustrator award went to Brisbane illustrator Sarah Capon, who specialises in creating intricate layered-paper illustrations, for Grow Big, Little Seed.
Young adult author Gary Lonesborough has won the older readers category for I’m Not Really Here. A heartwarming debut from Darwin tradie Darren McCullum, with award-winning illustrator Craig Smith, The Wobbly Bike, has won the Early Childhood Category.
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The CBCA Book of the Year Awards are divided into six categories: Early Childhood, Younger Readers, Older Readers, Picture Book of the Year, New Illustrator and the Eve Pownall Award.
This year 730 entries were assessed by 15 judges, showcasing 730 books, representing 121 publishers, 555 writers and 368 illustrators. This year marks the council’s 80th anniversary.
Now in its fifth year, the awards include a children’s choice, known as the Shadow Judging. Over 400 groups of children, an estimated 4000 shadow judges, have met, discussed and responded to the judging criteria to vote on their choice of winning books.
CBCA Book Week runs from August 16 to 23.