Eve Pownall Award for Information Books Shortlist -Cheng, Christopher & Jackson, Mark
Python
Murray, Kirsty
Topsy-turvy World: How Australian Animals Puzzled Early Explorer
Queensland Art GalleryTopsy-turvy World: How Australian Animals Puzzled Early Explorer
Portrait of Spain for Kids
Weidenbach, Kristin Ill. Timothy Id
Tom the Outback Mailman
Tom the Outback Mailman
Many of the books that end up in this shortlist have a very specific topic and therefore their appeal can be limited to those who share a similar interest or to school curriculum's.
In the past, we've had books on Indigenous issues, the environment, historical figures, art, native flora and fauna.
I've yet to see all of the Information shortlist books this year as they have been difficult to order in.
But I have two clear favourites so far.
Topsy-Turvy World is quite remarkable. It's beautifully presented - full of fabulous pictures, photos and illustrations.
Each chapter is devoted to one Australian animal.
Murray creates a fictionalised history of their discovery by European explorers based on the journals of people like Captain Cook, Banks, Bligh, Hunter, Flinders, Mitchell and Labillardie.
There are text boxes with interesting facts and dates as we learn about the kangaroo, echidna, platypus, bandicoot, koala, black swan, lyrebird, flying fox, frilled lizard, kookaburra, thylacine, Tassie devil, emu, wombat and sea dragon.
This book is not only great for teachers and school libraries, but it would be a great asset to any home library where wonderful non-fiction is appreciated. In fact, Topsy-Turvy World's appeal is one of the widest ones I've seen in the Eve Pownall award for quite some time. It would also be the perfect gift to send to those grandchildren now living overseas!
Portraits of Spain for Kids features 10 paintings - one each from 10 different Spanish artists (Goya, Ramirez, Velazquez, Esquival etc).
Each chapter has a full page copy of the selected painting with brief explanations of art techniques, the artist and historical significance.
Text boxes provide fun facts, true and false quizzes, recipes, jokes and I Spy elements.
The Queensland Art Gallery have put together a great book for art fans.
Each year I try to read these lists, and pretty much each year I fail. I haven't got to any of these yet, good to hear your thoughts. I'll be interested to find them.
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