CBCA Notable books: 1998: The Desert; 2008: Kokoda Track: 101 Days; 2010: Australian Backyard Explorer; 2011: The Monster Maintenance Manual 2013: Australian Backyard Naturalist
CBCA Eve Pownall Honour Book: 2008: Kokoda Track: 101 Days
CBCA Eve Pownall Winner: 2010: Australian Backyard Explorer
NSW Premier's History Awards, Young People's History Prize Short list: 2007: Kokoda Track: 101 Days
Wilderness Society Short List: 2000: The Rainforest
Whitley Awards: 2000: The Rainforest; 2012: Australian Backyard Naturalist
Australian Awards for Excellence in Educational Publishing: 1997: Slam Dunk Series (Send it to Forensic and Tall Tales or True?)
There is one drawback: I have several times had a reviewer express the opinion that one of my children's books was created to meet the requirements of the Eve Pownall Awards. I don't work that way: I do a story that is honest and scientifically correct, and one that has a beginning, a middle and an end. UPDATE: in April 2008, I was surprised to discover that my Kokoda Track: 101 Days had been shortlisted for that very award, sponsored by the Children's Book Council of Australia! Better still, on August 15, I got Honour Book status. Not quite THE prize, even now, but I'm happy, given the competition.
Kokoda Track: 101 Days was also shortlisted for the 2007 NSW Premier's History Prize in the Young people's History Prize category, but missed the Big One. No matter, it got up at the CBCA awards as an Eve Pownall Honour Book.
I'm still not trying to write to any specification but I must be on their wavelength. On March 30, 2010, I was present at a function in Sydney when the shortlist was announced, and my Australian Backyard Explorer was in the 2010 Eve Pownall shortlist. Then in August, it was named as the winner of the Children's Book Council of Australia Eve Pownall award for Information Books. I'm not sure if I approve of people getting awards for having fun, but I didn't say that to anybody until I had my paws on the goodies! It was later added to the prestigious international White Ravens awards for 2011. Have a look, and see the fine company I keep!
Titles I have enjoyed writing in the past include Send it to Forensic and Tall Tales or True?, from Treehouse Press. These were part of the SlamDunks series, which gained a "commended" in the Australian Awards for Excellence in Educational Publishing. Ho hum, always the bridesmaid . . . well, I was, back then.
In 1998, "The Desert" was cited as notable in the CBCA Book of the Year awards -- and made it onto the Clayton's short list, but not the real thing. "The Rainforest" was shortlisted for the Wilderness Society's Environment Award for children's literature -- we missed the Big One, but, hey, somebody out there likes us -- and in July 2000, we took out a Whitley award for "Best Children's Book -- Story and Illustration". See The Whitley Awards page of the Royal Zoological Society of NSW for more.
In 2011, my children's book The Monster Maintenance Manual was a CBCA notable book. That means, in all, I have had four notable books. That's not too shabby.
In late 2012, my Australian Backyard Naturalist received a Whitley Award from the Royal Zoological Society of NSW.
My science web pages have also drawn some kind comments from people who seem to know their stuff. I like to think they do, anyhow!
The home page of this set is here.