Australia’s most prestigious children’s literature awards are shining a light on the stories of two talented local authors.
On Tuesday, March 29, The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) announced the CBCA Book of the Year Awards Shortlist, revealing this year’s final prize pool will exceed $100,000 for the first time.
Widely regarded as Australia’s most prestigious children’s literature award, the CBCA Book of the Year is presented in six categories. This includes the ‘Older Readers’ category, which both Parramatta-based authors Gary Lonesborough and Felicity Castagna have been shortlisted for.
Mr Lonesborough said he was “speechless” when he found out he had made the shortlist for his debut novel ‘The Boy from the Mish’.
“I don’t really know how to react but I’m very thrilled. I’m just happy that the book has reached so many people,” Mr Lonesborough said.
A queer Indigenous young adult novel set in a rural Australian community, Mr lonesborough’s book is very close to his heart.
“I realised I hadn’t read any books that were written by an Aboriginal author centered around an Aboriginal teen who is coming to terms with his sexuality. It was a combination of that and my own teen experience as a closeted Aboriginal gay kid growing up in country NSW [that inspired the novel],” Mr Lonesborough said.
For Ms Castagna, her shortlisted novel ‘Girls in Boys’ Cars’ puts Parramatta in the spotlight. The book tells the story of two young women as they travel across regional NSW, in a car stolen from North Parramatta McDonald’s.
“It’s great to put the place that I’ve lived most of my life into my work and to have young people from this area be able to see themselves in it. I think the young people and the cultures of this community deserve a much wider stage,” Ms Castagna said.
Ms Castagna told Parra News it was a “real honour” to have her novel shortlisted.
“I think the CBCA award is really the most recognised award in Australia for young adult novels. It’s such an incredible organisation that has done so much to advocate for writing for young people in Australia,” Ms Castagna said.
The CBCA Book of the Year Award winners will be announced on Friday, August 19.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.