LOCAL authors Paula Weston and Michelle Worthington have been recognised in the Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards Notables List.
Ms Worthington of Sheldon had two picture books chosen The World’s Worst Pirate and Glitch.
Ms Weston, a Mount Cotton resident, was chosen for her older readers book The Undercurrent.
Ms Weston said the speculative thriller had also been shortlisted for the Young Adult Book of the Year in the Aurealis Awards for science fiction and fantasy.
Ms Worthington said Glitch was about a twitchy little bug who takes treasures found on a rubbish dump and recycles them into amazing creations.
Illustrated by Andrew Plant, the book has a message intended to help children.
“I wanted to write a book for children with anxiety who find that their nerves can stop them from doing the things they love to do, to try and show them that good things happen on the other side of facing your fears,” Ms Worthington said.
“It was dedicated to my grandfather Arthur Calcino, who used to take me to the dump in the days where you would often bring back more than you threw away.”
Ms Worthington said The World’s Worst Pirate, which is illustrated by Katrin Dreiling, was about a boy who does not want to be a pirate even though his mother is the ship’s captain.
“When the ship is attacked by a dangerous sea monster, he uses his real talent – baking cupcakes – to save them all.
“I am consciously making sure I include strong female characters in my story, as well as celebrating diversity and showing children they can be anything they want to be.”
Ms Worthington said her books were available in online or local bookstores. She encouraged customers to ask for the books to be ordered in if they are not in stock.
Books on the Notables List were later selected for the Short List for the CBCA Book of the Year Awards.
CBCA national chair Margot Hillel said the Book of the Year Awards recognised books of literary merit that made an outstanding contribution to Australian children’s literature.
The 2018 winners will be announced in August, kicking off the CBCA Children’s Book Week.
