ANZ LitLovers LitBlog

There’s a couple of surprises that I haven’t read  in the Fiction shortlist, but I am pleased to see that books I’ve admired are on the list, announced today.

Fiction shortlist

• Traitor, Stephen Daisley, see my review
• Notorious, Roberta Lowing
• When Colts Ran, Roger McDonald, see my review
• Glissando – A Melodrama, David Musgrave, see my review
• That Deadman Dance, Kim Scott, see my review

I haven’t read any of the NF shortlist…

Non-fiction shortlist

• Sydney, Delia Falconer
• How To Make Gravy, Paul Kelly
• The Party, Richard McGregor
• The Hard Light of Day, Rod Moss
• Claude Levi-Strauss: The Poet in the Laboratory, Patrick Wilcken

Or anything YA…

Young adult fiction shortlist

• Good Oil, Laura Buzo
• Graffiti Moon, Cath Crowley
• The Three Loves of Persimmon, Cassandra Golds
• About a Girl, Joanne Horniman
• The Piper’s Son, Melina Marchetta

But I would like to recommend Shake a Leg as a great little book.  I’m using it next week with my Years 3 & 4 in a unit of work called ‘Food – Where Does it Come From?’, and I what I really like about Shake a Leg is the humorous way that it shows how Aboriginal people in this country have kept some traditional ways because it suits them, and have adapted to using some modern ways – also because it suits them.  It shows Aboriginal people to be innovative, adaptable people with a generous and welcoming spirit.

Children’s fiction shortlist

• Why I Love Australia [Board book], Bronwyn Bancroft
• Flyaway, Lucy Christopher (I can’t find an online bookseller for this one)
• Now, Morris Gleitzman
• April Underhill, Tooth Fairy, Bob Graham
• Shake a Leg , Boori Monty Pryor and Jan Ormerod

More information about the shortlists is available from www.arts.gov.au/pmliteraryawards/shortlists.