Books Illustrated E-News

Join us for our last two Melbourne Book Market days for 2018.
You'll find books for all ages, all genres, all sorts of readers!

Saturday December 8 at Abbotsford Convent - 10am to 5pm.
Sunday December 16 at Queen Victoria Market - 9am to 4pm

And Christmas Specials - books & cards !

Author/illustrator Ann James will be demonstrating her illustration skills at our stand on both market days promoting A Very Quacky Christmas, the Christmas themed picture book Ann illustrated, written by Frances Watts and published by ABC Books. Ann will be happy to personally sign copies of 'Quacky' and her other books.
A free Quacky Christmas card with each purchase!

In her career, Ann has illustrated over 60 books and is involved in many areas of the children's publishing industry. Her books include Dog In, Cat Out; Lucy Goosey; The Midnight Gang; The Butterfly; Bird & Bear, Baby and I'm a Dirty Dinosaur.

Hardback book $24.99 & quacky greeting cards $6 each

Print title: Christmas is for sharing $150
Six Quacky prints to choose from

New Limited Edition Giclee Prints from Bruce Whatley

We are excited to introduce this new range of limited edition prints, as it is the first time Bruce Whatley has offered prints for sale from his original artwork.
The prints range across several titles in his career from the classic picture book, Diary of a Wombat, written by Jackie French, published in 2002, by Harper Collins, to his epic Ruben, written and illustrated by Bruce, published in 2017 by Scholastic Australia and shortlisted for this year's Prime Minister's Literary Awards.
The winners of these awards will be announced in Canberra at Parliament House on December 5.

Bruce Whatley and co author Rosie Smith at the 2017 Bologna Book Fair

Bruce Whatley has had a long career as an illustrator of childrens' books. His award-winning titles (many are collaborations with his wife Rosie Smith), include The Ugliest Dog in the World, Looking for Crabs, Detective Donut and the Wild Goose Chase, Diary of a Wombat, The Little Refugee, Flood, Fire, And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda and Cyclone. He is one of the few Australian illustrators to have had his work selected for the prestigious Bologna International Illustration exhibition.

Read more about Bruce and his illustrations on his website http://brucewhatley.com
See Bruce in action on this video - Drawing characters with Bruce Whatley

These prints and more are now available for sale ...
click here to see print details and sale prices.

Print title: Ruben tied his laces $220

Print title: Block City $295 Print title: Feather Boat $195

Bruce says .. 'Ruben is my biggest, most complicated project to date. It is a 92 page picture book I started to write over ten years ago. Though the final illustrations are done with a simple graphite push pencil they have been constructed by compiling photographic reference and 3d CGI reference ..'. You can read more about this facinating process on Bruce's website: www.brucewhatley

Print title: Scratched, slept $150

Buy Now

Print title: One keen Koala $110 Print title: Nog $110

Books ...

Ruben (hb) $24.99 Diary of a Wombat (hb) $24.99

Illustration Inspiration

Wine & wooden horses - worth a visit!

When you visit this Victorian vineyard you have the chance to be inspired by Patricia Mullin's marvellous collection of wooden horses. This collection has been a lifetime's work for Patricia created alongside her illustrations for her highly acclaimed children's picture books including The Magic Saddle, Shoes for Grandpa, Crocodile Beat, Pharlap, V is for Vanishing and A Crash of Rhinos.
Patricia is particularly celebrated, nationally and internationally, for her illustration technique using paper collage ...

Be inspired and fascinated with Patricia's work in our next Behind the Studio Door
... coming soon!

And on the international scene ...

Bologna Books Fair Illustrators Exhibition international tour

Fifty artists from all over the world who made the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition in 2017 are now presented to the Korean public in the exhibition "Artists and Masterpieces of Illustration" on show at MBC - Munhwa Broadcasting Corp of Daegu, South Korea, until 6 February 2019. The Bologna International Children's Book Fair organisers are expanding the touring of this exhibition beyond the annual Fair in Bologna.

Other December awards and events

Congratulations to Alison Lester
winner of the 2018 Melbourne Prize for Literature!

Alison Lester is the first children's author/illustrator to win the Melbourne Prize for Literature. This award is given for a body of published work which has made an outstanding contribution to Australian literature and to cultural and intellectual life.
Her many books including Clive eats Alligators, Magic Beach, My Farm, Noni the Pony, Kissed by the Moon,The Very Noisy Baby and the classic, Are We There Yet? are known and loved by generations of readers.

Signed books Signed limited edition prints

Touring exhibition of Are we there yet? is available for hire from Books Illustrated.

Above: The fabulous map which is central to the exhibition. It illustrates Alison's travels around Australia including family photos, inspring her book. The exhibition includes all original art, developmental work, her children's journals and lots more!

Support the Indigenous Literacy Foundation this Christmas !

Join us for a night of book trivia, laughter and fundraising with the wonderful Brian Nankervis as your host. Our annual Trivia night in Melbourne raises funds each year to support our literacy programs in remote Indigenous communities. Seating is limited so booking is essential. Wednesday 12 December 6:00 PM Fitzroy Town Hall 201 Napier St, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065 BOOK NOW...

Story Box Library
End of Year special education offer
For schools or early childhood centres from

Choose to either:
1. Subscribe and pay before 31st December, 2018 and receive a BONUS THREE FREE MONTHS!
2. Subscribe before 31st December, 2018 and opt to defer payment until 28 February, 2019.

And for 2019 ...

CBCA National Conference May 31 to June 2

QT, 1 London Circuit Canberra
The program will highlight the outstanding contribution made by writers
and illustrators of humour to Australian Children's Literature.

Children's Book Council of Australia - Book Week 2019

Theme: Reading is My Secret Power
Dates: 17 - 23 August 2019

December with the Australian Children's Laureate

From Morris Glietzman's Story Calendar ...

Some things we can’t do from the comfort of our reading pillow. Such as make a difference to our world. We have to go out and do that. Just like thousands of generations before us.

Like them, stories have made us who we are. Shown us that the best we’re capable of is always more powerful than the worst. Some people don’t believe that, of course. You can show them it’s true by the way you live the story of your life. And what a story it will be.

Catch up on the Australian Laureate's news & events for 2019 on the
Laureate website