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Reading Matters is Australia’s leading youth literature conference for professionals and youth literature enthusiasts.
Gather to discuss big issues, YA trends, and celebrate new and established young adult writers. Share ideas with colleagues from across the country, find inspiration in outstanding talent, mull over the big issues and celebrate the strength of our industry at Reading Matters.
The Centre for Youth Literature is looking for a new team member – might that be you?
Events Officer – Centre for Youth Literature
Fixed term to 30 June 2015
Part-time – 3 days per week, with additional hours as required
VPS 3.1 – $58,630 per annum (pro rata)
About Us
The Centre for Youth Literature connects Australia’s young people with literature, inspiring young adults to engage with books, stories and writing. The Centre sits within Reader Development unit of the State Library of Victoria’s Learning Services Division, and develops an array of reading, writing and literacy programs for children and young people.
About the Role
Supporting the Centre for Youth Literature’s 2015 events program, the role is focused on managing production of the international Reading Matters conference and events series, in Melbourne and interstate. Reading Matters is a major celebration of youth literature, and comprises:
A two-day professional conference in Melbourne.
A schools program for up to 1,000 students in Melbourne.
A new public Festival day for teenagers and YA enthusiasts.
Four touring schools and library programs, to regional areas of Victoria and other states.
The Events Officer will be responsible for:
Coordinating the delivery of the Reading Matters conference and events.
Supporting the development and implementation of the Reading Matters programming.
Coordinating the delivery of the regional and interstate schools program.
Providing operational assistance to the Centre for Youth Literature in areas including marketing, risk management, finance and administration.
How to Apply
For a Position Description and to apply, please visit our website – www.slv.vic.gov.au
We promote diversity and practice equity – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged toapply.
Applications close Thursday, 13 November 2014.
0 Comments on Position Available: Events Officer – Centre for Youth Literature as of 11/5/2014 6:21:00 PM
The Centre for Youth Literature at the State Library of Victoria today announced the winners of 2014 Inky Awards – Australia’s only national teen choice literary prize.
The Gold Inky is awarded to an Australian author and includes $2,000 prize money. The 2014 Gold Inky winner is: The First Third by Will Kostakis (Penguin).
Life is made up of three parts: in the first third, you’re embarrassed by your family; in the second, you make a family of your own; and in the end, you just embarrass the family you’ve made.
The Silver Inky is awarded to an international author. The 2014 Silver Inky winner is: All the Truth That’s in Me by Julie Berry (HarperCollins)
Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years later, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by her friends and family.
The Inky Awards are reader-lead literary prizes. Readers between the ages of 12-20 vote for their favourite books from a shortlist selected by a panel of teen judges from around Australia. Five Australian and five international books of young adult fiction are shortlisted and the books that attract the most reader votes online win.
Gold Inky winner Will Kostakis said it was sensational to see schools embracing the entire shortlist, and encouraging students to read, critique and vote. “To be part of the Inky’s process has been so rewarding – and to win, well, that’s the icing on an already awesome cake. It’s such an honour to be recognised by the book’s intended audience.”
Silver Inky winner Julie Berry said she was honoured to see her novel shortlisted. “These awards programs play such an important role in engaging young readers and shining a light of advocacy and celebration upon wonderful new books,” she said.
The Centre for Youth Literature’s Reader Development Manager Anna Burkey said the Inky Awards encourage teens to read for pleasure and share the stories they enjoy. “The Inky Awards show us what Australian young people are really interested in reading. This year’s shortlist is full of first love and family life, struggles with survival, the unknown and finding your place in the world,” Ms Burkey said. “Travelling from dark city streets and Greek suburbs to luxury spaceliners, surreal fairy woodlands and nuclear winters, the shortlist reflects the many worlds of great storytelling out there for young people.”
The Inky Awards were founded by the State Library’s Centre for Youth Literature in 2007 as Australia’s first national teen choice awards for young adult literature.
0 Comments on 2014 Inky Awards – The Winners as of 1/1/1900
presents
2015: The Year Ahead In Youth Literature
Tuesday 2 December, 6pm – 8:30pm
The Courtyard, State Library of Victoria
Cost: $18 per person
Bookings: Book online or (03) 8664 7099
Are teen memoirs really the next big thing? Will old favourites shock us with something terrifically new?
The world of youth literature is an ever evolution place with many stories to be told. Join a fabulous roster of publishers, literary organisations, and teen fiction fans for a fast-paced, sneak peek at the year ahead. Upcoming trends and interests for youth readers, projects, and programs will be shared from the people in the know!
This is a community space that will enable you to build relationships between publishers, librarians, teachers, event programmers and literary festivals.
Presented by the Centre for Youth Literature, this program is a revitalised Publishers’ Showcase– connect about news, projects and forthcoming titles.
Light snacks and refreshment provided.
0 Comments on 2015: The Year Ahead in Youth Literature as of 10/13/2014 12:13:00 AM
Australia’s top teen-choice book awards – the Inky Awards – are back!
Join the celebration of great new books and young adult voices at the 2014 Inky Awards winners’ announcement ceremony. The Inky Awards are an annual literary prize for the best new Young Adult literature as chosen by teen readers, in two categories: the Gold Inky Award for an Australian book and the Silver Inky Award for an international book.
Meet Inky Awards authors*, take part in literary quizzes, go behind-the-scenes with teen judges and be amongst the first to applaud the 2014 Inky Awards winners.
Refreshments provided. Suitable for ages 12+.
* We will be joined by all FIVE of the Gold Inky shortlisted authors: Amie Kaufman, Will Kostakis, Allyse Near, Ellie Marney & Claire Zorn!
0 Comments on 2014 Inky Awards Celebration as of 10/2/2014 10:19:00 PM
The Inky Awards are for the best new young adult books, as voted for by teen readers.
The Centre for Youth Literature is extremely proud to announce the 2014 Inky Awards shortlist. We had a fantastic team of teen panelists (to find out more about them, visit our judges page on Inside A Dog), who spent hours warring over their favourite Inky Awards longlisted books. Our judges took their responsibilities very seriously, and it was great to see such a considered and diverse discussion about books. Their dedication, passion, and enthusiasm resulted in a smashing selection.
Drum roll please…..the 2014 Inky Awards shortlist is…
The wining books will be announced at an interactive, fun, and author populated event at the State Library on the 21st of October. More information can be found here.
Follow on twitter with the hashtag #InkyAwards.
0 Comments on The 2014 Inky Awards Shortlist as of 9/19/2014 6:16:00 PM
It’s that time again on the youth literature calendar – Reading Matters 2015 is in production!
Reading Matters is a national celebration of youth literature taking the audience on a journey into fiction, graphic novels, poetry, gaming and prose.
Dates: 28 May – 2 June 2015 in Melbourne; then touring.
There are six key components to Reading Matters 2015:
National conference for youth literature professionals and advocates.
Publishing Expo, pop-up bookshop and author signings.
Schools program in Melbourne.
Public events program in Melbourne.
Victorian tour: regional public, schools and professional events.
National tour: regional QLD, TAS & SA (tbc).
Reading Matters is a unique opportunity for youth literature fans and professionals to gather to discuss big issues, trends, and celebrate new and established young adult writers. Our audience is the most important element of the program and we want to hear from you.
Pitch us your Reading Matters ideas! What would you like to see? What is youth literature to you?
Share with us:
Your dream panel – the theme, authors etc.
The author pairing that would make for a thought provoking discussion.
The authors teens would love to meet.
Youth literature trends or themes that needto be explored.
Anything else you can dream up!
Help us make it the best Reading Matters ever. Relive any events that made your heart sing; MT Anderson’s discussion of language accompanied by a live concert violinist or Raina Telgemeier’s live creation of a graphic novel. What should we bring you next year?
If you have a great idea we should consider for the 2015 program, email us the following:
Introduce yourself
What you would like to see featured on the Reading Matters program
Your experience in youth literature and teen reading
Submissions will close at noon on Friday, 18th of July 2014.
We look forward to hearing from you and hope to see you at Reading Matters in 2015.
Bookings will open in November 2014.
Courtesy: Dave Roman Reading Matters 2013 sketch
Libba Bray picking the brains of Melbourne students. Schools Day
Schools day
Morris Gleitzman
Ambelin Kwaymullina, Garth Nix and Programs Officer Jordi Kerr
Program Coordinator Adele Walsh, Keith Gray and Fiona Wood.
Schools day
Schools day
Young adult fiction!
0 Comments on Announcing Reading Matters 2015 as of 7/9/2014 9:53:00 PM
Out Loud is a teen performance poetry event coordinated by Australian Poetry and has been a massive success at the Melbourne Writers Festival in recent years.
OutLoud is unique because it’s a team event. Each member relies on the others to get the best out of their original poetry and everyone contributes to the amazing result.
Last year’s winners were Braemar College, and it’s worth taking a couple of minutes to see their astonishing performance.
In 2014 the OutLoud Competition is being supported by the City of Melbourne Arts Program, which has allowed us to expand the competition. For the first time, two preliminary finals will take place prior to the Grand Final on August 26th.
Which means more schools can take part! And we’re helping them to do this via a program of workshops aimed at giving more students than ever the chance to get up close and personal with their inner performer through slam poetry. They’ll also get tips on how to take on other teams in the competition itself.
The workshops are run by experienced – and really enthusiastic! – performance poets. To sign up your school, go to Australian Poetry: Email or phone: 9094 7828
And for more information on OutLoud, visit Australian Poetry’s website.
0 Comments on OUT LOUD 2014 – Teen Poetry Slam Competitions (Workshops Available) as of 5/26/2014 2:46:00 AM
The State Library of Victoria, home to the Scholastic Dromkeen Collection of Australian Picture Book Art, is pleased to be coordinating the national Dromkeen Awards, comprising the Dromkeen Medal and the Dromkeen Librarian’s Award. The Library is currently calling for nominations for the Dromkeen Medal.
The Dromkeen Medal is bestowed annually in recognition of outstanding contributions to Australian children’s and youth literature, and was established in 1982. The Medal was previously awarded by the Courtney Oldmeadow Children’s Literature Foundation, based at the Dromkeen homestead in Victoria. A full list of past recipients can be found here.
Medal Nomination Process 2014
Nominations will be assessed by an independent panel, and the Awards made to coincide with Book Week, in August 2014.
The Dromkeen Librarian’s Award celebrates significant contributions to the support of young Australian readers, and is presented to a teacher librarian, children’s / youth librarian or literature professional working in libraries. The award winner does not have to be a qualified librarian. A full list of past recipients can be found here. Nomination forms will be issued later in 2014.
Once Upon a Time: a world of children’s picture book art is currently on display, and is the first Dromkeen exhibition to be held at the State Library of Victoria. The exhibition runs until August 2014, and is free to enter.
Beloved children’s writer Morris Gleitzman has been making Australians laugh and cry for many decades. Gain insight into his newest title, Loyal Creatures, with a stage performance and question session with Morris Gleitzman that will further explore the experience of one brave Lighthorseman and his horse during World War 1.
Signing opportunity to follow.
0 Comments on Event: Loyal Creatures with Morris Gleitzman as of 5/4/2014 10:51:00 PM
Titles from the 2013 calendar year are nominated by their publishing houses and each of the state judges are whisked away for days until they decide each of the winners, honours, shortlists and notable lists.
The Older Reader category (aka Young adult) notable list features thirteen Australian authors of YA fiction.
Congratulations to the six talented authors gracing the 2014 CBCA Book of the Year Award (Older Readers):
The Incredible Here and Now – Felicity Castagna (Giramondo)
Life in Outer Space – Melissa Keil (Hardie Grant Egmont)
The First Third – Will Kostakis (Penguin)
Fairytales for Wilde Girls - Allyse Near (Random House)
Wildlife - Fiona Wood (Pan Macmillan)
The Sky so Heavy - Claire Zorn (UQP)
The winner will be announced during Book Week, 16 – 22 August 2014.
0 Comments on Children’s Book of the Year Awards 2014 as of 4/7/2014 10:59:00 PM
Ladies and Gents, the Centre for Youth Literature interrupts your regular programming to bring you the 2014 Inky Awards longlist, fresh from the Somerset Celebration of Literature in Queensland!
Drum roll, please…
Gold Inky Award longlist (Australian books):
Zac and Mia by AJ Betts All This Could End by Steph Bowe Steal My Sunshine by Emily Gale The Whole of My World by Nicole Hayes These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner The First Third by Will Kostakis Every Breath by Ellie Marney Fairytales for Wilde Girls by Allyse Near Run by Tim Sinclair The Sky So Heavy by Claire Zorn
Silver Inky Award longlist (international books):
All The Truth That’s In Me by Julie Berry Where the Stars Still Shine by Trish Doller Seraphina by Rachel Hartman When We Wake by Karen Healey Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan ACID by Emma Pass Man Mad Boy by Jon Skovron Winger by Andrew Smith Wild Awake by Hilary T Smith Lockwood & Co: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud
This year is a transition period for the awards, as it moves from a financial to calendar year for eligibility titles. As such, last year’s longlisted titles were discounted from proceedings.
Please see our 2014 longlist on insideadog.com.au for more details about the books. Applications will open from 20th March to be one of our six teen judges – you have until 14th of April to get your submission in.
A reminder that the shortlist will be announced at the Melbourne Writers Festival in August, at which time voting will open. The winners will be announced at an Inky Awards Ceremony on 21st of October at the State Library of Victoria. Please sign up for our enewsletter to be advised when bookings are open.
0 Comments on 2014 Inky Awards longlist as of 3/19/2014 5:23:00 AM
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (Victorian branch) held their 2014 Claytons Dinner on Tuesday evening at Trinity College, Kew. For those unaware, the Claytons are the predictions from local experts on the CBCA Book of the Year Award Categories. The event takes its name from a non-alcoholic beverage and advertising campaign (1970s-80s) as it is not quite the real thing.
The Older Readers category (Young Adult Fiction), as predicted by our very own Anna Burkey, were as follows:
Wildlife by Fiona Wood (Pan Macmillan)
Fairytales for Wilde Girls by Allyse Near (Random House)
The Sultan’s Eyes by Kelly Gardiner (Harper Collins)
The Tribe: The Disappearance of Ember Crow by Ambelin Kwaymullina (Walker Books)
The Whole of My World by Nicole Hayes (Random House)
Cry Blue Murder by Kim Kane and Marion Roberts (UQP)
Honorable mentions:
The First Third by Will Kostakis (Penguin)
Run by Tim Sinclair (Penguin)
Jump by Sean Williams (Allen and Unwin)
You can find the picks for Younger Readers (Middle Grade), Picture Books and Early Childhood on this Storify of the event.
UpcomingEvents:
There are many more of these events across Australia should you like to hear about other knowledgeable bookish types on the best titles of 2013.
Shortlist Showcase in Canberra took place on 12 March.
Yes, your teen choice book awards are back, and better than ever with a brand new timeline. The Awards are all about showcasing the best and brightest young adult titles, as deemed by Australia’s teens, so following feedback we’ve revised the awards calendar:
How can you engage with the Inky Awards?
Encourage students to submit an application for the teen judging panel.
Review the longlist on InsideaDog.com.au as an armchair judge!
Promote your students’ choices as for the Inky Awards in the classroom or library.
Go on a blind date! Cover books in brown paper and provide a snappy elevator pitch.
Organise a shortlist announcement celebration to coincide with our own.
Create a piece of art (poetry, craft, photography, a cake, etc) in response to a favourite title from the longlist.
Join us at the State Library of Victoria for the Inky Awards Ceremony in person or online.
Eligible books
To facilitate these dates, the publication period for books eligible for this year’s Inky Awards has changed from financial to calendar year. This means that all 2013 young adult releases (barring the 2013 longlisted titles) are eligible for the 2014 Gold and Silver Inky Awards.
0 Comments on Welcome to the 2014 Inky Awards! as of 1/1/1900
According to adults, teenagers are digital natives. Often depicted as a generation glued to their smart phones, snapchatting their selfies, stuck to their Facebook walls with their memes, and their lolcats, and their blatant disregard for spelling and grammar…
But what do young adults really think about the online environment?
As ever, we’re keen to provide a space where the voices and views of young people can be heard, and we’re very proud to be working with the Digital Writers’ Festival to deliver that in an exciting, new way.
Inside a Blog: the teen perspectivewill be a live-streamed panel celebrating young adult voices, as part of the entirely-online Digital Writers’ Festival. You can take part from anywhere in the world (with a decent internet connection).
Inside a Bloggoes live at 11am AEDT on Saturday, 22 February at digitalwritersfestival.com, and features three teenagers who have written blog posts for InsideaDog.com.au in conversation with YA author Myke Bartlett. You can also ask the panellists your own questions, by joining the discussion on Twitter (#DWF14).
If you’re not free at the event time, you can always catch-up later with the recorded version.
Teens and adults alike may also be interested in the Festival’s writing showcase, Mapping the Words. Until 24 February you can submit your entry on where you write, and what about that place inspires you. Bonus incentive: if you live outside of Melbourne, you could win tickets to and accommodation for the Emerging Writers’ Festival (May 27 – June 6 2014). Please see their website for more details.
About the Digital Writers’ Festival (13 – 24 February)
With 30 events across twelve days, all of them live-streamed online, free of charge, the Digital Writers’ Festival is definitely an ‘online carnival’. It aims to explore and celebrate how digital spaces are changing the world of writing, and to connect readers and writers from around Australia and across the world. Join the conversation at #DWF14.
The Festival is presented by the Emerging Writers’ Festival, and is supported by the Australia Council for the Arts.
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We love comics and graphic novels. They have a bilingual strength, using both visual and textual literacy. It lends them a unique advantage in the search for a gateway to other forms of reading, but it is also worthy of celebration and enjoyment in its own right.
Just like novels, graphic novels are vast and varying in type, tone, and themes, and trying to find a story or character that best suits you can be a daunting task. To help you in your quest for great graphic novels, we heartily recommend YALSA’s annual list, and 2014 has just been released!
If you attended or followed along at our Year Ahead in Youth Literature event you may already be familiar with some of the titles, like Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant, Hellboy: The Midnight Circus, Adventure Time, or, well, anything by Faith Erin Hicks. (Our complete list of comics and graphic novels from the event is available here.)
We’re excited to now be adding YALSA-recommended titles like Rust, MIND MGMT, and Dogs of War to our
to-read piles.
Another graphic novel title we’re very excited about, but will be waiting some time for, is the recently-announced collaboration between Rainbow Rowell (the amazing author who both won AND came runner-up in the 2013 Goodreads Choice Awards for Young Adult fiction) and Faith Erin Hicks. Happy new year, indeed!
Which comics and graphic novels are on your 2014 reading list?
0 Comments on The Quest for Great Graphic Novels as of 1/1/1900
A bright year beckons for youth literature, with 2014′s proof copies beginning to flood in to the office. So what lies ahead for us at the Centre for Youth Literature, and the partners we’re working with?
Centre for Youth Literature 2014-16 Strategic Plan
We’ve got four very clear goals that guide all our projects, events and networks.
We aim to be:
The leading source of information, expertise and opportunities about youth literature.
A dynamic champion for the voice and views of young adults.
Showcasing and developing innovative youth literature engagement models.
Advocates for the very best of Australian youth literature.
These are big aims, and we’ll be working closely with partner associations and festivals to achieve them. We are delighted to have been named a Key Literature Organisation for the Australia Council, working with our fine literary friends across the country to promote and develop youth literature networks.
Our Strategic Plan for the next three years goes into greater detail: it looks at the Australian youth literature landscape, has an overview of our past programs and looks ahead at the projects we’ll be working on.
Artistic Program
In practice, these aims mean we’ll have an annual artistic program that focuses on young people, professional development and advocacy for our writers and readers. We’ll be increasing our digital content, linking with many more partners and putting time, energy and heart into the programs you love: the Inky Awards, development of InsideaDog.com.au and preparing a cracking 2015 Reading Matters program.
Bring it on, 2014. It’s going to be a great year.
Want to get your team involved, or learn more about our programs? Leave us a comment below, or drop us a line at [email protected].
0 Comments on 2014 and Beyond: A Snapshot of the Centre for Youth Literature as of 1/1/1900
The Prize for Writing for Young Adults – judged by our own Anna Burkey, Hilary Harper and Alice Pung – was narrowed down to a list of outstanding finalists:
This isn’t just about me. It’s also about the other people in my life – my mother, my father, my dead sister Sky, my penpal Denille, Rich Uncle Brian, Earth-Pig Fish and Douglas Benson From Another Dimension. These are people [with the exception of Earth-Pig Fish, who is a fish] who have shaped me, made me what I am. I cannot recount my life without recounting elements of theirs. This is a big task, but I am confident I am up to it.
Introducing Candice Phee: twelve years old, hilariously honest and a little … odd. But she has a big heart, the very best of intentions and an unwavering determination to ensure everyone is happy. So she sets about trying to ‘fix’ all the problems of all the people [and pets] in her life.
Barry has had a phenomenal run of late winning the 2013 Gold Inky Award and the Older readers category of the 2013 Children’s Peace Literature Awards.
Congratulations to Barry and his fellow finalists on a cracking display of Australian young adult literature!
0 Comments on 2014 Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards as of 1/1/1900
Last week there was a tremendous amount of discussion about our youth, the arts and their lack of appreciation for quality. Many opinions were freely shared on social media but we were particularly struck by Craig Hildebrand-Burke’s ‘Toss Bricks at Gen Y and you miss the bigger picture‘ comment on the importance of being open to change and the value in all art.
What do we think?
Let’s hear from the Centre for Youth Literature’s manager, Anna Burkey.
“The arts allow us to look at ourselves. They delight us, transport us, surprise us.”
So said UK artist David Shrigley, in a video made in support of the arts during dire financial times. His animated short is a powerful summary of the necessary roles the arts play in society in any age, and for any age.
Today’s young people are expressing themselves across boundaries, confidently defining their own social structures. Book clubs conducted via photography, music made across Skype, politics examined through YouTube comedy sketches – these new expressions may last or fade but each experiment is a chance to catch the eye of those around them and think ‘yes – this is who we are. We understand each other.’
When the Australian Theatre for Young People (ATYP) noted that the upcoming generation of HSC drama students had no recent monologues to read, they took action, commissioning the Fresh Ink series. The resultant pieces, by young writers and for young actors, are astonishing in the beauty and depth they reflect. The fresh voices sing strongly and our young actors now have the choice to reflect a past society, or portray their own contemporary Australian context.
Actively entering the traditional world of the cultural establishment is a trickier task. With each social shift what was permissible can become taboo; what was unthinkable becomes mainstream. Shakespeare’s ribald jokes lose the easy laughter they had for the one-penny playhouse; Austen’s 18th century family scandals no longer shock. We must prepare for the fact that our accepted treasures will be questioned and that the social and institutional structures that have grown around them are barriers to new audiences. The formal etiquette of the concert hall can be forbidding or confusing, and even libraries can be frightening to enter. We need to ensure that our young audiences, their opinions and the methods they use to express themselves, are welcome and respected in these spaces. Australian Arts organisations such as the Centre for Youth Literature at the State Library of Victoria, and Express Media, faciliate and champions the voices of young people, through their programmes, events, and online spaces such as insideadog.com.au.
The digital tools available to the so-called Generation Y are freely accessed, easy to use and simple to distribute. It is these trends, rather than the tools, that we must respond to – the desire to create and share a point of view without an authorising structure. If we can accept this need, and enter into conversation with our young audiences, then we can share art and stories that relate to each of us. The Lizzie Bennett Diaries, an Emmy-winning adaptation of Pride & Prejudice told via weekly web episodes, has connected tens of thousands of new teenage fans with a classic author. Many of them had never heard of the book, but the excellent translation to the recognisable world of 21st century America bridged the divide, while giving fans of the original new dimensions and subtleties to consider. Just as the daily newspaper gave Dickens a regular outlet for his social satires, so has the internet enabled the popular return of the serial story.
As we remix our culture, we remove barriers. We play, connect with others, come across stories and perspectives new to us. We shine. We are not alone.
The arts – high, low, populist, niche, contemporary or classic – should represent the freedom to explore, regardless of age, ethnicity, economic-background, gender, sexuality or century. In restricting access and defining what is worthy, we weaken ourselves at a time when we must be vocal in tackling inequality and illiteracy. Over one third of Australian teenagers face literacy challenges, and 14% of Australian students do not have the reading skills required to participate in the 21st century workforce . The Centre for Youth Literature acknowledges the importance of teens being taught the skills for reading, and being inspired to read. If we do not recognise the needs and the disparity before us, and provide the next generation with access, support and validation, we will all be diminished. Today’s young people deserve better from us.
The Centre for Youth Literature at the State Library of Victoria announced the winners of the 2013 Inky Awards – Australia’s only national teen choice literary prize.
The Gold Inky is awarded to an Australian author and includes $2,000 prize money. The 2013 Gold Inky winner is My Life as an Alphabet by Barry Jonsberg (Allen & Unwin).
My Life as an Alphabet by Barry Jonsberg
Introducing Candice Phee: twelve years old, hilariously honest and a little … odd. But she has a big heart, the very best of intentions and an unwavering determination to ensure everyone is happy. So she sets about trying to ‘fix’ all the problems of all the people [and pets] in her life.
The Silver Inky is awarded to an international author. The 2013 Silver Inky winner is The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic).
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
Blue Sargent, the daughter of the town psychic in Henrietta, Virginia, has been told for as long as she can remember that if she ever kisses her true love, he will die. But she is too practical to believe in things like true love. Her policy is to stay away from the rich boys at the prestigious Aglionby Academy. The boys there — known as Raven Boys — can only mean trouble.
The Inky Awards are teen choice literary prizes. A panel of young adults judges from across Australia select the shortlist, which is then opened to a public vote for readers aged 12-20. The books with the most votes win.
The Centre for Youth Literature’s Manager, Anna Burkey, says the Inky Awards encourage young people to read for pleasure and share the stories they enjoy.
‘The Inky Awards are distinctive, providing a space for young people to champion the year’s very best YA fiction. The winners of the Inky Awards are chosen by the audience the authors have written for – teens. That’s a great way to get young adults excited about reading and it is fantastic for the authors to get that recognition.’
The Inky Awards were founded by the Centre for Youth Literature at the State Library of Victoria in 2007 as Australia’s first national teen choice awards for young adult literature.
For those who could not attend – hear direct from our Gold Inky winner, Barry Jonsberg.
Maggie Stiefvater was unable to attend but sent this acceptance video in here place.
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Is dystopian going the way of the dodo? Is crime fiction still a thrill?
The world of youth literature is such a wondrous place, with exciting stories ahead. Join an array of publishers, literary organisations, and teen fiction fans for a fast-paced, sneak peek at the year ahead. We’ll highlight upcoming trends and interests for youth readers, projects, programs, and opportunities for young adult writers.
This is a community space that will enable you to build relationships between publishers, librarians, teachers, event programmers and literary festivals.
Presented by the Centre for Youth Literature, this program is a revitalised Publishers’ Showcase– connect about news, projects and forthcoming titles.
Light snacks and refreshment provided.
0 Comments on 2014: The Year Ahead in Youth Literature (formerly Publishers’ Showcase) as of 1/1/1900
We here at the Centre for Youth Literature are very excited to announce that Cory Doctorow will be visiting Melbourne’s fair shores next month. An internationally renowned science fiction author, journalist, activist and co-editor of Boing Boing, Cory will be appearing exclusively at the State Library of Victoria.
If science fiction writers try to imagine the future, what do they see for the publishing industry and storytelling in a digital age? Hear from science fiction author, activist, journalist and blogger Cory Doctorow as he discusses publishing, digital content and the future of narrative.
Venue: Experimedia, State Library of Victoria
Cost: $18 ($15 concession) Bookings
Creative versus Commons
Saturday 23 November 2013, 6.30–8pm
As technology evolves so do the ways people share stories. Hear from author, activist and blogger Cory Doctorow and fellow industry experts as they discuss the current issues facing online communities and the future storytelling, sharing and remixing in the digital age.
Venue: Experimedia, State Library of Victoria
Cost: $18 ($15 concession) Bookings
Digital fiction masterclass with Cory Doctorow
Sunday 24 November 2013, 2-4pm
Join our exclusive masterclass with renowned blogger and science fiction writer, Cory Doctorow. Explore the changing relationship between authors and readers, the evolution of digital content and how to make an impact in an increasingly online world.
Venue: Queen’s Hall, State Library of Victoria
Cost: $55 (including afternoon tea) Bookings
Future fictions with teens
Monday 25 November 2013, 10am–12pm
In this special event just for teens, international author and blogging sensation Cory Doctorow talks about the future of fiction and how to be an active participant in today’s world. Join in a workshop that will unleash your creativity and hear about others who are helping to shape our world.
Venue: Queen’s Hall, State Library of Victoria
Cost: Free Bookings necessary
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Each year the Centre for Youth Literature hosts an Inky Awards event to celebrate great books, and the authors and teenagers who have been a part of this year’s awards.
This year we have some exciting surprises for our Inky Awards event.
Surprise 1: the event is free.
Surprise 2: student workshops will be held with the 2013 Australian shortlisted authors.
Surprise 3: the workshops will be followed by a ceremony, featuring our teen judges, awards announcement and opportunity to mingle with the authors.
Surprise 4: the celebration is open to the general public (and all ages). You do not have to attend the workshops to be able to attend the celebration!
Schools wishing to book into the workshop (10am-11am) + ceremony (11am-12.30pm) need to email [email protected], and include the following information: your name, contact details, number of students to attend, name of school, year level/s of students, and number of supervising adults.
Public/Schools wishing to attend the ceremony ONLY (11am-12.30pm) may book via event arc (here).
Please note: workshop availability is limited (spaces limited to 25 per school).
This event is supported by Australia Council for the Arts.
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UK author Keith Gray was a highlight of the first day of Reading Matters 2013 with his thought provoking keynote, ‘Gatekeepers – the good, the bad and my mother’.
Keith Gray is a full-time writer living and working in Edinburgh, a sister City of Literature. His first novel, Creepers, was shortlisted for the Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. He has since released a number of critically-acclaimed YA novels which have won, or been shortlisted for, several major awards including the Carnegie Medal and the Costa Children’s Book Award.
0 Comments on Reading Matters: ‘Gatekeepers – the good, the bad and my mother’ – Keith Gray as of 10/10/2013 8:22:00 PM
How will you celebrate the Inky Awards shortlist? Have fun, get creative and go in the draw to win the Audience Prize – a complete set of all 20 longlisted books!
Make a display, upload a vlog, host an Inky Awards party, or anything else your imagination desires!
What do you need to do? Just be as creative as you can! Then send us a photo/link/video/etc to [email protected]by 31 October 2013, and include:
a short description of what your entry is;
your full name/s (if it’s a group entry);
your email address;
and your daytime phone number.
Inky Award images can be found here, for your use in this competition.
The Prize
All 20 longlisted titles is a pretty tempting prize – over on our Inside a Dog website, we’ve got a full list of these Inky Awards books that you could win.
Given that this is a competition with a top prize at stake, there are a few T&Cs we have to follow.
Terms and Conditions
The competition is an initiative of the State Library of Victoria – Centre for Youth Literature (“Competition Organisers“).
Entry into the competition is deemed acceptance of these terms and conditions.
Entry is open to people of all ages and is FREE.
Entrants under 16 years of age at the time of submitting their entry must have permission from a parent or legal guardian to enter the competition. The Competition Organisers may, at their discretion, verify that parental permission has been obtained, prior to awarding a prize to a winner under 16 years of age.
Entry is open to Australian residents only.
Entrants may enter as many times as they like; each entry will be judged as a single entry.
Staff from the State Library of Victoria and its affiliates [State Library of Victoria Foundation members and Readings at the State Library of Victoria employees] are excluded from entry.
Staff from the publishing houses of shortlisted titles are excluded from entry.
Entries must be submitted by 31 October 2013 to [email protected], and include a short description of the submission. Late entries will not be accepted. Entrants should ensure that correct personal and contact details are entered, including full name, age (if less than 16 years), email address, and daytime phone number. If incorrect contact details are provided, the Competition Organisers are not responsible for obtaining correct contact details for that entrant
Entries will be judged by a panel of Centre for Youth Literature staff (“Panel”). The selection of the winners is at the sole discretion of the Panel.
Winners will be contacted by the 11 November and announced at the Inky Awards celebration in November 2013.
If the Panel is unable to contact a winning entrant due to the provision of incorrect contact details by that entrant, the Panel may select an alternate winner.
Each winner will receive a complete set of the 2013 Inky Awards longlisted titles (20 books in total). The prizes are not redeemable for cash or otherwise transferrable.
By entering this competition each entrant gives permission for their entry (at the discretion of the Competition Organisers) to be published and reproduced in a range of online and print media. This includes, but not limited to, our websites (www.insideadog.com.au, www.slv.vic.gov.au), blogs, e-newsletters, press releases, and social media networks such as twitter and facebook.
Entries must be an original work created solely by the entrant/s and not infringing the rights of any third parties.
The Competition Organisers reserve the right to disqualify any entry that is not in accordance with these terms and conditions.
Privacy Statement. Entrants’ personal information is collected by the Competition Organisers to conduct, administer and publicise this competition. Entrants consent to the Competition Organisers using their name or anything else that identifies them, together with their entry for the purposes specified above. All information will be managed in accordance with the State Library of Victoria’s Privacy Policy.
1 Comments on Inky Awards: The Audience Prize, last added: 9/5/2013
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Just like novels, graphic novels are vast and varying in type, tone, and themes, and trying to find a story or character that best suits you can be a daunting task. To help you in your quest for great graphic novels, we heartily recommend YALSA’s annual list, and 
who both won AND came runner-up in the 2013 Goodreads Choice Awards for Young Adult fiction) and Faith Erin Hicks. Happy new year, indeed!
My Life as an Alphabet by Barry Jonsberg
The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
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