We are proud and excited to announce author Tylissa Elisara as this year's winner of The Readings Children's Prize for Wurrtoo, a unique middle-grade novel about friendship, adventure and facing your fears, illustrated by Dylan Finney.

We've asked Tylissa about the inspiration for her work, her pathway to publication, the creative process, her favourite writing advice, and more.

What was the initial inspiration for this story?

I was inspired to write this story after witnessing an act of overt racism towards my son when he was only two years old and choosing a lolly at a store. After the distressing encounter, I worried about the future racism he would encounter as an Aboriginal person growing up in Australia. I also found that the classic stories we read at bedtime only reinforced ‘white supremacy’ due to the time they were written. I initially wrote Wurrtoo to provide a version of his favourites that would hopefully counter settler-colonial discourse and reinforce his pride in his incredible heritage.

The classic stories I was inspired by included Winnie the Pooh (his favourite), The Enchanted Wood (my favourite) and The Iliad as it was the first time I read a book where the sky was personified, and I adored the concept.

Can you tell us about the creative process?

When writing Wurrtoo, I didn’t have much writing experience. I was a social worker and a mother, but I read to my son every night and had read a lot as a child, so I think I learnt vicariously through this process. I thought about the characters and their world and then sat in front of a computer late at night to get into the 'flow' before allowing the story to unfold in my imagination as I wrote it all down. I didn’t plan much, but I did have a notebook in which I had started writing down words or phrases from books I had read that evoked a strong sense of emotion (or that I just liked the sound of), and I used this as a resource when writing. My first draft was very messy, but the team at black&write! and Hachette supported me through the editing process where I learned so much.

What is the best writing advice you've ever received?

‘To write for a person’ – I can’t remember where I read this, but writing for my children certainly takes the pressure off, as I know they will listen to my stories with enthusiasm and without (much) judgment.

What was your pathway to being published like?

Incredible! At first, it was daunting, and I was sure I would fail each milestone. But the team at black&write! and Hachette were so supportive that the entire process felt seamless and easy.

Why do you write for children?

My career has been focused on children with complex trauma, and reading stories helped me a lot in my own childhood through escapism. I also just genuinely love kids, especially my own, and I am probably still just a big kid at heart.  

What does being chosen for a prize judged by booksellers mean to you?

This question made me instantly tear up: it means a lot. I was so anxious about the public’s reception of Wurrtoo once we let him loose in the wild, and I am still unsure of myself as a writer. But everyone has been so wonderful and supportive, and being shortlisted for a prize by book experts is so validating and surreal. I am just so grateful; sharing the news with my son was wonderful.

Discover the other category winners of the 2024 Readings Prizes here.