The Centre for Youth Literature has just announced the shortlists for the Inky Awards!

The Inky Awards recognise high-quality young adult literature, with the shortlist selected by young adults, and the winners voted for online by teens. There are two awards: the Gold Inky Award for an Australian book, and the Silver Inky Award for an international book.

The Gold Shortlist (Australian books)

The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl by Melissa Keil

Razorhurst by Justine Larbalestier

Laurinda by Alice Pung

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On Saturday night, the 2015 Ned Kelly Awards were celebrated at the Bella Union as part of the Melbourne Writers Festival. This is the twentieth year of the awards, and there was a superb turnout of writers, readers, reviewers, and general literati for a night of awards, debates, good humour and an absolute love of the genre.

Previous winner Michael Robotham awarded the Best First Crime statue to Jock Serong for the excellent Quota, the story of a lawyer…

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The winners of the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year Awards 2015 have been announced. The winners and honour books in each of the categories are listed below.

Older Readers

Winner: The Protected by Claire Zorn

Honour books: Nona & Me by Clare Atkins and The Minnow by Diana Sweeney

Younger Readers

Winner: The Cleo Stories: The Necklace and the Present by Libby Gleeson with illustrations by Freya Blackwood

Honour books: Two Wolves by Tristan Bancks…

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Each week we bring you a sample of the books we’re reading, the films we’re watching, the television shows we’re hooked on or the music we’re loving.

Chris Somerville is reading Small Acts of Disappearance by Fiona Wright

I’ve been looking forward to this essay collection since reading different versions of them in various magazines. While being subtitled, ‘Essays on Hunger’ and being based around her struggle with anorexia, the collection, like the best essay writing, covers a wide and…

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With Father’s Day just around the corner (Sunday 6 September), we’ve put together some bookish gift ideas for dads.

Please place your online orders for Father’s Day by 10am on Friday 28 August 2015, to ensure timely delivery of your gifts. (Don’t forget, we offer free shipping for all orders over $19.95, and free gift wrapping online too!)

If your father likes politics…

Try Two Futures: Australia at a Critical Moment by Clare O'Neil and Tim Watts

In this agenda-setting…

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The 65-Storey Treehouse (paperback edition) by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton

The Hush Treasure Book

Rivertime by Trace Balla (this year’s winner of the Readings Children’s Book Prize)

The 13-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton

The 65-Storey Treehouse (hardback edition) by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton

In My Heart by Jo Witek and Christine Roussey

What Pet Should I Get? by Dr Seuss

Kizmet and the Case of the Tassie Tiger by Frank Woodley

Peter Pan by…

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Our staff share what they’re most excited to see at this year’s Melbourne Festival, which kicks off on Thursday 8 October. You can find the full program here.

Bronte Coates’ top pick is Desdemona

My favourite kind of live performance to attend is dance. Since moving to Melbourne a few years ago, I’ve been lucky to attend some previous dance shows as part of Melbourne Festival including Israeli choreographer Hofesh Shechter’s Sun and Sylvie Guillem’s 6000 Miles Away…

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Last year saw us announce two new literary prizes that support new Australian authors – one for children’s books (which has already been awarded this year to the talented Trace Balla, author and illustrator of Rivertime) and one for adult fiction books.

This year, we’ve changed the name of the adult fiction prize to The Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction (it was previously known as The Readings New Australian Writing Award).

Our inaugural winner for the adult…

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This month is a treasure trove for all ages.

You’ve probably heard about the new Dr Seuss book, What Pet Should I Get?, which Children’s Book Buyer Angela Crocombe wrote about in this blog post. The publisher’s notes at the back of the story are a very worthwhile addition as they cover the author’s life as well as the process of creating this book posthumously. Do I think it’s up there with The Cat In The Hat…

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Our events manager Chris Gordon chats with Patrick Ness about his highly anticipated new YA novel, The Rest of Us Just Live Here, which will be released next Thursday 27 August.

Special note: Five lucky people who pre-order The Rest of Us Just Live Here limited edition will also receive a copy of More Than This signed by Patrick Ness. Pre-order online by Tuesday 25 August to automatically go into the draw. Only the five winners will be notified.

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