Emotional Intelligence

This week Maureen Mann casts an alternative lens over a selection of CBCA Shortlisted titles to consider those that could spark conversations around empathy and resilience because of the emotional intelligence displayed in the characters. You are invited to add your own examples to this list.

The 2024 CBCA Shortlist contains books with a wealth of themes which can be explored in the classroom or at home. There are the regular themes of family relationships, friendship, historical settings, mental health issues and many others. I’d like to focus on Emotional Intelligence which I’ll define as the ability to empathise with others’ feelings, viewpoints, cultural backgrounds and diversity to develop resilience and coping skills. The ideal is that through experiencing Emotional Intelligence in story format that readers can then discuss and learn, at an appropriate level, from their reading.

Here are a few of my favourites from the 2024 Short List which I think will be excellent books to use with different age groups to focus on this concept.

Grace Notes by Karen Comer.  

Set during Victoria’s early lockdowns, Grace sets out to help her grandmother, now in a nursing home, cope with the absence of her husband, absence of music and contact with the outside world. Crux learns to understand others’ points of views through his interaction with other street artists. Positive family dynamics are very well portrayed, while allowing the reader to understand the everyday frictions.

Inkflower by Suzi Zail. 

This story has two timelines: the 1980s and the Holocaust years. The latter sections are harrowing, possibly making readers question their veracity over the hardships and cruelty but by using discussion readers should becoming more empathetic people. Lisa’s story in the 1980s shows her emotional adjustment to the earlier conditions as she learns more and more, and how to cope with the grief of her father’s encroaching illness. 

Scout and the Rescue Dogs by Dianne Wolfer and Tony Flowers.

Scout as a character is almost too good to be true as she responds to the plight of homeless dogs, of animals injured in the wildfires across Victoria and NSW, and her developing friendship from a school assignment. But Scout such an empathetic character and her actions centre on her emotional maturity, her generosity and her wonderful relationship with her truckie father. 

Being Jimmy Baxter by Fiona Lloyd. 

Jimmy is a carer and old beyond his years, while also being naïve. The reader has to come to terms with these variables to develop an understanding of his view of the world, and eventually realise that not everyone has the same opportunities or setbacks.

Grace and Mr Milligan by Caz Goodwin. 

Grace forms a strong friendship with her neighbour Mr Milligan as well as his pet goat Charlie and the three of them do everything together. When Charlie dies from old age, Mr Milligan in particular loses the will to live and Grace slowly encourages him to return to his old self. There are lots of discussion points which will help early childhood readers understand the sadness as well as the importance of friendship.

Bear and Duck are Friends by Sue deGennaro. 

Bear is scared of everything and Duck has to help him overcome his fears. It’s the small creature helping the bigger one until they both realise that, in fact, they are helping each other achieve their goals. Lots of discussion for early childhood readers on bullying and stereotypes and meeting new challenges. 

That Bird has Arms by Kate Temple & Jol Temple and Ronojoy Ghosh & Niharika Hukku.  

Roy is a bird who has arms but has to hide them from all the other birds because that’s an unheard-of condition. The other birds mock the basic concept, but all have to accept the differences when Roy demonstrates so clearly and uniquely that he can solve a problem. For the picture book reader, regardless of age, this understanding of diversity as well as the establishment of individual identity is a strength.

Every Night at Midnight by Peter Cheong. 

This is another book exploring identity and acceptance. Felix struggles to make and keep friends because he can’t join in normal activities: every night he turns into a wolf and fears being ostracised by his human buddies. On first reading, its suited to younger readers but older picture book readers will bring many more emotional experiences and maturity to all the events in this book. 

Do you agree with my selections? Which other 2024 short list titles would you like to add to this list of books exploring emotional intelligence? 

 

Maureen Mann

Retired teacher librarian and avid reader.

What’s on the 2023 Notables Picture Book List?

Have you been fine tuning your reading selections to target some of the great titles on the 2023 CBCA Notables list? This week Maureen shares her thoughts on titles in the Picture Book of the Year list.

I wonder….. I’ve never been very good at predicting the judges’ choices for the titles which are put onto the CBCA Short List. Though I often don’t agree with the choices, I am confident that the process has been thorough and the choices are those that the judges for that year have agreed on 

I’m going to focus only on the Picture Book category. I’ve read all but 2 of the titles on the PB Notables list and can no longer wait for the outstanding ones to come from the library. 

For me, the Picture Book list has a large number of books suited to the Early Childhood section. I wonder if this is an indication of what is being published? Are picture books viewed as being only for young readers? Are publishers not producing many picture books for more mature readers?  Or is the number of picture books included on the Notables list an indicator of the leanings of the judging panel? I don’t know the answer, and none of us do.

What have been my favourites? Remember too, there are 2 titles which I haven’t read so I haven’t been able to include or discount them. 

Be Careful Xiao Xin! by Alice Pung & Sher Rill Ng (2022), Working Title Press.

Xiao Xin thinks he is a red fire warrior but his family see the world as a dangerous place. A wonderful presentation of child and adult learning to conquer fear and developing trust. The book is bi-lingual, with visual and linguistic metaphors. Great for all ages.

Crumbs by Phil Cummings & Shane DeVries (2022), Scholastic Press. 

This is a book which shows a homeless man as a generous person and his actions have a strong impact on Ella and her father. The main theme is social inclusiveness. It reads well aloud and has some beautiful language. The illustrations portray the main characters clearly, but the backgrounds reflect the chill of the winter day. 

Dirt by Sea by Michael Wagner & Tom Jellett (20220, Penguin Random House. 

This large format book, with its comic-style illustrations, is a celebration of the Australian coastline, especially for a child raised in the dry red-centre. Daisy thinks our national anthem includes the words “dirt by sea” and Dad sets out to show her the sea and prove Australia is more than the landscape she has known.  Their road trip around the coast focuses on much that is stunning in our varied land. I’m not sure it’s shortlist quality, but I loved it. 

Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall (2022), Lothian.

Superficially, this is the story of an old American farmhouse and the family of 12 children who had lived in it, depicting the prosperous as well as the less good times. The illustrations are multi-layered, literally, and figuratively. At the end of the book, the reader sees the house as if it were a doll’s house and ends with the sad news that the building was demolished but that its valuables had been salvage.  One criticism for me is that the text is one long sentence. I would have preferred it to have some breaks to allow the reader to reflect, rather like ‘white space’ in illustrations. 

My Strange Shrinking Parents by Zeno Sworder (2022), Thames and Hudson. 

We all think our parents are strange – at least when we are young, we do. This fable is about parents who, without the money to buy what they think their child should have, barter their height throughout his life, to give him the best they can. A wonderful celebration of the sacrifice made by parents, including immigrants who arrive with nothing. Wonderful illustrations which repay the reader for careful attention to detail. 

The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness by Matt Ottley (2022), Dirt Lane Press. 

This is not merely a book to read, but is accompanied by a 50 minute sound track, composed by the author, which complements the text. It’s the story of a boy whose mental illness gradually takes over his life until the last section when there is hope. Even without the musical support, the story and illustrations are confronting and challenging. Readers need to come to it with kindness to themselves.  For me, this complexity and demanding nature of the content stops it being shortlist material because I think there could be readers who could be damaged by reading it without support. 

When You’re Older by Sophie Laguna & Judy Watson (2022), Allen & Unwin. 

A celebration of the bond between an older brother and his very young sibling, and all the things which are planned for the future. Young readers will empathise with the hopes of the older child. More mature readers, including adults, will appreciate the rich language and reflect on the experiences presented.   

Where? by Jordan Collins & Phil Lesnie (2022), Allen & Unwin.

This book presents a challenge to all readers to accept those around us for who they are, regardless of colour, ethnic background and beliefs and accept that everyone might look different on the outside but are very similar.  It’s based on a heartfelt poem written by the author when a teenager, having grown up in the USA, wanting to be the same as everyone else, but his skin prevented it happening. 

Whisper on the Wind  by Claire Saxby & Jess Racklyeft (2022), Allen & Unwin. 

After a dream, Ren sends a wish across the sea and the cumulative text follows that wish around the world until it is granted. The reader sees the sea in all its moods and imaginings: the ‘real’ world below the surface as well as fantastical creatures and concepts. Young readers will be able to join in to the text once they become familiar with it.

I would have liked to see My Shadow is Purple (by Scott Stuart [2022], Larrikin House) on the Picture list, rather than Early Childhood, as I think it would be powerful for slightly older readers, and there’s many discussion points within it for more mature readers. It has failings – the stereotype of blue for boys and pink for girls – but redeeming features in the recognition that we all have own skills and perspectives.  

What do you hope to see on the Short List when it is published at noon AEDT 28 March 2023?

Maureen Mann
Retired teacher librarian and avid reader

Editor's note: It is hard to pick a favourite from this list! I am still reading, but so far my top two favourite titles are Farmhouse and Be Careful, Xiao Xin! Their accessibility and the many layers of story within the illustrations are particularly strong and resonated strongly in my reading.

The Benefits of Shadows: Thoughts on the SUN Shadow Judging Program

Lyndon Riggall, a Senior Secondary English teacher in Tasmania, was eager to facilitate a group of keen students in the Shadow Judging process and shares his insights into this new CBCA initiative.

I am sitting with a small group of students watching a live stream from John Marsden’s remarkable Candlebark School in Victoria. Jay Laga'aia is on the screen, and we are waiting patiently for him to announce the Older Readers Book of the Year. Things are a little different this time, though. Firstly, the Older Readers Book of the Year has already been announced. We learnt what it was a week ago. Secondly, my students are especially invested in the outcome… after all, in this case they have helped decide it.

I talk, of course, of the SUN Project’s Shadow Judging Program, which began this year. Alongside creative components and author visits, the goal of Shadow Judging was to create a separate set of “Shadowers’ Choice” awards, chosen by students of appropriate age groups from across the country. I am extremely excited about this concept. When I was in Grade 10 and was asked to design and undertake an independent project, I had a pretty radical idea (in hindsight, I’m lucky that my teacher didn’t take the whole thing as a personal insult). I went to the school library and collected a stack of novels covering different genres, authors and styles. Then, I showed these books to group of staff and students, asking them which they thought the children of the school would like the best. The lists I composed at the end of my project were almost direct opposites. It turned out that when it comes to deciding what to read, even adults looking for books that will appeal to children sometimes see things with vastly different eyes to the children themselves. It came as no surprise, then, that I also saw very diverse points of view expressed in the Shadow Judges’ final decision-making.

CBCA Sun Project: Shadow Judge Shadowers' Choice Awards Announcement 2022

I’m not suggesting, of course, that we throw away the traditional CBCA awards altogether and let young people entirely run the show. Award-winning books in these categories are selected based on their literary merit rather than simple appeal to readers, and that is as it should be when we consider the legacy that is being made by the council long-term. That said, when the shadow judging teams made vastly different decisions to the adults even when using quite similar criteria, it solidified in my mind an unshakeable belief that our children and adolescents see the world with different eyes… the only way to truly be sure what connects with them in the world of reading is to take notice and ask them.   

My group of shadow judges found How to Repaint a Life by Stephen Herrick to be the novel that most resonated with them from the Older Readers category. The Children’s Book Council found Tiger Daughter by Rebecca Lim to be the book with the highest level of literary merit. In general, the Shadow Judges from across the country selected Sugar Town Queens by Malla Nunn as the strongest title on the shortlist. It seems there is no hope of getting a clear answer. But should this significant discrepancy bother us? I don’t think so. The Shadow Judging Process does two wonderful things: it reminds us that readers are different (and that no single judging decision in an instance like this is by default the right one), and it promotes discussion, debate and further reading. These are—to me at least—objectively positive outcomes. 

When I asked the classes at the school where I work whether anyone might be interested in being involved in the Shadow Judging project, the response was enthusiastic. “I love judging people!” one student immediately declared. My judges have been learning—as I once did when I was a CBCA judge a decade ago—the joys and sorrows of the judging process. It is awful and frustrating to see books that you love fall to the wayside of group consensus, but it is wonderful to be part of the process of picking a winner: to see a text celebrated, shared and appreciated in a way that might otherwise never have been possible for it. The Shadow Judging program empowers young people to have autonomy in their decision-making and brings more attention to books. As I watched my students collaborate, share, consider, create, and get excited about individual novels, I saw a culture of reading grow. Many of them are still passionate about individual titles and are pushing these books onto their friends and classmates. Shadow Judging is creating something special.

I suspect that my students will be back next year, but in the meantime we’ve got even more wonderful books to read and celebrate than we have ever had before… 

That, for me, is the greatest win of all.

Lyndon Riggall is a writer and teacher from Launceston. With Graeme Whittle he created the picture book Becoming Ellie, and he has recently collaborated with Grace Roberts on Tamar the Thief, which is available to read for free on the Tamar Valley Writers Festival website. Lyndon can be found at http://lyndonriggall.com and on Twitter @lyndonriggall.

Editor’s note: Further details on the winning titles in the Shadow Judging and links to the creative responses to these books can be found on the CBCA website under Shadow Judging.

Book Week – A time for joy

This week Emma Nuttall provides a glimpse into this magical celebration in her school.

"Book Week is a very special time in schools. It must be one of my most anticipated weeks of the year!"

That is how I started my Book Week blog last year, and this year the sentiment remains. 

Schools are busy. Schools are fun. Schools are colourful. And Book Week is all of them rolled in to one!

In our school, we are always on the lookout for opportunities to connect across classes, not just within them. COVID has made gathering more challenging, and indeed interacting more generally, with limitations put on numbers, venues, activities and so on. And gathering is such a key part of what schools are about, so for us to be able to host our annual Book Week Parade this year, was all the more exciting!

Every year, we look for ways to add to the excitement of Book Week. Once again, we ran our Quiz – as hotly contested as ever. My eldest son even asked to see the quiz, despite having left the school last year – who knew it would provide such a lasting memory? And all day long, children have been asking me about this question or that question – eager to know if they were correct (or not). Our annual Parade was as colourful as ever, and our daily reading roster has taken a new, but special format. 

Mem Fox, (1994 / 2019). Tough Boris. Penguin Books.

This year, against my better judgement, my wonderful colleague also suggested we dress up in our Parade costumes (Tough Boris, the pirate, if you’re wondering) a day early and visit the classes to read the Mem Fox classic, and to do a bit of Parade reminding and marketing. Now despite being a teacher, a career known for being in the spotlight, I despise the spotlight. I dread it. I get that funny feeling in my tummy - you know the one. But as we moved from class to class, in full pirate costume and personality, I came to enjoy it. I think I even loved it. And I loved it because of the looks on the faces of the children (and staff!) that we visited. And that is what Book Week is all about. That awe and wonder. That magic. That magic, only stories can provide.

So cheers to Book Week, and until next year, keep on Dreaming with your Eyes Wide Open, because you never know when Tough Boris, or any other magical story book character may appear!

Emma Nuttall

Teacher, reader and passionate advocate for children’s literature.

Editor's note: If you missed the announcements, visit the CBCA website for Book Week, the Award winners and the Shadow Judging results.

Book Week 2021 – Tales from the Inside!

A fitting follow up from the buzz of kicking off Book Week in last week’s post, Emma Nuttall shares her school’s celebrations over the course of the week with some inspirational and memorable activities to harvest in the future. What a wonderful finale for CBCA Book Week 2021!

© CBCA 2021 Book Week poster

Book Week is a very special time in schools. It must be one of my most anticipated weeks of the year!

This year we went all out at our school. We had the Book Week Parade (essential), the Book Week Book Swap (inaugural), the Book Week Readings (traditional) and our, now infamous, Book Week Quiz (sensational)! 

The Book Week Parade is obviously the highlight of the week. The buzz is palpable. 

Dig a little deeper beneath the tangible excitement, and you reveal the different emotions that the parade brings to different people within our community. For some it was an opportunity to grab the limelight, to push the bounds of creativity, to wear the favourite dress-up costumes out in public! For others, it is torment – the pressure of dressing up, the thought of everyone looking at you! In our house, it is 3 costumes to prepare. Fighting over the various tails and ears; face paint and cardboard ensues. Sometimes the Book Week Parade is about becoming your favourite character, sometimes it is just about finding a character to fit the costume that you really crave, and other times it’s simply trying to identify a book that matches the costume that you can pull together at the last minute! Whichever, it’s about delving into your memory and your bookshelves to find that perfect fit.

Our Book Week Quiz is in its infancy but has proved itself to be an integral part of our Book Week celebrations. The collective wisdom of our young readers is amazing. They really do know a lot, about a lot of books! What lucky kids to have already met so many interesting characters, to have been on so many amazing adventures, to have gone down so many rabbit holes – metaphorically speaking of course. And to think, they have only just scratched the surface – I often wonder how many books an individual can read over the course of a lifetime? Book Week plays such a key role in developing, nurturing and maintaining this excitement and passion for reading. The athletics carnival gives the athletes a time to shine; the choir and the band, the musicians; painting sessions, the artists; but the Book Week Quiz – that’s when our readers come out of the woodwork and wow, do they shine! 

This year, we also chose to host a Book Swap – again another wonderful opportunity to share in our love of books. The most beautiful moment of the event for me was a Year 6 student recommending a book to a much younger student: “I donated that book – it’s such a great book. You will love it!” That younger student strode out of the hall with their ‘new’ book, beaming from ear to ear. That made Book Week for me.

And finally, an annual tradition – we (the teachers) read to a different class each morning. The children wait to see which teacher it’s going to be, and which picture book they are going to bring with them. It’s something we’ve done at our school for as long as I’ve been there, and I’m reliably informed that it goes back well beyond my time here…. Long may that tradition continue.

Now that Book Week comes to a close, I must say I’m very ready to curl up on the couch with my favourite book!  

Emma Nuttall

Teacher, reader and passionate advocate for children’s literature.

Dipping into the 2021 shortlist for the INDIE Book Awards

This week Jennie explores titles on the INDIEs 2021 shortlist and provides some snapshots and personal perspectives about the books. Climate change and sustainable living are recurring themes in the YA selection. As future bloggers explore the shortlist it will be interesting to see how opinions vary.

The INDIE Book Awards are presented by Australia’s Independent Booksellers who are key players in promoting the breadth of Australian publications, taking up lesser-known authors, unusual and less popular genres and formats and promoting breadth rather than mainly focusing in big ticket items. Independent booksellers need to know their stock, so reading is a key requirement to connect with and advise their customers. The focus is more about engagement and interest to provide tailored and targeted recommendations, rather than literary merit, and that can mean that some shortlisted titles might not be as well-known as some of the more popular mainstream books. 

The awards celebrate the best in Australian writing across six categories – mostly adult. The 2021 shortlisted titles for the children’s and young adults’ sections make interesting reading as a precursor to the CBCA Awards. The judging panel consists of independent booksellers. Potentially each category can include various formats – novels, picture books and non-fiction informed by the intended readership. Fishbach & McCrae (2012) present some strong arguments on the value of highlighting books that are not necessarily in the spotlight due to mass marketing by the bigger publishing houses and pushing big-name authors. They argue that an aim of INDIE awards is to “to reflect the independent judgments of an informed team who have read the nominated books closely and considered each book on its own merits, irrespective of sales history?” 

Let’s look at the two relevant shortlists for 2021 with some personal opinions scattered within. At the time of writing, the only title not read is The Grandest Bookshop in the World by Amelia Mellor.

Children’s Shortlist

The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Dangerous Animals by Sami Bayly (Lothian Children's Books)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wow! I gave this 5 stars for its fabulous presentation, breadth of animals presented and the comprehensive, perfectly pitched language and illustrations to support young inquiring minds. The book presents 60 animals from across the globe, multiple habitats and different classifications and species to amaze and fascinate any reader interested in our natural world.

Also shortlisted in the CBCA Eve Pownall Award.

Sing Me the Summer by Jane Godwin, illustrated by Alison Lester (Affirm Press)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A picture book for the very young – and another 5 star title. A year in time passes with the changing seasons with the central focus of a young girl and her blended family and friends as they spend time outdoors undertaking a range of weather appropriate activities during the year and during the day and the night. A colourful and engaging book for early childhood with a host of discussion starters.
Also shortlisted in the CBCA Picture Book of the Year Award, but I feel it is more appropriate as an Early Childhood contender.

The Grandest Bookshop in the World by Amelia Mellor (Affirm Press)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pearl and Vally Cole live in a very special bookshop - the Cole’s Book Arcade in Melbourne, established in 1893, that is brimming with every curiosity imaginable. The two children need to rescue Pa how has made a dangerous bargain in the bookshop. I am on a long waiting list to read this title, but reviews are certainly enticing for this illustrated novel. 

Also shortlisted in the CBCA Younger Readers Award.

Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (Lothian Children's Books)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

5+ stars. I am a committed and enthusiastic reader of the adventures of Morrigan Crow and am saddened that this marvellous, imaginative and magical series has not achieved the critical acclaim so well deserved – Morrigan is, in my opinion, a stronger heroine than Harry Potter is a hero, and the series provides maximum entertainment for its target audience of middle school readers and stays within those boundaries. BTW – the audio performance provides excellent entertainment as well. Sadly, this did not make a CBCA shortlist, though in fairness, it is definitely the third book in a series and would be most enjoyed if read in sequence.

Young Adults Shortlist

Future Girl by Asphyxia (Allen & Unwin Children's)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

5+ stars – this was the best book I read last year! And I read a lot. Engaging with this book is a sensory experience – a wonderful story packaged as a gloriously illustrated personal diary. Set in Melbourne in the near future and under the guise of a supposedly independent prime minister, natural resources are scarce, including fuel, power and food, as a mega bio food corporation dictates policy for profit. 

Written in the first person (narrative, not diary entries) Piper recounts a 6 month period of her life when she transforms from a needy and dependent deaf teenager to a strong, independent young woman and social and environmental activist.

Read my complete review to find out more. 

Also shortlisted in the CBCA Book of the Year Award.

Catch Me If I Fall by Barry Jonsberg (Allen & Unwin Children's)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I rated this with 5 stars – just. I found it a little slow to build momentum and was rather irritated with the egotistical Ashleigh, however, the momentum builds and the rather clever twist in the tail lifted the reading experience. Ashleigh and Aiden are 13 year old, identical twins and each promised to protect the other, although it is Aiden who takes this most seriously and is most dependent on his sister. Ashleigh is the risk taker, until she gets herself, and therefore her brother, into a dangerous situation. It is at this point that the very privileged and wealthy life of this family is contrasted against poverty and desperation. Strong social commentary and background of a Sydney, Australia and world ravaged by climate change presents challenging and topical themes.

Also shortlisted in the CBCA Book of the Year  Award.

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix (Allen & Unwin Children's)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Another 5 star rating, but for me this was an excellent tale for adults rather the YA audience that marketing, assumptions about Garth Nix’s readership and awards have allocated. 

18 year old Susan Arkshaw leaves her country home and rather strange and forgetful mother to live in London, to start at art school, and most significantly, to search of her father. Plunged into danger, Susan is rescued by the charming and outrageous Merlin, and is drawn into a secret society of booksellers who have magical powers and are responsible for policing the mythic Old World.

The action, complex story line, the London setting in the 1980s with its many cultural allusions, all create an engrossing and entertaining read for adults. There will be some mature teen readers who will appreciate this other worldly tale where the 'real' world overlays another mystic and ancient world with old gods and older magic artfully interwoven. It is a great read, but I think misdirected. The audio performance is superb.

And... shortlisted in the CBCA Book of the Year Award.

This One is Ours by Kate O'Donnell (University of Queensland Press)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

5 stars again – and this one for originality, the compelling voice of the main character and the strong sense of place that firmly situates the action in contemporary Paris. The only discord for me was the very ‘immediate’ setting that did not accommodate a pandemic world However, that was a temporary hiccup as I was drawn into Paris, seen through the eyes of 16 year old exchange student, Sophie, as she explore and maps/illustrates many of the streets, galleries and haunts that will resonate with those who have visited. Sophie starts out as a dreamer, artist and a romantic but as she matures, she becomes socially and politically aware and starts to question herself, her values and her place in the world. Issues around poverty, refugees, sustainable living and climate change become major concerns. The occasional brief counterpoints, sent as texts between Sophie and her best friend and climate activist Crow, back home in Melbourne adds  further dimension to the story and maps Sophie’s growth, just as her own creations do.

The absence from the shortlist for this original story is a disappointment – The INDIE judges got this right, I think.

Reference

Fishbach, C. & McCrae, F. (2012). Judging the awards. Publisher’s Weekly. https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/columns-and-blogs/soapbox/article/54795-judging-the-awards.html

Jennie Bales

Your CBCA Social Media Coordinator