Presentation to Book Week Forum - Eve Pownall

1. Eve Pownall
Shortlist 2017
Eleni Tsakiris
Willoughby City Library
Please note: book covers have been removed from this presentation
because of copyright.

2. The Eve Pownall Award for Information Books will be made to outstanding
books which have the prime intention of documenting factual material
with consideration given to imaginative presentation, interpretation and
variation of style.
As general guidelines, the judges may consider the relative success of the
book in balancing and harmonising the following elements:
• style of language and presentation;
• graphic excellence;
• clarity, appropriateness and aesthetic appeal of illustration;
• integration of text, graphics and illustrations to engage interest and
enhance understanding;
• overall design of the book to facilitate the presentation of information;
• accuracy with regard to the current state of knowledge.

3. Spellbound: Making Pictures with the A-
B-C
Maree Coote
(Illust: Maree Coote)
Melbournestyle Books
“There are shapes all around us…”
Who is it for?
• Budding artists/graphic
designers (target audience
7-13yrs)
• Kids who love the ‘Spot
What’ books (picture puzzle
books)
• Teachers/parents teaching
art/visual literacy or English
(shape poetry)

4. Ideas for activities:
- Play a ‘spot the’ game with
an image/s from the book?
- Get the children to do their
own ‘fontigram’ (could be
an animal, a building or a
self-portrait and follow
either of the 3 difficulty
levels explained in the
book

5. The Gigantic Book of Genes
Lorna Hendry
Wild Dog Books
• Lower to upper primary (7-
10yrs)
• Great large format with big
dynamic photos
• Bite-sized bits of information
in simple succinct language
(no more than a few sentences
per page)
“Genes are like an instruction
manual that tells a plant or animal
what it looks like, how it grows and
how it survives in its environment.”
Teacher’s notes available:
http://wdog.com.au/?p=1693

6. Ideas for activities:
• Game show style quiz
with kids earning a piece
of a double helix that
they use to build the
shape in teams (could use
facts straight from the
book or use your own e.g.
‘Guess who is more
closely related’ questions)
• Activities related to info
in book (e.g.
fingerprinting and
looking at differences
through magnifying
glass, genes tests etc)

7. Fabish: The Horse that
Braved a Bushfire
Neridah McMullin
(Illust: Andrew McLean)
Allen & Unwin
• Beautiful picture
book
• For ages 5-8
• Themes: Bushfires
and their impact,
Animals and their
instincts
Resources:
Interview with illustrator https://neridahmcmullin.wordpress.com/
True or false quiz http://www.neridahmcmullin.com/masonry-4-
columns/services.html
“Fabish wasn’t the fastest
horse, but he was brave and
always tried his hardest”

8. Amazing Animals of Australia's National
Parks
Gina M. Newton
National Library of Australia
Comprehensive teaching notes for
years 3-6 available
http://publishing.nla.gov.au/pages/tea
chers-notes.do
• Ages 8-12
• Themes: Animals and habitats,
conservation, geography
• A beautiful reference book full of high-
interest animal facts
• More than 120 animals and 55 national
parks described
• Layout very well thought out and attractive
• Book is divided up into habitat type
• Use of colour-coding and symbols for ease
of reference and maps and fast fact boxes
to break up text

9. William Bligh: a stormy story
of tempestuous times
Michael Sedunary
(Illust: Bern Emmerichs)
Teacher’s notes available:
http://static.booktopia.com.au/pdf/9780994289537-1.pdf
• Ages 9-12
• Themes: Colonial Australia,
History,
Politics/Government, Critical
thinking
• Part of a series
• Unique/detailed artwork by
ceramic artist
• Interesting info related back
to modern life (“blogging”
and “tweets”)

10. A-Z of Endangered
Animals
Jennifer Cossins
(Illust: Jennifer Cossins)
Red Parka Designs
• Ages 3+
• Beautiful illustrations
• Themes:
Animals/conservation

11. Aliens, Ghosts and vanishings: strange
and possibly true Australian stories by
Stella Tarakson, illustrated by Richard
Morden
• Recommended for 10-15 but good
from 8 or 9
• Teacher’s notes:
https://cdn.penguin.com.au/897/do
cument/AliensTR_2016.pdf
Circle by Jeannie Baker
• Stunning artwork
• Ages 3-7
• Already won 2 awards (Indie, Riverby)
• YouTube video of its creation available
• Teacher’s notes:
http://classroom.walkerbooks.com.au/circle/p
df/Circle_EducationBooklet_WEB.pdf
“Explore the strangest tales,
most incredible encounters
and creepiest urban legends
in Australia’s history”

12. Desert Lake: The story of Kati Thanda-Lake
Eyre by Pamela Freeman & Liz Anelli
• Ages 5+
• 2 contrasting styles of language
(storytelling/informational)
• Lush illustrations
• Themes: Australian wildlife,
nature/environment, life cycles, weather
• Teacher’s notes:
http://classroom.walkerbooks.com.au/ho
me/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Desert-
Lake-Classroom-Ideas.pdf
Chooks in dinner suits by Diane Jackson Hill,
illustrated by Craig Smith
• Ages 4+
• Lovely illustrations
• Story of fairy penguin conservation
• YouTube video made by Warrnambool
Council
• Teacher’s notes:
http://www.lamontbooks.com.au/media/66
714/june-2016-ps-chooks-in-dinner-
suits.pdf