Misrule

And how very exciting the lists are! As I mentioned a while back, these newish awards (actually, I think this is only Year 2) have added a children's and a young adult fiction category—with prize money of $100,000 for the winner of each category, equal to the "adult" categories.

Here are the lists:

Children's fiction

• Cicada
  Summer by Kate Constable
  
• The
  Terrible Plop by Ursula Dubosarsky and illustrator
  Andrew Joyner
  
• Just
  Macbeth! by Andy Griffiths and illustrator Terry Denton
  
• Mr
  Chicken goes to Paris by Leigh Hobbs
  
• Running
  with the Horses by Alison Lester
  
• Star
  Jumps by Lorraine Marwood
  
• Mannie
  and the Long Brave Day by Martine Murray and illustrator
  Sally Rippin
  
• Tensy
  Farlow and the Home for Mislaid Children by Jen
  Storer
  
• Harry
  and Hopper by Margaret Wild and illustrator Freya
  Blackwood

Young adult fiction

• Stolen
  by Lucy Christopher
  
• The
  Winds of Heaven by Judith Clarke
  
• Confessions
  of a Liar, Thief and Failed Sex
  God by Bill Condon
  
• The
  Museum of Mary Child by Cassandra Golds
  
• Swerve
  by Phillip Gwynne
  
• Jarvis
  24 by David Metzenthen
  
• Beatle
  meets Destiny by Gabrielle Williams

You can also see the adult fiction and non-fiction shortlists here.

I'm curious at the length of each of these shortlists: 7 for the YA and a whopping 9 for children's—which of course means there's room for a solid mix of prose fiction and picture books (and of course, a play script). I imagine this means that the judges (and yes, I'll confess, I WANT THAT GIG!) have some flexibility. I'll have to look out the judging criteria and give it (them?!) a read.

I think these are both remarkably strong lists. It's not possible for me to comment on them in detail, because a good number of the authors and/or illustrators are friends—one or two of them close friends—previous colleagues, or people I have or will work with on the Western Sydney project. What I can say is that I hope this shortlist brings these individual authors, illustrators and books a great deal of well-deserved attention, and that the status of the Prime Minister's award goes some long way to raising the profile and status of children's and youth literature in the media and the community.

I can't imagine the tension, though, of anticipating the $100,000 prize. What a difference it will make to those who receive it—what a disappointment for those who get >that close<! (I guess the closest I can come to are my current personal real estate shenanigans!) So let us celebrate these wonderful books, the fact these awards exist, and bonne chance one and all!