Amra Pajalic has taken out the 2009 Melbourne Prize for Literature Civic Choice Award for her debut YA novel The Good Daughter!

Melburnians could vote online and at Fed Square for their favourite finalist. Amra was up against the likes of Shane Maloney, Simmone Howell, Chloe Hooper and prize winners Gerald Murnane (main prize) and Nam Le (best writing award)!!

The people have spoken.

Be sure to get to Seventh Gallery in Fitzroy this coming Tuesday for the opening night of our very own Simon O’Carrigan’s (Mr. Bookings) latest animation.

The Bear Cycle is a ‘Catch 22’ that makes us wonder what kind of animations Samuel Beckett might have made. It also has a matador and a bear on a bicycle. What more could you ask for?

Opening Tuesday 24th November, 2009, 6pm–8pm
Seventh Gallery, 155 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne

For those who can’t make it Tuesday, the show will run Nov 24 – Dec 12, 2009.
Gallery hours: Tuesday – Saturday 12-6pm, Night Screen 6pm-12am.

For more details click here.

Presenting, Michael Wagner and the Grownups:

You might recognise Michael (centre) from such children’s books as Dog Wars and The Undys series. Pictured above with his band, 80s rock group the Grownups, Michael appears to have come a long way from tight black tshirts and biker jackets. How did we not know just how cool Muso-Michael was?? We love Children’s-Author-Michael just the same, but we absolutely love this song and want to hear more! Michael – send us a CD! Or maybe a cassette tape? Or would it actually be vinyl…

Here’s us this morning, totally captivated watching one of his music videos:

So. Cool.

Read about Sheree Marris, one of Australia’s youngest environmental ambassadors, in the November 2009 RACV RoyalAuto magazine. After reading, marvel at the breathtaking underwater photography! Following this, be sure to book the Aquatic Scientist/Motivational Speaker for your next event.

buying office furniture in a chat room

Then

Our third congrats for the month goes to Mister Morris Gleitzman!

Then – the second installment of Felix and Zelda’s story – has been shortlisted for the UK Guardian children’s fiction prize.

Go you bloody good thing!

A small free kiss in the dark

Big ups to Glenda Millard for taking out the Young Adult prize in the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards!

This debut YA from an already much-loved author was a really big office hit and rated by at least one Booked Out staffer as their fav YA read of 09.

And just to rub it in a bit further, Glenda won this year’s CBCA Younger Readers Book of the Year Award for Perry Angel’s Suitcase.

We love you Glenda! xxooxx

Lia Hills is over at CYL’s Inside a Dog website as this month’s resident blogger. She’s bringing her own flavour to it, by turning it into a ‘philosophical blog’.

Check it out!

P.S. The German has no relevance. Don’t worry, you didn’t miss a crucial reference. In fact, if anything the title should have been in French because Lia is a translator of French fiction.

One of Booked Out’s favourite books for 2009 has just won the prize for young adult fiction in the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards.

A big congratulations to Sue Saliba, for winning this award.  She was up against some equally outstanding novels, including The Beginner’s Guide to Living, by Lia Hills and The Two Pearls of Wisdom, by Alison Goodman.

We at Booked Out are all very chuffed!