Blackwords - AustLit

14/07/2025

Also out at the end of the month is the fourth book in Jordan Gould and Richard Pritchard’s WYLAH series, CHAMPIONS (https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/30255777).

This is a portal fantasy with a young female Indigenous lead.

13/07/2025

AND...

The Indigenous Literacy Foundation has two new books out in July: Nändi Ga Gatapana : Mum and the Buffalo (written with the children at Yirrkala School) (https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/30091441) and On the Way to Yalanbara (https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/30091385

You can also read more about the ILF on BlackWords: https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A139970

And head to the ILF website to see how else you can support the Foundation https://www.indigenousliteracyfoundation.org.au/

Indigenous Literacy Foundation | Can You Imagine a World Without Reading | DONATE TODAY

13/07/2025

And we are looking forward to the release of Lay Maloney’s black&write! manuscript Weaving Us Together which comes out at the end of this month:

https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/30046323.

It’s a coming-of-age story with a non-binary protagonist.

13/07/2025

New on BlackWords...

We are celebrating the release of Jasmin McGaughey’s Moonlight and Dust, a YA fantasy novel with a Torres Strait Islander protagonist.

Read about it here...
https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/30043778

Isn't the cover stunning?!

08/07/2025

We are mid-way through NAIDOC week 2025, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

Hence this year's NAIDOC theme is The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy.

To mark NAIDOC 2025, AustLit introduces a new information trail centred around this year's NAIDOC theme. Each of these three elements can be explored via three corresponding sub-sections. Collecting BlackWords material—including fiction, non-fiction and performance—you will find works on strength, vision, and legacy, as well as teaching resources.

This NAIDOC trail was researched and compiled by Clare Glassock, who is completing a winter scholar placement with AustLit. Clare also designed these stunning slides. We particularly love the way in which the covers fall off the sides of the screen--because you know, rich as these images are, there's always more to explore just next door on BlackWords.

Check out the trail here: https://www.austlit.edu.au/naidoc2025

07/07/2025

There was a clean sweep for BlackWords authors / titles at this year's ACT Literary Awards!

Lisa Fuller and Samantha Campbell’s Big Big Love (https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/27468776) won the Younger Readers section of the children’s fiction award

Julie Janson’s Compassion (https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/27370071) won the fiction award,

Warra Warra Wai (https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/30553281) was co-winner of the non-fiction award, and

Barrina South’s Makarra (https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/29349818) won the poetry award.

Congrats to all the winner and all those shortlisted, and of course, all those who continue to write.

Click the links to check out the BlackWords pages for each title.

06/07/2025

And a Monday morning shout out to the talented BlackWords creatives recently announced as Varuna Fellowship recipients: Jada Alberts (https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A151543), Sharlene Allsopp, (https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/18865599)
and Timmah Ball (https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A131695) (residential fellowships) and
Michelle Hyde (https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/27233089) (First Nations Fellowship).

We can't wait to read what you produce as part of your fellowships!

06/07/2025

We are also huge fans of Tina Turner and BlackWords talent Ben Graetz and we will be Nutbushing our way to see Tina: A Tropical Love Story at this year's Brisbane Festivall - read more about the production on BlackWords / AustLit

https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/30512695

06/07/2025

We are excited about this year's Brisbane Festival in September -some of us are big kids at heart so we will be heading along to see Yolande Brown and Chenoa Deemal’s piece for primary-school children, The Bogong’s Song: A Call to Country, with Bangarra Dance Theatre

You can read about it on BlackWords AustLit

https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/30512884

Image via QPAC!

30/06/2025

The IBBY-UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books in Indigenous and Endangered Languages is calling for interested parties to propose titles to inspire future generations of readers and strengthen the status of Indigenous and endangered languages as strategic resources for sustainable development, peacebuilding and reconciliation.

The IBBY-UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books in Indigenous and Endangered Languages is calling for interested parties to propose titles to inspire future generations of readers and strengthen the status of Indigenous and endangered languages as strategic resources for sustainable development, peacebuilding and reconciliation.

They are looking for:
• Books for children and young people (picture books, novels, biographies, graphic novels and nonfiction) presenting high-quality standards in terms of text and/or illustration;
• books published between January 2018 and December 2025;
• books originally published in an Indigenous and/or an endangered language, and original bilingual books including at least one Indigenous and/or endangered language;
• books expressing the intention of, or relation to, one or more of the 10 outputs of the Global Action Plan of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages; and
• books and publications that adhere to UNESCO principles and respect political neutrality.

Full information available at: https://www.ibby.org/awards-activities/activities/ibby-unesco-collection-of-remarkable-books-in-indigenous-and-endangered-languages

We would very much like see recognition on this list of the richness of writing for children in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages!

23/06/2025

Congratulations!!!

The short film FACELESS, by Warlpiri film-maker William Jaka (with Fraser Pemberton and Chris C.F.), won the Live Action Short Film Award at the Sydney Film Festival Awards - woo hoo! 🤩🥳

We love adding awards into the BlackWords database :)

https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/30352752

[Photo via Sydney Film Festival]

23/06/2025

Some fun kids’ books have been added to Blackwords AustLit this month, including:

"Krstel Kicks to Win" in the Kimberley Kickers series- https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/30265278

This title comes out at the end of next month.

The first in the series -Jy Goes for Gold - came out last September: https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/28377762

Check out agent pages for the authors:
Carl Merrison: https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/13859893
Hakea Hustler: https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/13859932
Krstel Petrevski: https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/30265335

Illustrated by Samantha Campbell: https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/24486916