Dim's Write Stuff

CONGRATULATIONS! Delighted to announce our winners are: Anna Malta, QLD Kate Justelius-Wright, NSW Each of you have won a copy of the outstanding graphic middle grade novel, Pie In The Sky by Remy Lai.  Thank you to everyone who entered. Honestly your creative culinary suggestions (and recipes!) made our tummies rumble and our hearts melt. It was so hard to choose just two winners - a bit like me trying to decide which dessert to have - impossible! For those who missed out, please fear not; you can get a terrific taste of this book from my review of Pie In The Sky or if you are lucky enough to reside in Queensland, why not go to the Pie in the Sky book launch , 21 June at Where The Wild Things Are Bookshop, Brisbane from 5.30 pm. It's sure to be a sumptuous experience !

In a world where the screams for attention are often paralysing, loud and unrelenting, Mary dwells in comparative silence. Her thoughts are mostly imperceptible. Her words heard only by the keenest of ears. Her actions measured and calm. This quietness allows Mary to ‘ hear things nobody else heard’ , soft, seemingly insignificant things easily overlooked in the chaos of everyday living. Mary is, A Quite Girl and this picture book by master storyteller, Peter Carnavas , is as unpretentious as it is attention grabbing. The only trouble with being so unobtrusive is that inevitably you are completely overlooked. This is what happens to Mary to such an extent that her own family are not able to hear her as she attempts to relay a new and wonderful discovery to them. Mary tries her hardest to speak up but it is never quite enough to break through the clamorous cacophony of life and despite the benign urgings from her family to ‘ use a nice loud voice’ , Mary withdraws even more unt...

Pippa is a little pigeon with big blue-sky ambitions: to fly solo and explore the world beyond her nest. Her parents are less than thrilled  with their risk-taking, feathered fledgling and smother her with well-meant yet suffocating warnings until one day she ignores them all and takes the leap into the unknown…alone. This plucky little pigeon is also the star of my latest picture book,  Pippa ,  which she considers something of a self-titled achievement! She is young, feisty, determined and wilful, just like many youngsters, and she refuses to remain grounded by her parents' overprotective ways. But what happens when she throws caution to the wind and encounters more adventure than she bargained for? You can find out for yourself this July when  Pippa   lands in bookshops around Australia. Masterfully illustrated by Andrew Plant and published by Ford Street Publishing ,  Pippa  is a light-hearted adventure tale about striking out alone, fo...

One of the most sensible, go-to gift ideas for any new parent is a book. Never mind newborn can’t even focus yet let alone read; the thought of gifting something so rich in inspiration and entertainment to share with baby as they grow and learn about their world softens and warms every heart. Here are a handful of recently released board books that will fill any gift basket, or nursery bookshelf, with sunshine and joy. Kindness Makes Us Strong This sturdy little picture book is robust enough to endure the tug and pull of eager little hands (and mouths) and pretty enough to brighten any bookshelf. It’s part of a series (Love Makes A Family ) by vibrant author illustrator, Sophie Beer featuring simple statements that underpin the quality of kindness; of having it, sharing it and living it. Beer’s trademark bold, bright retro-sque illustrations shout positivity and display strong themes of diversity and duality reminding us kindness is not only how we behave but who we are. ...

Pie in the Sky is the deliciously addictive debut novel by Brisbane author, Remy Lai. It's a story of fraternal love, grief, loss, realising your dreams, cultural adjustment, and more happily, cake! I absolutely adored sinking into this absorbing middle grade tale which is told in heart-tugging prose and entertaining line illustrations (also by Remy). It's an immensely satisfying read sure to spark laughs (and the odd tear or two) in readers aged 8 - 12 although I'm betting adults will get as much out of it. Judge for yourself from my review . Thanks to the sweet people of Walker Books Australia and to celebrate it's imminent Australian release this month, Dim's Write Stuff has not one but two copies of Pie in the Sky to giveaway! To enter, simply tell me in 25 words or less what your favourite food is to cook with your family? Email your answer along with your name and postal address to dimity . The two responses we like best will each win a copy...

Flick, the little girl who lives at the end of Holyrood Lane is doing her happy dance right now. And why not, her story, At The End of Holyrood Lane has won the SCBWI Crystal Kite Members' Choice Award 2019 for the Australia New Zealand Oceania region. A snapshot of the 15 best books chosen from SCBWI regions around the world - courtesy SCBWI June INSIGHT newsletter As the scribe of her story, I'm feeling pretty chuffed, too. And a little overwhelmed and incredulous. I mean considering the incredible level of talent the other two shortlistees possessed, I honestly thought my day in the sun was had and was more than satisfied to bask in the warmth of just being shortlisted. But I confess, nothing brightens the life of an author like a bit of bling. Crystal bling no less! I should not have doubted the allure and strength of this story, though. After all, with a illustrative narrative provided by the exceptionally talented, Nicky Johnston , Flick had every chance ...

For those of you who are not familiar with Dark Emu , this younger reader rendition by Bruce Pascoe will soon bring you up to speed. Young Dark Emu: A Truer History not only depicts Australia’s pre-European colonisation, it gently prompts school-aged readers to consider a different version of this history. It’s a common, long-held (mis)conception that Aboriginal Australians were a nomadic people living serendipitous lives at the mercy of the land and its inhospitable climate; views that often equate to an uncivilised, lowly race incapable of sustaining long term civilisation. It turns out, nothing could be further from the truth. Using documented, personal eyewitness accounts secured from the records and diaries of the first European explorers and settlers, Pascoe reveals the true nature of Australia’s Indigenous occupants. It’s a fair dinkum coin flip for this information documents the numerous ingenious ways Aboriginals not only harnessed the best qualities of the land ...