The 2007-8 Public Lending Right/ Educational Lending Right Annual Report might not be on the top of your to-read pile, but it's an intriguing look at what's popular in school and public libraries in Australia. It relates to books written by Australian authors, fiction and nonfiction, and on the general lists included, children's literature rates highly. The Appendixes cover popular books over the last year and over a longer time span.
Here's the top twelve from the last year (ELR):
1 Fox, Mem: Possum Magic
2 Vaughan, Marcia K.: Wombat Stew
3 Rodda, Emily: Rowan of Rin
4 Klein, Robin: Hating Alison Ashley
5 Baker, Jeannie: Where the Forest Meets the Sea
6 Rodda, Emily: The Forests of Silence
7 Jennings, Paul: Unbearable: More Bizarre Stories
8 Gleitzman, Morris: Two Weeks With the Queen
9 Jennings, Paul: Unreal! Eight Surprising Stories
10 Marsden, John: Tomorrow, When the War Began
11 Park, Ruth: Playing Beatie Bow
12 Jennings, Paul: Round the Twist
I don't know offhand the publication date of any of these, but my guess is that they're all at least five years old, if not more, which is interesting to note too.
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2 comments:
And that's such a shame. I've been reading new release Australian fantasy novels for two years for the Aurealis Awards and I know full well how many brilliant Aussie novels have been released in the past few years. Not just in fantasy either.
Some authors who spring to mind who've written wonderful novels (some as stand alone, some as series, even some media tie-in franchises such as Star Wars, Star Gate and Doctor Who!) in the past couple of years are Melina Marchetta, Simon Haynes, Alison Goodman, Sean Williams, Jennifer Fallon, Karen Miller, Michael Pryor, Justine Larbalestier (and partner Scott Westerfeld who counts as an honourary Aussie), Kate McCaffrey, Jackie French, Glenda Larke, Sylvia Kelso and probably about a hundred others I've forgotten.
We have to support our local authors, or we risk the publishing houses discontinuing their Australian productions. Which would be a damn shame.
Must add Lian Hearn to that list (Gillian Rubenstein's alter ego!). And Margo Lanagan and Juliet Marillier!
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