Oz children’s books revealed for the Hello! from Australia exhibition at Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2015

Oz children’s books revealed for the Hello! from Australia exhibition at Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2015

Media Release: Friday, 6 November 2014

Illustrations from 32 books have been selected out of 109 submissions from 24 Australian publishers for 2015 Hello! from Australia exhibition. The works, which celebrate and promote the vibrancy and variety of Australia's children's book illustrators and publishing, will be showcased at the 2015 Bologna Children's Book Fair.

The exhibition is the seventh annual display of Australian children books to be displayed at the fair, and is an initiative of the Australian Publishers Association created in partnership with Books Illustrated, funded by the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund.

The Australian illustrated titles to be represented at Bologna include:

·       One Minute's Silence (David Metzenthen, illustrated by Michael Camilleri, Allen & Unwin)

·       Our Village in the Sky (Janeen Brian, illustrated by Anne Spudvilas, Allen & Unwin)

·       The Cleo Stories: The Necklace and the Present (Libby Gleeson, illustrated by Freya Blackwood, Allen & Unwin)

·       Thunderstorm Dancing (Katrina Germein, illustrated by Judy Watson, Allen & Unwin)

·       The Unlikely Story of Bennelong and Phillip (Michael Sedunary, illustrated by Bern Emmerichs, Berbay Publishing)

·       On a Small Island (Kyle Hughes-Odgers, Fremantle Press)

·       Caravan Fran (Cheryl Orsini, Hachette Australia)

·       The Arrival (Shaun Tan, Hachette Australia)

·       The Hairy-nosed Wombats Find A New Home (Jackie French, illustrated by Sue De Gennaro, HaperCollins)

·       Mike I Don't Like (Jol & Kate Temple, illustrated by Jon Foye, HaperCollins/ABC)

·       Withering-By-Sea (Judith Rossell, HaperCollins/ABC)

·       Outside (Libby Hathorn, illustrated by Ritva Voutila, Little Hare/Hardie Grant Egmont)

·       Silly Birds (Gregg Dreise, Magabala)

·       Alphabet City Zoo (Maree Coote, Melbournestyle Books)

·       One Step at a Time (Jane Jolly, illustrated by Sally Heinrich, MidnightSun Publishing)

·       Tea and Sugar Christmas (Jane Jolly, illustrated by Robert Ingpen, National Library of Australia)

·       A River (Marc Martin, Penguin Books Australia)                  

·       Hasel and Rose (Caroline Magerl, Penguin Books Australia)         

·       The Greatest Gatsby (Tohby Riddle, Penguin Books Australia)     

·       Tim and Ed (Ursula Dubosarsky, illustrated by Andrew Joyner, Penguin Books Australia)

·       Alligator in an Anorak (Darron Parton, Random House Australia)             

·       Alfie's Lost Sharkie (Anna Walker, Scholastic)

·       Thelma the Unicorn (Aaron Blabey, Scholastic)

·       Forest of Bones (David Kennett, Omnibus Books/Scholastic)

·       Imagine a City (Elise Hurst, Omnibus Books/Scholastic)

·       The Underwater Fancy-Dress Parade (Davina Bell, illustrated by Allison Colpoys, Scribe Publications)

·       Sticks & Stones, Animal Homes (Tai Snaith, Thames & Hudson)

·       Sylvia (Christine Sharp, University of Queensland Press)

·       Bogtrotter (Margaret Wild, illustrated by Judith Rossell, Walker Books Australia)

·       Vanilla Ice Cream (Bob Graham, Walker Books Ltd)

·       Bridie's Boots (Phil Cummings, illustrated by Sara Acton, Working Title Press)

·       Scary Night (Lesley Gibbes, illustrated by Stephen Michael King, Working Title Press)

In addition to the illustrations, the exhibition also includes the display of more than 100 contemporary Australian illustrated books published in 2014 and 2015.

The exhibition aims to:

·       support publishers in the promotion and sale of rights

·       facilitate contact between Australian publishers and international agents and promoters

·       promote Australian culture internationally, and

·       draw attention to the diversity and depth of Australian children’s books.

Previous Bologna exhibitions of Hello! from Australia have received an enthusiastic afterlife at other book festivals and fairs, including presentations at:

–      Paju Bookcity in South Korea;

–      the National Youth and Children’s Library, Seoul;

–      the Korea Foundation Cultural Gallery, Seoul;

–      the inaugural International Illustration Concours on Nami Island, Korea; and

–      the Capital Library Beijing, China, as part of Australian Writers Week.

A highlight of the 2015 fair will be the presence of the Australian Children’s Laureate Jackie French who will give the opening speech at the Australia Party and be part of the second international Children’s Laureate Summit in Bologna.

For more information please contact Ann Haddon at Books Illustrated on info@booksillustrated.com.au
or +61 3 9534 7751

View the 2014 catalogue online here.

The 2015 rights catalogue will be released in February 15.

Coming up! Books Illustrated at Bologna Children's Book Fair: 24th - 27th March

It is that time of year again for the Bologna Children's Book Fair! 

We want to congratulate all of the illustrators and authors whose books have been chosen for this year's 'Hello! from Australia' Exhibition and Display. We'd love you to share the Bologna Rights Catalogue with your networks and via social media to promote and celebrate the high quality of work being produced by Australian creators.

Click on the image below to view the 2014 catalogue on ISSUU where it can be shared and downloaded. ISSUU is a fantastic publications website used all over the world. The 2013 Bologna Rights Catalogue on the APA and ISSUU websites have been viewed over 3000 times! In the lead up to the fair we will be promoting the creators and their work via Books Illustrated's Facebook and Twitter - so stay tuned. Give us your feedback on #HellofromAustralia. 

We'd also like to congratulate Bruce Whatley whose illustrations have been accepted for the 2014 Bologna Illustrators' Exhibition and Illustrators Annual. Bruce said … 'looking at the list of artists exhibited this year, I realised it's a tough one - mainly European of course, but lots of Japanese and Korean too’.

These sample illustrations are from a book called 'Ruben’ which Bruce has written and illustrated, and Bruce has been creating over the past three years. It will be published late 2015 - early 2016 by Scholastic Australia.


Please come and see us if you're at the Bologna Children's Book Fair Hall 26, Stand B80 or follow our travels via Facebook and Twitter.

Ann James & Ann Haddon

'Hello! from Australia' exhibition catalogue: Bologna Children's Book Fair 2013

View the 'Hello! from Australia' exhibition catalogue through the ISSUU link above. This catalogue includes the 29 selected books for the prestigious Australian Publishers Association exhibition at Bologna Children's Book Fair 2013.

Each picture book cover in the catalogue links to the relevant publisher's website, so click through for further details.

What is the "Hello! from Australia" exhibition?

The Australian Publishers Association (APA) is the peak industry body for Australian book, journal and electronic publishers. Established in 1948, the Association is an advocate for all Australian publishers: large or small; commercial or non-profit; academic or popular; locally or overseas owned. 

The APA’s initiatives at Bologna Children’s Book Fair aim to support publishers in the promotion and sale of rights to Australian children’s books and to facilitate contact between Australian publishers and international agents and promoters. In broader terms, we aim to promote Australian culture and literary culture internationally, and draw attention to and showcase the diversity and depth of Australian children’s books.

We are excited that the Australian Children’s Laureates (see page 10 of the catalogue) will be present at the stand and taking part in special events at the fair. Each year this Books Illustrated exhibition tours to other book festivals and fairs. In 2011 the exhibition toured to Paju Bookcity in South Korea.

In 2012 the exhibition toured to the Booksori Festival in Paju Bookcity, and in Seoul to the National Youth and Children’s Library, and in 2013 to the Korea Foundation Cultural Gallery.

In 2013 the exhibition will be exhibited at venues including the Capital Library Beijing, China, as part of the Beijing Writers Festival.

A Selection of Titles from Australian Publishers 2012

Illustration by Shaun Tan. 

If you would like to view the 'Selection of Titles from Australian Publishers 2012' taken to Bologna Children's Book Fair click here or on the catalogue cover below.   


This catalogue was created by The Australian Publishers Association (APA) which is the peak industry body for Australian book, journal and electronic publishers. Established in 1948, the Association is an advocate for all Australian publishers: large or small; commercial or nonprofit; academic or popular; locally or overseas owned. 


The APA’s initiatives at Bologna Book Fair aim to support publishers in the promotion and sale of rights to Australian children’s books and to facilitate contact between Australian publishers and international agents and promoters. In broader terms they aim to promote Australian culture and literary culture internationally, and draw attention to and showcase the diversity and depth of Australian children’s books.


This initiative is proudly supported by Copyright Agency Limited’s (CAL) Cultural Fund.