FLORA wins Shadow Judging at the CBCA Awards, 2025

I'm beyond honoured to receive the Shadow Judging Award in the Eve Pownall (non-fiction) category at the CBCA Book of the Year Awards, 2025.

To receive the vote from children themselves is beyond special, and it was pretty emotional to receive this award for a book that stole my heart. 

As ever, a book takes a village and Flora would not have happened without my sensational NLA team - Lauren Smith, Amelia Hartney, Madeleine Warburton, Kath Kovac, Tricia Fitzgerald, and my amazing First Nations contributors. Mega thanks to artsACT for the grant that helped make this book possible.

Biggest thanks to the kids themselves! I'm absolutely thrilled Flora also stole your heart.

May Gibbs Collection at NCACL

Last July, I commenced work on a hugely comprehensive archive of May Gibbs’ works and ephemera, compiled by Adelaide-based Jane Brummitt, who is related to May by marriage. The collection was an astonishing thing to move through – and left me in awe of May Gibbs (and her life and work) all over again.

But it also left me in awe of Jane’s dedication to collecting and covering May’s legacy, notably the fight for her Neutral Bay home, Nutcote, and the protection of her works and legacy in a world that’s fast leaving the past behind.

Book lovers—it’s important to note that May was an OG when it comes to Australian children’s literature, and her work is one of the important first-steps in our now burgeoning industry.

The May Gibbs Collection is housed at the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature here in Canberra. Director Belle Alderman guided me to ensure this collection is presented in a way that inspires future generations to come. The database will soon be available on NCACL’s website and a Finding Aid is currently being produced.

You can read my blog post about the Collection’s journey – and how my personal connection to our illustrious May continues to warm my heart.

Click here to see a post on the Mamie launch.

Image: me and Jane Brummitt at the launch of Mamie (on the life of May Gibbs) at Carrick Hill Estate in Adelaide, November 2018.

FLORA shortlists for the CBCA Book of the Year Awards 2025 - Eve Pownall category!

Absolutely overjoyed {and shocked and speechless!] to shortlist in this year’s The Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards in the Eve Pownall non-fiction category.

 
FLORA was such a long time coming and was such a passion project for me. It means the world to have the book recognised by my peers - feeling quite overwhelmed.

As ever - a village is involved - thank you, Lauren Smith, Amelia Hartney, Maddie Warburton, Kath Kovac, Tricia Fitzgerald and our glorious First Nations advisors for helping craft this dream book!

Mega congrats to my fellow shortlistees! And thank you, artsACT for the grant that helped make this book possible.

FLORA: Australia's Most Curious Plants PUZZLE!

 

To say I love puzzles is an understatement. IN LOVE might be more apt. It was a life moment to have my Australia Map made into a puzzle, and the World Map, and Birds and Animals puzzles that followed, too. And now - there's Flora.

It all started when my dear friend Jennie said 'you have to make your Flora cover into a puzzle', followed by mentioning this to my divine publisher, Lauren Smith, at the National Library... to Lauren replying with 'let's make it happen'.

Et voila! Overjoyed. It's a 1000-piece creation with beautiful, quality pieces (the box is heavy!) and yes, yes, I'm piecing it together as I type. It's always a surreal thing to see your work morph into treasures like this.

It would make a fantastic Christmas gift, and if you do snaffle a copy, I hope you love it! 

Click the image below for more details and a link to where you can buy.

FLORA in reviews

Some truly lovely and humbling responses to FLORA since its release - click the image above to read and listen. This picture was taken outside the National Library bookshop in September.

FLORA at Floriade!

I’m thrilled to be hosting a special event at Floriade at 10am on Sunday 6 October - featuring FLORA: Australia’s Most Curious Plants.

There will be a book reading/chat - and I’ll be asking kids lots of questions to test their botanical knowledge!

There’ll also be activity sheets, some dried flowers, leaves and pods to pick apart and explore, and I’ll guide kids through a series of wildflower drawings.

Hope you can come along! Click the post above for the deets.

See you there!

FLORA book launch!

 

Save the date! I'm delighted to be hosting a FLORA launch at the National Library on the morning of Sunday 22 September. 

There will be a book reading and signing, a lucky door prize that includes a limited edition FLORA print, some fabulous FLORA activities, including making your own wildflowers, and your very own wildflower seed packets!

Click the poster above to reserve your spot! And stay tuned for more on a Floriade event on Sunday 6 October.

FLORA puzzles while you wait...

Flora: Australia's Most Curious Plants is just a couple of months away (1 October) and while you wait, why not put together the cover in this online puzzle? And if you're super keen for an internals peek, put together this full spread in the second puzzle!

FLORA COVER...

ACT Literary Awards win for Wildlife Compendium of the World

Wildlife Compendium of the World (Hardie Grant Explore, 2023) 

Has won for Non-Fiction Children's Book at the ACT Literary Awards, 2024!

Dorrie - Best Biography, Bookstagang Best of 2023

Mega thanks to the #Bookstagang_BestOf2023Aussie team for this gorgeous nod for Dorrie! Just thrilled to see her recognised in this way, and so happy to be alongside these other fab books. 

If you love kids' books, give these book-loving instagrammers are follow... @canyoutellmeastory @get.kids.booked @artsplorers_au @aussie_kids_books @ohcreativeday @lovefourreading @bookieboo.au @flipwithjoy 

 

Dorrie event at the State Library of New South Wales

Join me at the State Library of NSW on Friday 21 April for a journey through the illustrations in Dorrie - my picture book on the life of Dorothy Wall, creator of Blinky Bill.

We’ll do a book reading, then will compare illustration styles with Dorothy’s works. There’ll also be some of her original artwork on display!

Kids will also enjoy an illustration tutorial on some of Australia’s most beautiful plants and animals. My little Blinky Bill toy from the 1970s may help out, too.

There will be some Dorrie colouring sheets to take home and I’ll be signing some books, too.

The event runs from 11:30am to 12:30pm. Head to the State Library of NSW website for more info and to book.

Cover reveal! Wildlife Compendium of the World

I'm delighted to reveal the cover to my upcoming tome, Wildlife Compendium of the World! This book was some years in the making and is a true labour of love. What a joy it was to research and write about these extraordinary animals from every continent on Earth, and to draw each one in all their incredible, adorable, unique and sometimes terrifying glory!

Happy Book Birthday, Plume: Global Nibbler!

And we have lift-off!

Plume: Global Nibbler publishes today with Hardie Grant Explore - taking off to a bookstore near you, and if the store is too far away, it's also online!

Join Plume as he boards the Albatross Express and takes off in search of some of the finest cuisine from around the world. There's sushi and kebabs and pad thai, and of course, pizza! Can Plume tempt the tastebuds of his Fussy Eater penguin friends with this gastronomic tour de force?

A wonderful way to introduce children to the wonders of our world, this second book in the Plume series highlights new sights and sounds, but also flavours - and is an entrancing way to help little ones explore life-enriching diversity.

Ava is prepped for take-off - I wonder which dish will be her favourite?

If you live in Canberra, I'll be at Harry Hartog Bookstore in Woden Plaza on Saturday 28 May, installing a fab Plume window. Do pop by and have a look! There'll also be signed books for sale.

See more about the book right here. For those in the UK, publication date is 26 May, and in North America, publication date is 7 June.

 

 

 

 

 

COVER REVEAL! Plume: Global Nibbler

I’m delighted to reveal the cover for the second book in the Plume series of travel picture books for kids—Plume: Global Nibbler!
 
Yes, yes, this book is all about the delectable food to be found all over the world - from Sweden to Ethopia, I wonder if you can guess which other countries Plume visits on his quest to tempt the tastebuds of his penguin friends? Comment on my Instagram page with the country of your favourite cuisine.
 
Scroll down to see a peek, and stay tuned for some upcoming Plume fun, including a window at Harry Hartog Bookstore, Woden!

Plume: Global Nibbler
Hardie Grant Explore
Hardcover 9781741177671, $24.99
Out 18 May in Australia, 26 May in the UK, 7 June in the US and Canada.
PRE-ORDER 

#plumethepenguin on social media.

 
‘…Join the most adorable penguin world explorer on a gastronomic jaunt around the planet in Plume: Global Nibbler, the second book in Tania McCartney’s series for little ones, celebrating the cultures and diversity of the world around us! 
 


Plume loves to cook – and to eat. He loves a bit of spice and he’s on a mission to fire up the tastebuds of his fussy-eater penguin friends. With the help of his dear friend Ava (of the Albatross Express), he leaves Antarctica in search of the world’s most delicious local dishes and treats.
 


From Iranian kebabs and Swedish cinnamon pastries, to Ethiopian injera flatbread and the chewy crispiness of Italian pizza … can these delightful dishes tempt Plume’s friends away from krill in favour of a truly global smorgasbord?



This delightful picture book is perfect for introducing children (ages 4 and up) to new foods as Plume seeks out tasty dishes, tempting snacks and truly authentic local fare from countries around the world…’

Mrs Koala Illustration Animation

Mrs Koala’s Beauty Parlour is hitting the shelves tomorrow! Before she arrives, here is a peek at the creation of her scene outside the beauty parlour.

See Mrs Koala come to life outside her beauty parlour in this animation made from my Procreate illustrations. Learn more about this adorable counting book right here.

Join me tomorrow for a countdown special to celebrate this gorgeous counting book! I wonder if you’ll be able to tell which animals are featured for each number, 1 to 10. 

Written by Catherine Jinks 

Illlustrated by Tania McCartney using Procreate

Cover design by Shirley Tran from HarperCollins Design Studio 

Published by Working Title Press, an imprint of HarperCollins Children's Books

Plume: World Explorer - Readings' Book of the Month

Life moment - thank you, Readings! Order the book on their site right here.

 

PLUME Prize Pack Giveaway!

It's just one week till Plume: World Explorer hits the shelves (did you know you can pre-order, too?) and to celebrate, I have a supersonic prize pack to give away to one lucky kid!

 Here is what you could win:

• A signed copy of the book
• A giclée print of Plume diving
• 2 x Plume greeting cards
• A Plume mug 
• A penguin mylar balloon
• A pair of penguin socks
  
• A world map cushion cover
• A world globe key ring
  
• A mega pack of penguin stickers as well as one rare Plume sticker
• Some Plume postcards

All this is valued at almost $200!

To enter, all you have to do is head to my Instagram page and follow the instructions there. I'll draw a winner this Saturday 23 October at 5pm, and will message the winner via Instagram message.

Please note that this parcel can only be sent to an Australian address. And if you miss out, you can also enter to win a copy of the book via Kids' Book Review, which starts 23 October.

Did you know you can also order a signed copy of Plume via The Book Cow? Just head here for more info - orders close Friday 5 November.

Get set to travel the world with Plume.

GOOD LUCK!

 

Plume World Explorer - VIRTUAL SIGNING!

 

Just 10 days till Plume: World Explorer hits the shelves! 

Thanks to a certain pandemic that shall remain nameless, there'll be no bookstore event to launch Plume, but the wonderful people at The Book Cow in Kingston are hosting a virtual signing! 

All you need do is order a book via this link and leave a note on who you'd like the book signed to - all by Friday 5 November. 

I'll then pop into the store, sign the books, and the Book Cow team will either prep your book/s for collection, or post them anywhere in Australia.

Click the poster above to be transported to the page. Plume can't wait to meet you!

Blogger in Residence for WestWords

Hey, kids!

I'm so happy to be the blogger-in-residence for the Clubhouse at WestWords this month. Have you heard of the site? It's totally fabulous, it really is.

Based in Parramatta, WestWords is dedicated to celebrating and championing the stories of the people, places and cultures that comprise the heart of Western Sydney. WestWords believe in the power of literature and literacy (written, oral and visual), self-expression and creativity - and its ability to change lives and the experience of communities. With a focus on children and young people its work includes a comprehensive program of workshops, residencies, fellowships and support for writers.

I've already uploaded three posts already, and I'll be adding over a dozen more these coming weeks, with the final post scheduled for 4 November. Kids - there'll be tips, tricks, behind-the-scenes stuff, a studio tour, how to illustrate with Procreate, fleshing out your characters, using synonyms - ALL SORTS of fab stuff to get your creative juices flowing.

You can check out the Clubhouse right here. There's an amazing line-up of past authors and illustrators your kids can enjoy, too. And for parents and carers - if you're homeschooling, this fabulous site may be a dream spot for you.

See you there!

 

Plume doll unboxing!

I have the most talented friends, and illustrator Suzy Houghton blew my socks off recently when she revealed how adept she is at crochet - and all without a pattern in sight!! I am overjoyed to introduce the Plume doll she made recently - isn't he just the most scrumptious thing??

During a school zoom visit recently, a girl asked me what I would say to one of my characters if I met them in real life. It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever been asked and I had tears in my eyes when I replied. I just said 'it's so wonderful to meet you'.

And how wonderful it was to meet Plume today. Thank you, Suzy, my immensely talented friend. I adore him.

I'm preparing Plume for a photoshoot - I need to embroider his outfits first, but will post the photos when I'm done. He's just the most scrumptious little character and I hope he captures your heart.

Plume: World Explorer is the first in my new travel series for children. Published by Hardie Grant Explore, book one is out 27 October in Aus/NZ, and November in North America and the UK. Click the book cover for more info, and to pre-order.