Billie B Brown drawing competition

A school I visited recently ran a Billie B Brown drawing competition. Here are some of the entries. Aren't they gorgeous!?

Billie five and six!

Only ten more sleeps until the next two Billie books hit the stores on August 2nd. I have some lovely new advance copies and if you (or any little girls you know) would like to get your mittens on one before anyone else does, email me at sallyrippin@optusnet.com.au and tell me which is your favourite Billie B Brown book and I'll throw in some stampers for your trouble. I only have a few to give away so be quick!

In other Billie news, the first six books have already sold into French-Canada and will be published there later this year. I can't wait to read in Billie in French!

Here is a nice review from the August edition of Bookseller and Publisher:

The Extra-special Helper: Billie B Brown

Billie B Brown’s class is off to the zoo and Billie couldn’t be more proud as she’s going to be her teacher’s extra special helper for the day. Billie needs to make sure that everyone behaves and that no-one gets lost—but is she up to the task? This cute little reader is the latest addition to Sally Rippin’s series for emerging readers that revolves around what the ‘B’ in Billie B Brown really stands for—this time, bossiness. Rippin’s aim is to offer an alternative to fairy and princess readers, and she carefully challenges gender stereotypes through the characters of Billie and her best friend Jack. This story develops their friendship particularly well as Billie learns to juggle her responsibilities as both a friend and helper. Illustrator Aki Fukuoka does a great job of capturing Billie’s quirky and defiantly messy character, complementing the overall bright, modern and friendly series design. Children will want to pick these books up and give them a try—and the layout, with its generous type and fun use of emphasised words, will help keep them going. Short and sweet, this engaging reader for children five years and up also makes a great accompaniment to a first school excursion.

Meredith Tate is a freelance writer, editor and reviewer who has worked for a children’s publisher

Coming home to some good news

Oh, it's hard to come home. Back in the freezing Melbourne winter it's hard to imagine I was looking out this very window over the rooftops of Paris only weeks ago. Maybe I was Parisian in another life? Or perhaps from Southern Italy where we spent the last few days of our trip eating, sleeping, swimming, and then eating some more. I love the way Italian and French life revolves around food. I can't imagine a nicer way to spend your life than your biggest dilemma of the day being what to eat at your next meal. 'Hmm...will we we eat at the seafood place down the road or stroll along the beach to that pizza restaurant in town? It's been at least two hours since I've had a gelati, I wonder if I could go another? Or should I crack open that goat cheese?' Ah...ca c'est la vie!

Anyway, my return to Melbourne was rather softened by the exciting news that Mannie and the Long Brave Day, by Martine Murray and illustrated by me, has been shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards, in the Children's Fiction category. At this stage I've no idea when the winner is announced but you'll certainly hear about it if it's Martine and me!