June 8 Online Event: The Secret to Creating a Winning Illustration Project

For the last five years SCBWI Australia East has held the Australian Picture Book Illustrator Awards. The Awards are managed by SCBWI Australia East and funded by the Copyright Agency. Judged by some of the publishing world’s best, they gather to pore over submissions from incredibly talented SCBWI illustrators to choose the winning entries.

This year we had the absolute joy and privilege to hear from the 2024 winners! We heard about their process, what they’ve been up to since winning the award and they gave tips and advice to anyone keen to enter this year’s awards. (The deadline for the 2025 awards is July 1, 2025)

Many also said how last year’s similar event inspired them to enter. It gave them the courage and the skills to think it was possible. Many spoke about no matter how many awards or publications they had, they still have doubts about their abilities but that coming together as a community and being given opportunities like these awards, gave them the courage to keep going.

Artwork by Nisaluk Chantanakom

A big theme of the day was creating between the cracks. How we’re all so busy but we need to make time for our creativity and our projects and to never give up. To be willing to follow the idea where it will lead us and not be afraid to let ideas go or file some away in an effort to create the most affecting project we can.

All the winners very generously told us about how they work, the highs and lows and how creating is never a straight line. How a small idea, might lead you somewhere you never thought. They shared how the prize money helped them to create their project and, in very exciting news, told us that lots of the projects entered were signed or had led to other contracts! Which is super exciting for all of us here at SCBWIAustEast.

We would like to thank the Copyright Agency for their grant, which enabled us to to continue this award that has changed the lives and developed the careers of so many.

Congratulations to all the incredible winners!  

ESTABLISHED ILLUSTRATOR

1st Prize: Heidi McKinnon 

2nd Prize: Mick Elliot

3rd prize: Max Hamilton

Highly Commended: Mandy Foot

Highly Commended: Sofya Karmazina

EMERGING ILLUSTRATOR

Winner: Nisaluk Chantanakom

Highly Commended: Kristen Willis

Highly Commended: Rosalie Street

By Deborah Abela, author and Co-RA SCBWIAustEast

SCBWI Success Story: Kristen Willis

The SCBWI Australian Picture Book Illustrator Awards recognise the talent of Australian children’s illustrators in visual narrative for picture books and graphic novels from early childhood to young adult. The Awards are managed by SCBWI Australia East and are funded by the Copyright Agency. There are two categories – Established and Emerging Illustrator with prize money to assist with the creation of a new visual narrative picture book or graphic novel.

It’s challenging to put into words just how grateful I am for the recognition and creative support behind my Highly Commended for the SCBWI Emerging Illustrator Award. It's hard to believe an Australian-Italian without words, right?

This particular story has been in my pocket as a work-in-progress since 2017, and the heart of it lies in the threads of stories retold by my family all my life. How they left their homeland in the hope of a better life, but most importantly, for love. As the custodian of valuable family artifacts and treasures, I quickly realised that this project was greater than a personal bedtime story; it was a rich time capsule of Italian-Australian culture in North Queensland.

In truth, at first, I did not know where to start. This personal, biographical story became my gateway into the world of kid-lit, my sole purpose and mission to become a children's book illustrator and emerging author. A way to share and archive a slice of North Queensland Australian history through art in the format of a book, which can be treasured and read with a steaming hot cup of espresso. Don't forget the biscotti!

The SCBWI Illustration Award has gifted this story a chance to exist, a wholehearted nod of recognition to keep going. The winnings allowed me to seek author mentorship from Story Art Coach and Publisher Margrete Lamond, as well as a much-needed art supply injection. I'll take a set of Caran D'ache Neocolor II Aquarelle and Pan Pastels, thank you!

Unbeknownst to me, my story has a life journey of its own. Originally envisioned as a picture book, it has recently been signed by a traditional publisher, Perentie Press - as a beautiful graphic novel. Now, the real work begins!

"Illustrating is like composing a classic Italian dish – it takes a dash of love, a whole lot of lyrical hand gestures, and is best enjoyed with others!” Kristen Willis

www.tondo.com.au

www.instagram.com/tondocreative

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SCBWI at the ASLA Conference Geelong 2025

Every two years the incredible team at ASLA – The Australian School Library Association - invite librarians from all over the country to come together, share knowledge, awards, information and kick up their heals in celebration of what an amazing job librarians do.

Some years back, SCBWI approached ASLA to form a partnership, where, during their conferences, we showcase some of our incredibly talented creators. In 2023 we joined them on the Gold Coast in 2023 and this year in Geelong. Combining passionate librarians with stupendous kids’ book creators is a natural fit and made for a joyful and wondrous event. There were talks, workshops, tears, laughter and lots and lots of talking about books and story.

Thank you so much for the incredible ASLA team: Martha Itzcovitz, Sonja Brownridge and the entire committee for a fascinating and celebratory few days.

For our part, nine SCBWI creators held two 90 minute sessions, where they dived into their creative process and shared activities for librarians to help their kids create their own artwork and stories. We also had a SCBWI stand of books where we had the chance to meet and thank the incredible librarians who help kids find books they will love.

Thank you to Caz Goodwin, Amy Adeney, Claire Saxby, Kaye Baillie, Jess Racklyeft, Judy Watson, Marjorie Crosby-Fairall, Margaret Roc and Susanne Gervay … all clever and talented people down to their toes.

At the conference dinner, author Kate Foster, creator of the DANZ awards - The Diversity in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand Children's Book Award – announced the winners for 2025.

graphic novel Ghost Book by Remy Lai (Allen and Unwin)

non-fiction The Trees by Victor Steffensen and illustrated by Sandra Steffensen (Hardie Grant)

poetry Pasifika Navigators by 52 Pasifika Student Authors (Mila’s Books)

young adults Catch a Falling Star by Eileen Merriman (Penguin Random House New Zealand)

It was a brilliant few days celebrating what it is we do and why we love librarians so much!

Deborah Abela, Co-RA SCBWI AustEast