Only six weeks into the Laureateship and I was super excited to have the opportunity to launch the inaugural DANZ awards. This is such a fabulous initiative, started by Children’s Author Kate Foster and supported by the Australian School Library Association (ASLA). DANZ stands for Diversity in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. There were some really brilliant children’s books on the shortlist by some wonderful creators, and it was great to have the awards presentation happen at one of Australia’s premier kids’ literature events: Somerset Storyfest. Then, if this wasn’t exciting enough, Come Over To My House, the book I co-wrote with musician, writer and disability advocate, Eliza Hull, and illustrated by Daniel Gray-Barnett, won the picture book category! Come Over To My House invites us into the homes of families who are D/deaf or disabled and it was such an honour to be able to work on this book with Eliza and Dan.
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