A novel published last year, inspired by the extraordinary friendship of Mount Alexander based teenagers, Jarrah Podesta and Mathilde Cross, has won a national literary award.
The Children’s Book Council of Australia announced on Friday that August & Jones, by Sydney based author Pip Harry, had been voted the CBCA 2023 Shadow Judging Book of the Year in the Younger Readers category.
The Shadow Judging Book of the Year Awards, launched nationally last year, involves young voices from across Australia joining the conversation on the 2023 CBCA Book of the Year Shortlist and chosing their own winners.
With more than 2000 young judges in more than 250 groups across Australia participating this year, groups came from every state and territory, from remote and regional communities through to cities, ranging from primary and secondary schools to pre-schools and council library groups.
August & Jones came to be after author Pip Harry read a profile on Jarrah and Mathilde in The Age/SMH Good Weekend magazine, following a series of articles in the Express about Jarrah’s battle with retinoblastoma and Mathilde’s fundraising efforts to assist her friend’s family.
Pip told the Express she was delighted August & Jones had been voted the kids’ choice winner for Younger Readers in the Shadow Judging Book of the Year Awards.
“This powerful and affirming school program allows thousands of primary and secondary students across the country to have their say in the books and stories that resonated with them,” she said.
“I’m especially happy to share this special award with Mathilde and Jarrah, whose remarkable real life friendship, sense of adventure and resilience provided the initial inspiration for my book.”
Published in Australia by Hachette, August & Jones was launched by Pip, together with Jarrah and Mathilde – both students at Castlemaine Secondary College – at the Castlemaine Library in August 2022 along with students from other local schools.
The book has since been nominated for several literary awards and published internationally.
