Magabala Books is thrilled to announced that Bindi by Kirli Saunders has won the 2021 Australian Book Industry Award for Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year.

'I am absolutely floored and so excited to win this award', said Kirli, 'and so grateful to win this as part of a really powerful black team'. 'Magabala Books are doing incredible things in First Nations publishing and I feel so honoured to work alongside Rachel Bin Salleh and the team there'.

 

'I’m also really grateful to have Grace Pennington-Smith as my editor and Dub Leffler as my illustrator. These are powerhouse spirits doing wonderful things for First Nations voices everywhere and I feel deeply thankful to all of the black writers who have shaped my path and the industry shift that means the sharing of our stories is becoming more and more common.'

The Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) celebrate the achievements of authors and publishers in bringing Australian books to readers. The awards ceremony was held in Sydney on 28 April 2021.

‘We couldn’t be more excited and thrilled for Kirli and Dub,’ said Magabala Publisher Rachel Bin Salleh. ‘Bindi was created by an all-First Nations team and reflects the strength in our collective storytelling.’

Bindi has also been shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Award, the Readings Children’s Book Prize and an Australian Book Design Award.

Magabala also congratulates ABIA shortlisted creators Ambelin Kwaymullina (Living on Stolen Land), Charmaine Ledden-Lewis and Bruce Pascoe (Found), and Aunty Fay Muir, Sue Lawson and Lisa Kennedy (Family).