Matt Ottley has responded to criticism of his Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Picture Book of the Year Requiem for a Beast (Hachette Livre Children's Books), saying that the cover and title make it clear the book is not intended for young children.

Ottley criticised ‘individuals in the media who have alleged, by implication, that it is a work for younger readers. This is quite clearly very lazy, sensationalist reporting.' The CBCA promotes books for audiences up to the age of 18, however the fact that the book contains swearing as well as violent images has drawn criticism, including from former CBCA president, children's bookseller, and recipient of this year's Pixie O'Harris award, kate Colley.

‘I really have a problem with this book,' Colley said. ‘It shouldn't be on the shortlist, let alone win.'

Susan Hetherington of The Courier Mail wrote that she didn't doubt that Ottley's work had ‘important things to say' in its themes of ‘mental illness, suicide, the stolen generations and mistreatment of Aboriginal Australia', but was concerned that the book contained no warning, and that the CBCA sticker on the front was an endorsement of the book for parents.

Connie Therkildsen, manager of Lindfield Children's Bookshop told WBN that it didn't take negative press to affect sales of Ottley's title, estimating that of the schools and libraries that were sent the CBCA shortlist to sample, 85-90% sent the book back.

‘It's a very clever book and very arty, but not something school libraries are really looking for,' she said. With limited space and budgets she believes many school-librarians might find it hard to monitor which age group were reading the title. If the book has sold anywhere it has been to larger public libraries who are able to place it in an appropriate area, she added.

CBCA national president Bronwen Bennett said the book ‘has been recognised for its artistic excellence and the brilliance of the story'. The choice of Ottley's graphic novel-style work follows last year's win in the same category by Shaun Tan's The Arrival (Lothian).

http://www.booksellerandpublisher.com.au/articles/2008/09/09382/

This article from Thorpe Bowker's Weekly Book Newsletter and Media Extra is reproduced by kind permission of Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2008, Thorpe-Bowker

Tags: childrens book council