Western Australia’s young readers have voted

Fremantle Press authors Jen Banyard and Deb Fitzpatrick have both been shortlisted for a 2016 West Australian Young Readers’ Book Award.

The first book in Banyard’s Riddle Gully Series, Mystery at Riddle Gully, made the Younger Readers’ shortlist, alongside Fitzpatrick’s The Amazing Spencer Gray. Fitzpatrick was also popular with older readers, who shortlisted her book Have you seen Ally Queen?.

The West Australian Young Readers’ Book Award is a statewide readers’ choice award that invites young people to read books and assess them on a scale.

Fitzpatrick said she was excited to make the list for the first time.

‘It has got to be one of the best kinds of recognition when readers themselves select your book for such a list.

‘When the organisers told me that I had two titles in the awards, I was at home and yelled out to my family and they were jumping up and down with excitement – which is exactly what I did!’ said Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick is currently working on a follow-up book to The Amazing Spencer Gray. Banyard is on the cusp of releasing a third Riddle Gully book, Riddle Gully Secrets, in June 2016.

The organisers of the award said the young readers of Western Australia put forth an outstanding number of nominations for this year’s shortlist.

For more information on how to participate visit http://wayrba.org.au.