Trace Balla

Australian children's author

Trace Balla is an Australian children's author and illustrator.

Rivertime won the 2015 Readings Children's Book Prize^[1] and the Wilderness Society Picture Book Award in the same year.^[2]^[3] It was shortlisted for both the 2015 Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature, NSW Premier's Literary Awards^[4] and the 2016 WA Premier’s Book Awards.^[5]

Rockhopping, was awarded Book of the Year: Young Readers by the Children's Book Council of Australia in 2017.^[6]^[7] It was shortlisted for the Children's Award in the 2018 Adelaide Awards Festival for Literature.^[8]

The Thank You Dish was named a Notable book in the early childhood section by the Children’s Book Council of Australia in 2018.^[9]

Landing with Wings, was shortlisted for the 2020 Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Award for books for eight to ten year olds.^[10]

The Heart of the Bubble was published in 2020 and is a graphic novel set during the coronavirus pandemic about "a family’s awakening to what really matters".^[11]

Her 2023 book, Leaf-light, was shortlisted for the 2024 Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children's Books, NSW Premier's Literary Awards and the 2024 Children's Book Award, Queensland Literary Awards.^[12]

She lives in Castlemaine, Victoria.^[13]

Works

Rivertime, 2014, ISBN 9781743316337
Shine: A story about saying goodbye, 2015, ISBN 9781743316344
Rockhopping, 2016, ISBN 9781952533419
The Thank You Dish, 2017, ISBN 9781760292355
Landing with Wings, 2020, ISBN 9781760296957
The Heart of the Bubble, 2020, ISBN 9780648904304
Leaf-light, 2023, ISBN 9781760526207

References

^ "'Rivertime' wins 2015 Readings Children's Book Prize". Books+Publishing. 16 July 2015. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
^ "Wilderness Society announces 2015 children's book award winners". Books+Publishing. 29 July 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
^ PEDLER, CHRIS (10 July 2015). "Rivertime tale a prize read". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
^ "NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2015 shortlists announced". Books+Publishing. 24 April 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
^ "WA Premier's Book Awards 2016 shortlists announced". Books+Publishing. 6 July 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
^ Morris, Linda (28 March 2017). "Debut and self-published authors shortlisted in Children's Book Council of Australia awards". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
^ "Book of the Year - Winners 2017". The Children's Book Council of Australia. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
^ "Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature shortlists announced". Books+Publishing. 8 January 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
^ "CBCA Notable Books for 2018 announced". Books+Publishing. 28 February 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
^ "Speech Pathology Australia book awards 2020 shortlists announced". Books+Publishing. 3 July 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
^ "The Heart of the Bubble". AustLit. Retrieved 24 August 2024 – via University of Queensland.
^ "Leaf-light". AustLit. Retrieved 24 August 2024 – via University of Queensland.
^ "The Heart of The Bubble | Castlemaine Mail". Retrieved 29 August 2020.