Bob Graham wins prestigious Prime Minister’s Literary Award

Much loved Australian author, Bob Graham, has today won yet another award for his much-celebrated picture book, Home in the Rain. The book is the joint winner of the Children’s Fiction category today at the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards ceremony held in Canberra.  It is the 2^nd award win for the book this year, having earlier won an unprecedented seventh CBCA Book of the Year Award for the same title.

During his acceptance speech, Bob announced he will donate his $10K prize money to the Save the Children Fund.

Home in the Rain is a shining example of Graham doing what he does best; it is a tender and poignant piece of storytelling with a philosophical message about the extraordinary touching our ordinary lives. Graham takes the simple idea of trying to find the perfect name for a new baby and turns it into a moment of everyday magic.

Home in the Rain has won nationwide praise from literary Editors and reviewers:

“Graham's books have a warmth that is rooted in their affection for the texture of domestic life – chaos and harmony – slightly eccentric characters, the joy of animals, simple narratives and a sense of tolerance and community. And, of course, the illustrations which have an unerring eye for detail and idiosyncrasy.” - Jason Steger, Fairfax Media

“Bob's iconic illustrations carry their gentle, watercolour-wash hum, alongside delectably amiable characters and the gentleness of narrative that he's known for.” - Kids' Book Review

“... exquisitely illustrated, heart-warming story...”- Creative Kids Tales

Bob’s publisher, based at Walker Books UK, Dierdre McDermott, says, “It has been a proper privilege to collaborate with Bob Graham over the many years that we have been working together. I absolutely love working with his wonderful pictures and his stories.  Bob truly has a unique and inclusive picture book voice and his tender, wise and warm stories celebrate childhood – wherever in the world a child may be from. All of us at the Walker Group are really proud that Bob’s work has been honored again with this prestigious award/shortlisting, and I’m very much looking forward to making many more brilliant picture books together.”

With a long list of picture books celebrated with wins and honours, Bob Graham truly is the picture book Master. His latest picture book, The Poesy Ring, is a beautiful story about love that will no doubt also cement a place in reader’s hearts. It is out now through all good booksellers.

About the Author

Bob Graham is a Kate Greenaway-winning author-illustrator who has written and illustrated many acclaimed children's picture books including How to Heal a Broken Wing, How the Sun Got to Coco's House, Max, Jethro Byrde: Fairy Child and April Underhill: Tooth Fairy. His 2011 title, A Bus Called Heaven, is endorsed by Amnesty International UK and was the winner of the 2012 Children's Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the Year Award – a prize Bob has won an unprecedented six times. In 2014, Silver Buttons was awarded a prestigious Prime Minister's Literary Award in Australia. Bob lives in Melbourne.