1993 Award Prize for Older Readers

Dougy

by James Moloney
University of Queensland Press

The story is told through the eyes of Dougy, the younger brother in an aboriginal family, of the family’s aspirations and the drama that unfolds in their small country town when Dougy’s sister, Grace, is picked for the state athletics championships. Dougy is an action packed and psychologically convincing novel dealing with a range of complex issues, including racism.

Commended

A Future for Myself

by Amanda McKay
Omnibus Books

This first novel by a psychologist, youth worker and teacher, describes the teenage heroine’s turmoil as her mother’s illness becomes terminal. The mother’s preoccupation with herself and the daughter’s grief make it hard for them to understand each other but they reach a resolution.

Looking for Trouble

by John Marsden
Pan MacMillan

The diary of Tony, as he commences Grade 5, describes the developing friendships of his peers and the ways that they are affected by economic and social issues in their parents’ lives.

Meggie's Magic

by Anna Dean, illustrated by Colin Stevens
Puffin

A little girl comes to terms with her sister’s death through her own imaginings and memories. Her parents value her love for Meggie.