School Donation Drive

Wombat Books often receives requests to donate books to schools that do not have big budgets for their libraries. We love to be able to donate books where we can, especially to get Australian titles in children’s hands. However, as a boutique publisher, we also don’t have big budgets to give books away every time.

Therefore, we’ve decided to start a drive between now and the end of January 2020 to donate Wombat Book titles to Australian schools in need.

For every $20 spent on our website directly between now and the end of January, we will put aside 3 books to be donated to an Australian school library.*

As we are also passionate about supporting Australian bookstores we will also donate the same for all orders of Wombat and Rhiza titles from your local bookshops. Just email us a copy of your receipt so we can add the value to the tally!!!**

School libraries wishing to apply for these donations can contact us by sending us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and headlining it ‘School Donations’. We’d love to hear which of our books you’d like to fill your library with and how the school would benefit by having Wombat Books titles. ***

Thank you for your interest in supporting Australian schools with more books in their libraries and Wombat Books, a family-run Queensland based publishing house.

* Schools can request types of books but the final donated books will be chosen by Wombat Books

** Email your receipt to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and quote ‘School Donations’

*** The only cost to schools will be a freight contribution of $25 per total donation. We hope donation values to each school to be worth over $500.

Australian Girl Kids Competition

Are you a budding writer? Do you like writing adventure stories set in Australia?

Wombat Books is reopening its Australia Girl Kids Competition. We're on the lookout for stories specifically about Emily and Jasmine now.

We're seeking original short stories from school-aged students (aged 5 - 13) to publish in the Australian Girl series by the team at Wombat Books and Australian Girl Doll.

Short stories should explore day-to-day adventures in the city or outback; should be uniquely Australian; and can include environmental, sustainability or other relevant issues in the plot.

HOW DO YOU SUBMIT?

Email your submissions to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

You must include:

Name and contact details
Title: Australian Girl Series Submission [Insert name of main Australian Girl character here] in subject line
Up to 1500 words short story
A cover letter detailing what you love about the Australian Girl Dolls

You must be familiar with the characters from the Australian Girl Doll website. Please read our previous books before submitting. Stories cannot be considered if they are not based on these characters. You can read Amy and the Wilpena Flood or The Rainbow Necklace to get to know the stories. Ask for them at your local library to find out more!

The winners' short stories will be published in the back of one of our new Australian Girl books. They will also receive 3x copies of the book and their own Australian Girl Doll to celebrate with. Up to 4 short stories will be chosen.

 The competition closes 30 November 2019. Winners will be notified early 2020.

 

NEED SOME INSPIRATION?

1. Start by reading other Wombat Books early readers.

Wombat Early Readers Pack ($35) + Free Shipping

2. Most importantly, get to know the Australian Girls.

Australian Girls Series Pack ($40) + Free Shipping

 3. Celebrate with your own Australian Girl Doll: Matilda, Emily, Bronte or Amy! Free Australian Girl book with every purchase here.

Wombat Books Illustration Challenge 2020

 

QUICK LINKS More about the Story Entry Instructions FAQS Contact Us

We're seeking original illustrations from Australian school-aged students (aged 5 - 18) to publish in a unique picture book by the team at Wombat Books.

The Challenge has been established in order to provide aspiring young illustrators with the opportunity to be published in a professionally produced children's book and gain an introduction into the world of illustrating.

Winning illustrations will be published in a new book which is due for release in 2021. Illustrators will receive two free copies of the book. They will be acknowledged on the Wombat Books website and social media.

Judging decisions will be made by the Wombat Books team of authors, editors and illustrators. Selected entries will be posted on the Wombat Books blog and Facebook for you to share with your friends and family. 

This is the fourth challenge Wombat Books has run. We want to create a unique and special picture book by Aussie children for everyone to treasure and have fun with.

 

 

Can I Sleep Tomorrow?
A sleep adventure by the Wombat Books team! Click here for the text to work on.

When illustrating the book, choose animals, features, characters or anything related to the illustration suggestions.

We want this book to be a real compilation of Aussie kids and Aussie places.

lllustrate your picture on an A3 or A4 sheet (landscape). Allow space for the text by making some of your picture faded or with less detail (check out how we have set up our previous books to see what to do!).

 

 

Entry Instructions

This year there are new entry requirements. Please follow these for your entries to be considered for publication in Can I Sleep Tomorrow?:

ENTRIES CLOSE 30 November 2020

1. 1. Choose one or multiple spreads from Can I Sleep tomorrow? to illustrate. Use an A4 or A3-size page (landscape) for each illustration spread. Each spread must have a separate illustration. Your page may be a single or double page, but ensure it matches and expands creatively on the text. Every spread must be illustrated in landscape (NOT portrait).

2. 2. The fee to enter this year is a previous purchase of one of our other illustration challenges. You must include in your entry a copy of the purchase receipt for one of our three previous Illustration Challenge books. You can buy Yay! It's Library Day and Zoo Ball and Around Australian in 30 places online or ask for either at your local bookstore.

3. 3. All submissions must come via post to our address: PO Box 302 Chinchilla 4413. We suggest registering your mail with AusPost to make sure it gets to us!

4. 4. Please include an entry form with each submission. Access this here.

5. 5. Please do not bend, fold or crinkle your illustration. It unfortunately cannot be considered for publication if it is folded. We do accept high-resolution photocopies of the original illustration if you want to keep your original safe.

6. 6. Please put your name in pencil on the back of your illustration.

7. 7. If you are a teacher submitting on behalf of students, it is still required that full details are provided for any student entering.

8. 8. You may submit multiple illustrations. You are not required to purchase more than one copy of our Illustration Challenge books to do so.

9. 9. Unfortunately we are unable to send entries back after judging. We’ll find a special place in our Wombat office for them.

10. 10. Entries must arrive by 30 November 2020.

 

Need some inspiration? Check out our Illustrator Inspiration Pack. We've included some of our favourite picture books.

  

3x Wombat Books titles ($45) + Free Shipping

 

FAQS

1. 1. Why do I have to purchase a copy of Yay! It's Library Day or Zoo Ball or Around Australia in 30 Places?

2. The cost of running the Illustration Challenge is quite a lot. We do not want to charge an entry fee. By making it a requirement to purchase our previous amazing Illustration Challenge books, we hope to inspire creativity for the kids entering and also show the production quality of previous challenges. You can also see a bit of how we did the layout so you can understand what requirements are expected of where and how you draw your picture.

3. 2. Will an author tour with the book?

4. Winning students can apply for their school to host a skype publishing Q&A session with publisher, Rochelle Manners.

5. If you would like to meet Aleesah Darlison who wrote the first two illustration challenge books she is available as a school speaker. Get in touch at www.aleesahdarlison.com

6. 3. What if I have more questions?
   

7. The best way to follow our competitions or oppurtunities for kids is to join the Wombat Books Competitions and Challenges Facebook Group. Click here to join: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2739813832718577/

8. 4. What if I'm a teacher and many kids in my class want to enter the Illustration Challenge?
9. Wombat Books offers schools an easy way to enter through a purchase of previous books published by Wombat Books as inspiration. For any teacher wanting to enter their school or class in the Challenge, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information.

Schools can purchase a Wombat Books book and information pack to enter as many students as they like into the competition. The book pack will include books to the value of more than $100 plus there will be printed entry forms and a poster to inspire interest at your school. These book packs can be bought anytime while the promotion is open, but if pre-purchased will be sent out in February 2020.

Each School Book Entry Pack will be $99.95 and all students can enter from your school without an individual purchase. 

School Book Pack 1: Five titles including:
Zoo Ball,
Yay! It's Library Day,
Around Australian in 30 Places,
Cloud Conductor,
Once

School Book Pack 2: Five titles including:
Around Australia in 30 Places,
Zoo Ball,
Marty's Nut-Free Party,
Once,
The Bear Said Please

School Book Pack 3 (All paperback titles): Seven titles including:
Lulu,
Yay! It's Library Day,
Colour for Curlews,
Around Australia in 30 Places,
Mustara,
Puggle's Problem,
Little Meerkat

For all enquiries contact:

Wombat Books
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

 

 

Around Australia Illustration Challenge 2018

Our 2018 illustration challenge is closed. The book is in production and you can preorder here:

Around Australian in 30 days.

Please check out the new illustration challenge for 2020!

Thank you for your interest.