In partnership with the WA Premier’s Book Awards, Magabala Books is delighted to announce the Daisy Utemorrah Award shortlist: 

'Uncle Xbox - Getting Dusty' by Jared Thomas

‘Getting Dusty’ is a middle grade story with a relatable young character, Dusty, whose culture, family, and in particular his Uncle Xbox teach and guide him through life – especially when Dusty throws a punch he shouldn’t have! The story of Dusty and his Uncle Xbox lingers long in your mind after reading'

Dr Jared Thomas is a Nukunu person of the Southern Flinders Ranges and the Research Fellow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Material Culture and Art at the South Australian Museum and the University of South Australia. His novel Calypso Summer (Magabala Books, 2015) joined the 2015 International Youth Library White Raven list of books that deserve worldwide attention because of their universal themes and exceptional artistic and literary style.

Jared’s recent releases include Uncle XBox (Magabala Books, 2023) Songs that Sound Like Blood (Magabala Books, 2016) as well as the Game Day series which was written with NBA player and Olympian Patty Mills. 

'The Ultimate AGD' by Kim Morrison

‘The Ultimate AGD’ is a deeply moving young adult story with humour and authentic characters that are bright on the page. Narrator and protagonist, Spud, is a realistic character with a strong and engaging young voice'

Kim Morrison is a writer, artist, teacher, forager and cold-water swimmer from Goulburn, NSW.  She is a descendent of the Kamilaroi people of Northern NSW but grew up in the semi-rural outskirts of South-Western Sydney, with a rescue pony and a suspiciously dingo-looking family dog. She would often wag school to finish a good book, and often got into trouble for reading under the desk. After completing an honours degree in English Literature at the University of Sydney, and a Masters in Writing from UTS, she set off on a working holiday adventure in Europe.  This gave her the distance to start to wonder about some of the stories and silences in her family history.  When she returned to Australia, she worked as a closed-caption editor for the deaf and hearing impaired at the Australian Caption Centre and SBS. As well as watching other people's stories all day, she devoted herself to finding lost and stolen family members. She found them.

'A Queen's Glory' by Kristie Harris

'A Queens Glory’ delves into a fantasy world with a rich background. Harris has written a well-rounded character in Reid and with a pace that makes it hard to stop reading!'

Kristie Harris is a proud Wiradjuri woman living in Brisbane with her husband and 3 girls. She is studying for a Bachelor of Arts, and works as a Community Engagement Data Officer with the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health. She loves to write fantasy and dystopian novels with themes of colonisation, adventure and overcoming adversity. She enjoys spending her spare time with her family, reading, playing video games, and building her creative arts business.

Congratulations Jared, Kim and Kristie!

The Daisy Utemorrah Award for unpublished junior and Young Adult writing seeks to grow Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander storytelling for younger readers. Launched as part of the WA Premier’s Book Awards, this national award is open to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander writers of junior and YA fiction.

The winner of the Daisy Utemorrah Award will receive $15,000 prize money and a publishing contract with Magabala Books. The Daisy Utemorrah Award is generously supported by the Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund and the WA Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.

The winner will be announced at the WA Premier's Book Awards ceremony at the State Library of Western Australia in June 2023.