We are so delighted that Sandy Bigna has won Best Children’s Fiction in The Aurealis Awards, for her debut novel Little Bones (UQP).

The Aurealis Awards are Australia’s premier awards for speculative fiction, and the second award that Sandy’s verse novel has won since its release last year – she also won the Children’s Book Award in the Queensland Literary Awards.

Author Zana Fraillon called Little Bones; ‘an utterly wonderful read. It is a heartwarming and brilliantly original tale of family and friendship with characters who leap from the page. I loved every word. Sandy Bigna is a fantastic new voice in middle grade verse fiction, and I cannot wait for her next one.’

We are so thrilled for Sandy, that her highly original and lyrical magical realist middle-grade verse novel is capturing judge’s hearts.

Since the accident, eleven-year-old Bones spends her time drawing animal skeletons and scavenging for dead things to add to her collection. She’s drifted away from her friends and doesn’t want to make new ones.

One night, Bones wishes on a full moon and unintentionally resurrects the skeleton of a baby bird. Bird wants to return to his natural (dead) state, so Bones agrees to reverse the curse – not that she knows how. As she and Bird work out the secrets of the magic, Bones remembers what it’s like to have a friend. How can she let Bird go when she doesn’t want to say goodbye?

Congratulations, Sandy!