LEESA ALLINSON
UNCLE GLENN LOUGHREY
Congratulations to the Wild Dog creatives that have been shortlisted for literary awards in 2026!
In March, it was announced that Uncle Glenn Loughrey, the artist behind Prayer for a River, had been shortlisted for the Best New Illustrator category in 2026 CBCA Awards.
The images for the book were sourced from Glenn’s own collection of paintings, and they depict his personal relationship with waterways and Country. Written in collaboration with award-winning author Andrew Kelly, Prayer for a River is a celebration of all the ways water gives us life and a reminder to respect and care for them so that future generations can enjoy our rivers too.
In early July, two Wild Dog titles were shortlisted by the Karajia and Environment Awards in their Picture Fiction category. One Koala, One Hundred Trees, written by Leesa Allinson and illustrated by Mark Jackson and Heather Potter is, as described by Barbara Schwartz of CBCA Reading Time, “highly relevant for anyone concerned about the conservation of Australian native wildlife”.
Of the illustrations, Elise Ellerman of Reading Opens Doors said, ‘the soft watercolour and expressive illustrations convey a strong sense of place, reflecting life on a large farm and the surrounds.”
Alongside One Koala, One Hundred Trees, Prayer for a River by Uncle Glenn Loughrey and Andrew Kelly received its second acknowledgement of the year.
And most recently, One Koala, One Hundred Trees was also recognised on the shortlist for the Queensland Literary Awards in the children’s book category.
We at Wild Dog Books are so proud of our talented creators and their drive to produce children’s books that are as laden with meaning as they are with beauty!