Crichton Award 2009--judges' report.

Administered by the Victorian branch of the CBCA, the aim of the Crichton Award is to recognize and encourage new talent in the field of Australian children's book illustration. The winning artist must be an emerging talent or be new to the field of children's book illustration and the entry must be the artist's first illustrated book published by a trade publisher in which the illustrations form a significant part of the book's narrative or information content.

Thirty-three books were entered in the Crichton Award this year, a pleasing number indicating that this award is growing in popularity and renown. The themes covered were varied but animals continue to be particularly popular and books dealt with cats, crocodiles camels and giraffes. Australian subject matter also featured with examinations of Eureka, ANZAC and also traditional aboriginal tales and even a ballad. It was pleasing to see books about personal growth which explored grief, separation and loneliness providing strategies for children to cope with these traumas.

The variety of artistic styles was a delight and judges were treated to pen and ink illustration, lino cuts, collage, computer design, oils and crayon. With the variety of themes, styles, mediums and the variation in target audience, selecting a short list was a challenge. The resulting list is a proud reflection on emerging children's illustration.

Sarah Davis is this year's Criehton Award winner for her work on MendingLucille, written by J.R. Poulter. Davis has a strong understanding of the way illustrations can bring emotion to a picture book text. Her illustrations are realistic but not rigid and are full of warmth and personality. Her characters feel authentic and real but not too photographic. Rather, Davis keeps a strong painterly feel to her work, which keeps it fresh and lively. She has used a very interesting mixture of media, including sewing and collage, which enhances the work and gives it a contemporary feel. The paintings are full of movement, and colour is used effectively to convey emotion. Davis has also created an interesting design throughout the book by varying the size and the tone of illustrations to enhance their role in telling the story. The red thread which stitches themes and images together is a particularly powerful metaphor linking the graphics with the storyline. In the final analysis, the judges felt that Davis' work excelled in its ability to evoke emotion and that Davis is an artist poised on the edge of a stunning career.