Congratulations to all the very talented young writers whose work is published in this book.

The Young Australian Writers Award evolved from a magazine call OzKidz In Print. This magazine was first produced with the sole purpose of promoting young Australian writers in a context in which they could be honoured and their achievements distributed nationally to schools and libraries.

Both teachers and students alike have welcomed OzKids In Print, ‘with open arms’ as a long-awaited forum. This huge response has now demanded that these awards be presented in a delightfully compiled anthology.

Should this increase continue as we expect, it will necessitate the expansion of both the selection committee and the judging panel. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the judge and the selection committee for their commitment and personal interest in the Young Australian Writers Awards.

The task facing the committee becomes more challenging each year, but we are continually rewarded by the outstanding quality of work produced by the young writers.

The generous sponsorship of BIC Australia and our other sponsors is essential for our success. We appreciate their interest and look forward to their continued support.

Rob Leonard
Chairperson,
The Selection Committee