Bren MacDibble
{{Short description|Australian author}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox author
| name = Bren MacDibble
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1966}}
| birth_place = Whanganui, New Zealand
| occupation = Writer
| nationality = New Zealand
Australia
| website = {{url|macdibble.com}}
{{url|calantheblack.com}}
| genre = Children's and young adult
}}
Bren MacDibble (née McGregor; born 1966) is a New Zealand-born writer of children's and young adult books based in Australia. Bren also writes under the name Cally Black.{{Cite web|url=https://www.scbwi.org/members-public/bren-macdibble|publisher=SCBWI|title=Public Profile Bren MacDibble|website=scbwi.org|access-date=28 September 2020}} She uses the alias to distinguish between books written for younger children (under the name Bren MacDibble) and books written for young adults (under the name Cally Black).{{Cite web |title=Cally Black |url=http://www.calantheblack.com/ |access-date=2020-11-23 |website=www.calantheblack.com}}
Biography
MacDibble was born in Whanganui, New Zealand. She was raised on farms around the central North Island of New Zealand.{{Cite web|url=https://www.booktopia.com.au/blog/2017/05/05/bren-macdibble-read-outside-genre-read-amazing-authors-theyre-sharing-pay-close-attention/|title=Ten Terrifying Questions|website=booktopia.com.au|access-date=28 September 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.writingwa.org/literati-directory/bren-macdibble/|title=MacDibble Writing WA Literati Profile|website=writingwa.org|access-date=28 September 2020}} Bren lived in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia for 20 years and now lives on the midwest coast of Western Australia.{{cite web |title=Bren MacDibble on Across the Risen Sea Alphabet Soup |url=https://alphabetsoup.net.au/2020/10/07/bren-macdibble-on-across-the-risen-sea/ |website=alphabetsoup.net.au |date=6 October 2020 |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
In 2015, Bren won the Ampersand Prize with Hardie Grant Egmont for her first trade novel In the Dark Spaces. This was quickly followed by her first children's trade novel How to Bee with Allen & Unwin. Both books won New Zealand Book Awards in 2018. The first time any author has picked up awards in two different categories in the same year.{{cite web |title=Writer books herself a place in award history NZ Herald |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/writer-books-herself-a-place-in-award-history/U4UHWROTMESUHQ3HH6OR7QRPNM/ |website=The New Zealand Herald |accessdate=17 November 2020}} How to Bee picked up a Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year - Younger readers that same year.{{cite web |title=CBCA |url=https://www.cbca.org.au/winners-2018 |website=cbca.org.au |accessdate=17 November 2020}}
In 2018, Bren was awarded a Neilma Sidney Literary Travel Fund to research her children's novel The Dog Runner.
Publications
- How to Bee (Allen & Unwin, Aus/NZ, 2017){{cite web |title=Allen & Unwin How to Bee |url=https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/childrens/childrens-fiction/How-to-Bee-Bren-MacDibble-9781760294335 |website=allenandunwin.com |accessdate=11 November 2020}} (Old Barn Books, UK, 2018){{cite web |title=Old Barn Books How to Bee |url=https://www.oldbarnbooks.com/collections/bren-macdibble/products/how-to-bee |website=oldbarnbooks.com |accessdate=11 November 2020}} (Groundwood Books, Can/US, 2020){{cite book |title=Worldcat How to Bee |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1110690615 |via=worldcat.org |oclc = 1110690615|accessdate=11 November 2020}} La Deniere Abeille (Helium Editions, France, 2020){{cite web |title=Helium Editions La Deniere Abeille |url=https://helium-editions.fr/livre/la-derniere-abeille/ |website=Helium-editions.fr |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- In the Dark Spaces (Hardie Grant Egmont, Aus/NZ 2017){{cite book |title=Worldcat In the Dark Spaces |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1046994905 |via=worldcat.org |oclc = 1046994905|accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- The Dog Runner (Allen & Unwin, Aus/NZ, 2019) (Old Barn Books, UK, 2019){{cite book |title=Worldcat The Dog Runner |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1084730388 |via=worldcat.org |oclc = 1084730388|accessdate=11 November 2020}}{{cite web |title=Old Barn Books The Dog Runner |url=https://www.oldbarnbooks.com/collections/bren-macdibble/products/the-dog-runner |website=oldbarnbooks.com |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Across the Risen Sea (Allen & Unwin, Aus/NZ, 2020) (Old Barn Books, UK, 2020){{cite book |title=Worldcat Across the Risen Sea |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1165397479 |via=worldcat.org |oclc = 1165397479|accessdate=11 November 2020}}{{cite web |title=Old Barn Books Across The Risen Sea |url=https://www.oldbarnbooks.com/products/across-the-risen-sea# |website=oldbarnbooks.com |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- The Raven's Song written with Zana Fraillon (Allen & Unwin, Aus/NZ, 2022) (Old Barn Books, UK, 2022){{cite web |title=Allen & Unwin The Raven's Song |url=https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/book/Bren-MacDibble-and-Zana-Fraillon-Raven's-Song-9781761065798/ |website=allenandunwin.com |accessdate=24 January 2023}}{{cite web |title=Old Barn Books The Raven's Song |url=https://www.oldbarnbooks.com/products/the-ravens-song-1 |website=oldbarnbooks.com |accessdate=24 January 2022}}
- The Apprentice Witnesser (A&U Children's, 2024){{Cite web |title=The Apprentice Witnesser – Bren MacDibble |url=https://www.allenandunwin.com//browse/book/Bren-MacDibble-The-Apprentice-Witnesser-9781761180781 |access-date=2025-06-06 |website=Allen & Unwin |language=en}}
Awards
- How to Bee
- Winner: New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults - Junior Fiction (the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award) 2018{{cite web |title=Winners New Zealand Book Awards Trust |url=https://www.nzbookawards.nz/new-zealand-book-awards-for-children-and-young-adults/2018-awards/winners/ |website=nzbookawards.nz |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Winner: Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year 2018 - Younger readers{{cite web |title=CBCA |url=https://www.cbca.org.au/winners-2018 |website=cbca.org.au |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Winner: Patricia Wrightson Prize, New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, 2018{{cite web |title=Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children's Literature State Library of NSW |url=https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/awards/patricia-wrightson-prize-childrens-literature?page=1 |website=sl.nsw.gov.au |date = 24 February 2020|accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Shortlisted: South Australian Festival Literary Prize{{cite web |title=Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature Shortlists announced |url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2018/01/08/99681/adelaide-festival-awards-for-literature-shortlists-announced/ |website=booksandpublishing.com.au |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Shortlisted: Norma K Heming Award 2018{{cite web |title=2018 Norma K Hemming Finalists Announcement |url=https://normakhemmingaward.org/2018/04/30/2018-norma-k-hemming-finalists-announcement/ |website=normakhemmingaward.org |date=29 April 2018 |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Shortlisted: Aurealis Award{{cite web |title=2017 Aurealis Awards Shortlist Announcement |url=https://aurealisawards.org/2018/02/15/2017-aurealis-awards-shortlist-announcement/ |website=aurealisawards.org |date=14 February 2018 |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Shortlisted: Ditmar Award results 2018{{cite web |title=2018 Ditmar Award Winners - Locus Online |url=https://locusmag.com/2018/04/2018-ditmar-award-winners/ |website=locusmag.com |date=2 April 2018 |accessdate=20 November 2020}}
- Shortlisted: Book of the Year, Speech Pathology Australia{{cite web |title=Speech Pathology Australia book awards 2018 shortlists announce |url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2018/07/17/111503/speech-pathology-australia-book-awards-2018-shortlists-announced/ |website=booksandpublishing.com.au |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Longlisted: The North Somerset Teachers' Book Awards, UK, Moving On Category 2018{{cite web |title=The 2018 Booklist - North Somerset Teachers' Book Award |url=http://www.northsomersetteachersbookaward.com/the-2018-booklist |website=northsomersetteachersbookaward.com |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- In the Dark Spaces (as Cally Black)
- Winner: Ampersand Prize with Hardie Grant Egmont{{cite web |title=Black wins 2015 Ampersand Prize |url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2015/12/01/35301/black-wins-2015-ampersand-prize/ |website=booksandpublishing.com.au |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Winner: New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults - Young Adult Fiction (the Copyright Licensing NZ Award)
- Winner: Queensland Literary Awards - Griffiths University Young Adult Book Award 2018{{cite web |title=Queensland Literary Awards 2018 winners announced |url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2018/10/24/118112/queensland-literary-awards-2018-winners-announced/ |website=Booksandpublishing.com.au |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Winner: Aurealis Award for best young adult novel 2017{{cite web |title=2017 Aurealis Awards Winners |url=https://aurealisawards.org/2018/03/31/757/ |website=aurealisawards.org |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Honour Book: Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) 2018
- Highly Commended: the Victorian Premier's Literary Prize{{cite web |title=Victorian Premier's Literary Awards 2018 - The Wheeler Centre |url=https://www.wheelercentre.com/projects/victorian-premier-s-literary-awards-2018 |website=wheelercentre.com |accessdate=11 November 2020 |archive-date=1 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180501161311/https://www.wheelercentre.com/projects/victorian-premier-s-literary-awards-2018 |url-status=dead }}
- Shortlisted: West Australian Young Readers' Book Awards 2019{{cite web |title=2019 Shortlists West Australian Young Readers' Book Award |url=https://wayrba.org.au/2019/02/15/2019-shortlists/ |website=wayrba.org.au |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Shortlisted: YABBAs - Fiction for Years 7-9 2019{{cite web |title=2019 Shortlist Young Australians Best Book Award |url=http://yabba.org.au/2019-shortlist/ |website=yabba.org.au |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Shortlisted: Inky Award 2018{{cite web |title=2018 Inky Awards Shortlist Inside a Dog |url=https://insideadog.com.au/2018-inky-awards-shortlist/ |website=insideadog.com.au |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Shortlisted: Ditmar Award results 2018{{cite web |title=2018 Ditmar Award Winners - Locus Online |url=https://locusmag.com/2018/04/2018-ditmar-award-winners/ |website=locusmag.com |date=2 April 2018 |accessdate=20 November 2020}}
- Shortlisted: Ethel Turner Prize in the NSW Premiers Awards 2018{{cite web |title=Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature State Library of NSW |url=https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/awards/ethel-turner-prize-young-peoples-literature?page=1 |website=sl.nsw.gov.au |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- The Dog Runner
- Winner: New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults - Junior Fiction (the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award) 2019{{cite web |title=Winners New Zealand Book Awards Trust |url=https://www.nzbookawards.nz/new-zealand-book-awards-for-children-and-young-adults/2019-awards/winners/ |website=nzbookawards.nz |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Winner: Aurealis Award for Best Children's Fiction 2019{{cite web |title=2019 Aurealis Awards Winners |url=https://aurealisawards.org/2020/07/25/2019-aurealis-awards-winners/ |website=aurealisawards.org |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Shortlisted: Children's Book Council of Australia, Book of the Year, Younger Readers{{cite web |title=CBCA |url=https://www.cbca.org.au/shortlist-2020 |website=cbca.org.au |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Shortlisted in the Readings Children's Book Prize 2020{{cite web |title=Readings Children's Book Prize 2020 shortlist |url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2020/02/18/146070/readings-childrens-book-prize-2020-shortlist-announced/ |website=booksandpublishing.com.au |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Nominated for the 2020 CILIP Carnegie Medal{{cite web |title=Nominations published for the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals 2020 |url=https://carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/nominations-published-for-the-cilip-carnegie-kate-greenaway-medals-2020/ |website=carnegiegreenaway.org.uk |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Shortlisted: The Yabba Awards {{Cite web |date=2023-03-01|title=KOALA, Kids Own Australian Literature Awards|url=https://www.yabba.org.au/2023-shortlist|publisher=Yabba.org.au}}
- Honour Book: The Koala Awards {{Cite web |date=2023-11-09|title=KOALA, Kids Own Australian Literature Awards|url=https://www.koalansw.org.au|publisher=koala.org.au}}
- Across the Risen Sea
- Longlisted: UK Literary Association Awards 2022{{Cite web|last=|date=2021-09-27|title=Quality Longlists for the 2022 UKLA Book Awards|url=https://ukla.org/news/quality-longlists-for-the-2022-ukla-book-awards/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-27|website=ukla.org|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925164854/https://ukla.org/news/quality-longlists-for-the-2022-ukla-book-awards/ |archive-date=2021-09-25 }}
- Shortlisted: Western Australian Premier's Book Awards for Writing for Children 2020{{Cite web|last=|date=2021-09-27|title=Western Australian Premiers Book Awards - 2020 Shortlist|url=https://slwa.wa.gov.au/about-us/western-australian-premiers-book-awards/2020-shortlist|url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-27|website=slwa.wa.gov.au|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210617015113/https://slwa.wa.gov.au/about-us/western-australian-premiers-book-awards/2020-shortlist |archive-date=2021-06-17 }}
- Shortlisted: Aurealis Award for best children's fiction{{Cite web|last=|date=2021-04-06|title=Aurealis Awards 2020 finalists announced|url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2021/04/06/184772/aurealis-awards-2020-finalists-announced/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-04-07|website=Books+Publishing|language=en-AU|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415102926/https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2021/04/06/184772/aurealis-awards-2020-finalists-announced/ |archive-date=2021-04-15 }}
- Nominated for the 2021 CILIP Carnegie Medal{{cite web |title=CILIP Carnegie Medal Nominated Titles 2021 |url=https://carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/cilip-carnegie-medal-nominated-titles-2021/ |website=carnegiegreenaway.org.uk |accessdate=11 November 2020}}
- Shortlisted: Patricia Wrightson Prize, New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, 2021{{Cite web|last=|date=2021-03-24|title=NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2021 shortlists announced|url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2021/03/24/183931/nsw-premiers-literary-awards-2021-shortlists-announced/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-25|website=Books+Publishing|language=en-AU|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210324000253/https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2021/03/24/183931/nsw-premiers-literary-awards-2021-shortlists-announced/ |archive-date=2021-03-24 }}
- Shortlisted: New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults – Junior Fiction, 2021{{Cite web|last=|date=2021-06-10|title=NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2021 finalists announced|url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2021/06/10/187903/nz-book-awards-for-children-and-young-adults-2021-finalists-announced/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-11|website=Books+Publishing|language=en-AU|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210611184346/https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2021/06/10/187903/nz-book-awards-for-children-and-young-adults-2021-finalists-announced/ |archive-date=2021-06-11 }}
- Shortlisted: Speech Pathology Book of the Year Awards 2021{{cite web|last=|date=2021-09-28|title=Writing WA - Speech Pathology Book of the Year Awards 2021 Shortlist|url=https://www.writingwa.org/news/speech-pathology-book-of-the-year-awards-2021-shortlist/|access-date=2021-09-28|website=writingwa.org|language=en}}
- A Children's Book Council of Australia Notable Book 2021{{cite web|last=|date=2021-09-27|title=CBCA Notables 2021|url=https://cbca.org.au/notables-2021|url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-27|website=cbca.org.au|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210223080445/https://cbca.org.au/notables-2021 |archive-date=2021-02-23 }}
- Shortlisted: The Yabba Awards {{Cite web |date=2023-03-01|title=The-2023-Yabba-Shortlist|url=https://www.yabba.org.au/2023-shortlist|publisher=Yabba.org.au}}
- The Raven's Song (with Zana Fraillon)
- Honour Book in the 2023 CBCA Children's Book of the Year Award: Younger Readers{{Cite web |date=2023-08-18 |title=CBCA-Awards-2023 shortlists-announced |url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2023/08/18/235853/cbca-book-of-the-year-awards-2023-winners-announced/ |access-date=2023-08-18 |publisher=Books+Publishing}}
- Shortlisted: Aurealis Award for best children's fiction{{Cite web |date=2023-03-10 |title=Aurealis Awards Shortlist Announced |url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2023/03/10/228046/aurealis-awards-shortlists-announced/|access-date=2023-03-10 |publisher=Books+Publishing}}
- Shortlisted: Western Australian Premier's Book Awards for Writing for Children 2023{{Cite web |date=2023-09-07|title=Western Australian Premiers Book Awards - 2023 |url=https://slwa.wa.gov.au/whats-on/awards-fellowships/wa-premiers-book-awards/2023-winners | access-date=2023-09-07 |publisher=State-Library-of-Western-Australia}}
- The Apprentice Witnesser
- Shortlisted: New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award 2025{{Cite web |date=2025-06-05 |title=2025 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults shortlists |url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2025/06/05/273553/2025-new-zealand-book-awards-for-children-and-young-adults-shortlists/ |access-date=2025-06-06 |publisher=Books+Publishing}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://macdibble.com|Official website for Bren MacDibble}}
- {{Official website|http://www.calantheblack.com|Official website for Cally Black}}
{{Children's Book of the Year Award for Younger Readers}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:MacDibble, Bren}}
Category:People from Whanganui
Category:21st-century New Zealand writers
Category:21st-century Australian writers
Category:21st-century New Zealand women writers
Category:21st-century Australian women writers
Category:Australian children's writers
Category:New Zealand children's writers
Category:New Zealand women children's writers