Trace Balla

{{Short description|Australian children's author}}

{{use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}

Trace Balla is an Australian children's author and illustrator.

Rivertime won the 2015 Readings Children's Book Prize{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2015-07-16|title='Rivertime' wins 2015 Readings Children's Book Prize|url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2015/06/16/33284/rivertime-wins-2015-readings-childrens-book-prize/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-29|website=Books+Publishing|language=en-AU}} and the Wilderness Society Picture Book Award in the same year.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2015-07-29|title=Wilderness Society announces 2015 children's book award winners|url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2015/07/29/33646/wilderness-society-announces-2015-childrens-book-award-winners/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-30|website=Books+Publishing|language=en-AU}}{{Cite web|last=PEDLER|first=CHRIS|date=2015-07-10|title=Rivertime tale a prize read|url=https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/3202515/rivertime-tale-a-prize-read/|access-date=2020-08-29|website=Bendigo Advertiser|language=en}} It was shortlisted for both the 2015 Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children’s Literature, NSW Premier's Literary Awards{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2015-04-24|title=NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2015 shortlists announced|url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2015/04/24/32926/nsw-premiers-literary-awards-2015-shortlists-announced/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-30|website=Books+Publishing|language=en-AU}} and the 2016 WA Premier’s Book Awards.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2016-07-06|title=WA Premier's Book Awards 2016 shortlists announced|url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2016/07/06/59764/wa-premiers-book-awards-2016-shortlists-announced/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-30|website=Books+Publishing|language=en-AU}}

Rockhopping, was awarded Book of the Year: Young Readers by the Children's Book Council of Australia in 2017.{{Cite web|last=Morris|first=Linda|date=2017-03-28|title=Debut and self-published authors shortlisted in Children's Book Council of Australia awards|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/debut-and-self-published-authors-surprise-shortlist-picks-in-childrens-book-council-of-australia-awards-20170327-gv7q4p.html|access-date=2020-08-29|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en}}{{cite web|title=Book of the Year - Winners 2017|url=https://cbca.org.au/winners-2017|accessdate=8 May 2018|website=The Children's Book Council of Australia}} It was shortlisted for the Children's Award in the 2018 Adelaide Awards Festival for Literature.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2018-01-08|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/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-30|website=Books+Publishing|language=en-AU}}

The Thank You Dish was named a Notable book in the early childhood section by the Children’s Book Council of Australia in 2018.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2018-02-28|title=CBCA Notable Books for 2018 announced|url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2018/02/28/102689/cbca-notable-books-for-2018-announced/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-30|website=Books+Publishing|language=en-AU}}

Landing with Wings, was shortlisted for the 2020 Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Award for books for eight to ten year olds.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2020-07-03|title=Speech Pathology Australia book awards 2020 shortlists announced|url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2020/07/03/153041/speech-pathology-australia-book-awards-2020-shortlists-announced/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-30|website=Books+Publishing|language=en-AU}}

The Heart of the Bubble was published in 2020 and is a graphic novel set during the coronavirus pandemic about "a family’s awakening to what really matters".{{Cite web |title=The Heart of the Bubble |url=https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/20049845 |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=AustLit |via=University of Queensland}}

Her 2023 book, Leaf-light, was shortlisted for the 2024 Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children's Books, NSW Premier's Literary Awards and the 2024 Children's Book Award, Queensland Literary Awards.{{Cite web |title=Leaf-light |url=https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/26209796 |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=AustLit |via=University of Queensland}}

She lives in Castlemaine, Victoria.{{Cite web|title=The Heart of The Bubble {{!}} Castlemaine Mail|url=https://www.castlemainemail.com.au/the-heart-of-the-bubble/|access-date=2020-08-29|language=en-US}}