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The Charlotte Duncan Award was established in 2009 in memory of our baby daughter, Charlotte Duncan, to raise funds for the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital. Donation to date is $2200.

 

Charlotte Duncan Award 2016

 

First Prize

Concrete Boots

Dimity Powell

Second Prize

I am Here

Arna Radovich

Third Prize

Emily's Blue Shoes

Myra Koch

Shortlisted

Sarah's Gift

Pat Simmons

Shortlisted

Memories of Lavender

Jenny Eddy

Shortlisted

Moving On

Jemma van de Nes

 

Judges Report

First prize - Concrete Boots by Dimity Powell

Concrete Boots has a realistic responses to death/illness. The narrator's fixation on shoes and directing the confusion and grief of losing a sibling into determination to 'win' is intriguing. The complexity of both characters' responses to the death of Josie is achieved by using time before they realise they need to look after each other.

 

Second prize - I am Here by Arna Radovich

I am Here covers a single significant event in the life of Lara, the protagonist, which has multiple ramifications for her personal growth. As well as being her first contact with PTSD, her grandfather's arrival is the catalyst for her starting to learn about accommodating others and that some things take priority over asserting her perceived independence. As a result, in the brief space of the story her character is firmly established and we see a good deal of development in this regard.

 

Third Prize - Emily's Blue Shoes by Myra Koch

The focus on cerebral palsy from the child's perspective could easily help other children to relate. The fact that Emily doesn't compare herself to her twin or the other students is refreshing, as is her own personal achievement of running a race even though winning is a distant chance.

 

Paul Collins
Judge, Charlotte Duncan Award 2016

 

Previous years results

Charlotte Duncan Award - 2015

Charlotte Duncan Award - 2014

Charlotte Duncan Award - 2013

Charlotte Duncan Award - 2012

Charlotte Duncan Award - 2011

Charlotte Duncan Award - 2010

Charlotte Duncan Award - 2009