Children’s Book award adds to Corey’s whirlwind of deadly success

COREY Tutt OAM has been in a whirl of media interviews, school visits and book store appearances since he and Aboriginal artist Ben Williams won Book of the Year for Younger Children (ages 7-12) on 21 May.

Both accepted the Australian Book Industry Award (ABIA) in Sydney for Caution! This Book Contains Deadly Reptiles.

“Winning an ABIA is a huge honour,” said the Port Macquarie-based founder of the charity Deadly Science.

“Producing the book, the first of its kind, was an incredible experience.”

From the ABIA’s, he was off to Melbourne to promote his fourth book Come Home, Bigibila, ahead of visiting Nambucca Public School on 2 June and preparing for writer’s festivals and NAIDOC Week live streams and panel discussions.

The attention and awards are not new to the proud Kamilaroi man, who has been lauded for his work since launching Deadly Science in 2018.

His mission to inspire Indigenous students to pursue STEM careers by providing educational materials to critically under-resourced remote schools, has demystified science for children right across Australia.

It has also merged First Nations and Western knowledge.

The former NSW Young Australian of the Year, who is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at Western Sydney University, draws inspiration from his family – especially for his books.

“I really think it is a credit to my pop, who got me into reptiles, and to all the communities we serve across the country,” he told News Of The Area.

His son inspired Come Home, Bigibila, which was co-written with Irma Gold and features art by Jessica Tedim.

It tells the story of an echidna, Corey’s totem animal, who finds its way back to Country.

The accolades are unlikely to stop anytime soon for Corey.

He has also been shortlisted by the Children’s Book Council of Australia and the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards for Caution! This Book Contains Deadly Reptiles.

By Sue STEPHENSON