The Children’s Book Council of Australia has included the first volume of Captain Congo on its shortlist for 2009 “Picture Book of the Year”.

The CBCA awards are regarded as some of the most prestigious of Australian literary awards, and I’m pretty stoked to have our comic-book deemed worthy of contention. “Captain Congo” was also a “Notable Book” in the Younger Readers category.

The first edition sold out within a week of the announcement and a second printing will be available in May.

Winners will be announced at the end of Book Week in late August.