Former PM Kevin Rudd’s nephew, Van Rudd, is one of six winners at the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s 2017 books of the year awards.

August 17, 2017

Kevin Rudd’s nephew has never shied away from controversy but now the political activist and artist has been awarded for his illustrations.

Van Rudd is among the winners of the 2017 Australian children’s books of the year awards.

The controversial Melbourne artist picked up the prize for best debut illustrator for his work on The Patchwork Bike, a story about a sister and two brothers who build a bicycle from everyday household items.

But the former PM’s nephew hasn’t backed away from politics in his collaboration with author Maxine Beneba Clarke.

He said the book harbours not only a positive message of empowerment for coloured people, but also hidden messages he hopes people will get.

“Like the BLM number plates, it’s the code for Black Lives Matter,” he said.

The 44-year-old said the bike’s constant need for repair and its BLM number plate was a metaphor for the ongoing social justice struggle.

He’s one of six winners of this year’s awards presented by The Children’s Book Council of Australia’s at Government House in Tasmania on Friday.

Rudd told AAP winning the award was overwhelming and a surprise.

“I do get involved in a lot of political realities with my art and I’m usually used to defending myself in terms of controversies and things, so it just good to feel legitimate.”

Other award winners included authors: Claire Zorn for Book of the Year, Older Readers with One Would Think the Deep; Trace Balla for Book of the Year, Younger Readers with Rockhopping; Johanna Bell for Book of the Year, Early Childhood with Go Home, Cheeky Animals!; Bob Graham for Picture Book of the Year with Home in the Rain, and Gina Newton for Information Books for Amazing Animals of Australia’s National Parks.

This year’s awards attracted almost 600 entries across a range of prizes based on children’s age and content.

CBCA chairwoman Professor Margot Hillel OAM said the themes covered in this year’s entries were friendship, family, dogs and humour.

“We are reminded how lucky we are in Australia to have the remarkable range of creativity and talent,” she said.

In the past Van Rudd has been fined for donning a Ku Klux Klan hood for an anti-racism protest outside the Australian Open tennis tournament, and ejected from Melbourne Museum as he sought to draw attention to the sinking of an asylum seeker vessel.