UWA Publishing (UWAP) has acquired world rights to Bandoola a middle-grade historical fiction novel by South Australian children’s author Beverley McWilliams.
The manuscript was acquired following the Australian Society of Authors’ Virtual Literary Speed Dating event in March 2025. UWAP has scheduled Bandoola for an August 2026 release.
Inspired by a true story, Bandoola follows the remarkable life of a Burmese logging elephant from a mischievous calf to a World War Two hero. Told from the elephant’s point of view, Bandoola is a story of courage, loyalty and the powerful bond that connects people and animals. The book has received early praise from beloved Australian authors Dianne Wolfer and Claire Saxby.
On the acquisition, Beverley remarked “I am thrilled that my middle-grade novel Bandoola has found a home with UWA Publishing. I’m passionate about creating stories that make history more accessible and exciting for young readers, while fostering empathy and understanding for the animals that have shared our past. It is such a privilege to be working with the incredible team at UWAP to bring this story into the world.”
Kate Pickard, publisher of UWAP, says “We are delighted to be bringing Beverley’s Bandoola to print in 2026. The story is passionate, adventurous and pacy, and it will be the first middle-grade novel we have published in over a decade. Beverley is clearly skilled at bringing historical tales of war-time animals to life and we are delighted to working with her on this heart-warming and inspiring novel.”
Beverley McWilliams is an award-winning author from South Australia with a passion for historical fiction. Beverley’s middle grade novel Spies in the Sky won the ARA Historical Novel Prize 2024, was shortlisted for the Readings Prize and longlisted for the Booklinks Award for Historical Fiction. Beverley also published her middle-grade novel The Reindeer and the Submarine with Pantera Press in 2022. Beverley has published three picture books: Willow’s Gumboots (2025 Speech Pathology Book of the Year) and Born to Fly, both CBCA notables (MidnightSun Publishing) and Cassowary Dad (CSIRO). Beverley is joint regional coordinator of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (South Australia).
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