2021 CBCA Book of the Year Winner and Honour Books

The announcement of the Book of the Year Awards was made on Friday August 20 as a virtual event, and the entire ceremony can be viewed here. A list of the winners can be downloaded here as a pdf file, and there is a lot of other information available about each book as well. Links to be added once they are available.

*Each book is linked to its Reading Time review.

Book of the Year: Older Readers

Entries in this category may be fiction, drama or poetry and should be appropriate in style and content for readers in their secondary years of schooling. Ages 13-18 years (NB: These books are for mature readers and some may deal with particularly challenging themes including violence and suicide. Parental guidance is recommended).

Winner Book Of the Year: Older Readers
Honour Book
Honour Book

Book of the Year: Younger Readers

Some of the titles in this category may only be suitable for readers who are in the upper primary years as they contain mature themes, including violence. Parental guidance is recommended.

Winner Book of the Year: Younger Readers
Honour Book
Honour Book

Book of the Year: Early Childhood

Entries in this category may be fiction, drama or poetry and should be appropriate in style and content for children who are at pre-reading or early stages of reading. Ages 0-6 years.

Winner Book of the Year: Early Childhood
Honour Book
Honour Book

Picture Book of the Year

Entries in this category should be outstanding books of the Picture Book genre in which the author and illustrator achieve artistic and literary unity or, in wordless picture books, where the story, theme or concept is unified through illustrations. Ages 0-18 years (NB. Some of these books may be for mature readers).

Winner Picture Book of the Year
Honour Book
Honour Book

Eve Pownall Award for Information Books

Entries in this category should be books which have the prime intention of documenting factual material with consideration given to imaginative presentation, interpretation and variation of style. Ages 0-18 years.

Winner Eve Pownall Information Book of the Year
Honour Book
Honour Books

CBCA Award for New Illustrator

This Award aims to recognise and encourage new talent in the field of Australian children’s book illustration. Ages 0-18 years. Note, no honour books are awarded in this category.

Winner New Illustrator Award
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