Announcing the 2023 CBCA Book of the Year Notable List

Congratulations to the following authors, illustrators and publishers on being recognised on this year’s lists. Shortlists will be announced on March 28. Check local branch websites and social media for events discussing these lists, and join us to celebrate the diversity of books written for children and young adults. Links on titles are to reviews on Reading Time.

The National CBCA website has links to all books in their categories as PDFs to download

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.

Note: Books in this category are for mature readers and some may deal with particularly challenging themes including violence and suicide. Parental guidance is recommended. 

Author  Illustrator  Title  ISBN  Publisher 
Eva Collins Ask No Questions 9781922571342 Puncher & Wattmann
Biffy James Completely Normal (and Other Lies) 9781760508746 Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing
Sarah Winifred Searle The Greatest Thing 9781761067655 Allen & Unwin
Pamela Rushby Interned 9781760653019 Walker Books Australia
Avery McDougall Invisibly Grace 9780645292886 Forty South Publishing
Ellie Marney The Killing Code 9781760526535 Allen & Unwin
Jodi McAlister Libby Lawrence is Good at Pretending 9781743059043 Wakefield Press
Barry Jonsberg A Little Spark 9781760526924 Allen & Unwin
Lauren Draper The Museum of Broken Things 9781922458537 Text Publishing
Tom Taylor Jon
Sommariva
Neverlanders 9781761049071 Penguin Random House Australia
Kate Emery The Not So Chosen One 9781922458605 Text Publishing
Hayley Lawrence The Other Side of Tomorrow 9781760976453 Scholastic Australia
Martin Chatterton Scorpion Falls 9781922696090 Ford Street Publishing Pty. Ltd.
Meg Caddy Slipping the Noose 9781922458544 Text Publishing
Allison Rushby The Stand In 9781761290558 Scholastic Australia
Katy Warner Triple Threat 9781760509101 Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing
Nina Kenwood Unnecessary Drama 9781922458896 Text Publishing
Claire Saxby The Wearing of the Green 9781760653583 Walker Books Australia
Katy Warner We Who Hunt the Hollow 9781760508920 Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing
Mike Lucas What We All See 9781761045936 Penguin Random House Australia
Rhiannon Wilde Where You Left Us 9780702265600 University of Queensland Press

Book of the Year: Younger Readers

Entries in this category may be fiction, drama or poetry and should be appropriate in style and content for readers from the middle to upper primary years. 7 – 12 years.

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

 

Author Illustrator Title ISBN Publisher
Shirley Marr All Four Quarters of the Moon 9781760899554 Penguin Random House Australia
Pip Harry August and Jones 9780734420350 Hachette Australia
Sarah Armstrong Big Magic 9781760508432 Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing
Deborah Abela The Book of Wondrous Possibilities 9781761044021 Penguin Random House Australia
Kate Foster The Bravest Word 9781760654719 Walker Books Australia
Rhiannon Williams Dusty in the Outwilds 9781760509507 Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing
Neridah McMullin Astred HIcks Evie and Rhino

Read another review by Stef Gemmill

9781760654207 Walker Books Australia
Skye McKenna Hedgewitch 9781801300087 Welbeck Publishing
Nova Weetman The Jammer 9780702265426 University of Queensland Press
Dianne Wolfer Brian Simmonds The Last Light Horse 9781760991302 Fremantle Press
Marion Roberts Mikki and Me and the Out-of-Tune Tree 9781760526795 Allen & Unwin
Jackie French Ming and Flo Fight for the Future 9781460760208 HarperCollins Publisher
Maryam Master No Words 9781760983529 Pan Macmillan Australia
Zana Fraillon and Bren MacDibble The Raven’s Song 9781761065798 Allen & Unwin
Craig Silvey Runt 9781761067846 Allen & Unwin
Charlee Archbold The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-Bottomed Boat 9781922458520 Text Publishing
Katrina Nannestad Cheryl Orsini The Travelling Bookshop:
Mim and the
Woeful Wedding
9780733341663 HarperCollins Publishers
Katrina Nannestad Waiting for the Storks 9780733342271 HarperCollins Publishers
Zana Fraillon Sean Buckingham The Way of the Dog 9780702265563 University of Queensland Press
Nat Amoore Mike Barry We Run Tomorrow 9781760897697 Penguin Random House Australia
Oliver Phommavanh What about Thao? 9781760897161 Penguin Random House Australia
Kat Appel What Snail Knows 9780702265464 University of Queensland Press
Melanie La’Brooy The Wintrish Girl 9780702265631 University of Queensland Press
Kate Gordon Xavier in the Meantime 9780645218091 Riveted Press
Gabrielle Wang Zadie Ma and the Dog Who Chased the Moon 9781761046513 Penguin Random House Australia

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.

 

Author  Illustrator  Title  ISBN  Publisher 
Emily Bruce Leanne Mulgo Watson Australian Animals Indigenous Discovery Big Book 9781922377432 Learning Media
Helen Milroy Backyard Beasties 9781760991203 Fremantle Press
Kerri Day Jess Racklyeft Beside the Sea 9780645323580 Windy Hollow Books
Katrina Germein Mandy Foot Bev and Kev 9780645027051 Little Book Press
Annie White Clementine’s Treasure 9781922326577 New Frontier Publishing
Eliza Hull Daniel Gray-Barnett Come Over to My House 9781761210082 Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing
Sue Whiting Cate James The Echidna Near My Place 9781760652401 Walker Books Australia
Meg McKinlay Karen Blair Ella and the Useless Day 9781760653095 Walker Books Australia
Rhiân Williams Tom Jellett Emergency! Emergency!
Vehicles to the Rescue
9781742036106 Wild Dog Books
Phil Cummings Danny Snell The Garden on Red Gum Road 9780645027075 Little Book Press
Ashleigh Barton Martina
Heiduczek
How Do You Say I Love You? 9780733342172 HarperCollins Publishers
Sara Acton Jack’s Jumper 9781760654054 Walker Books Australia
Bob Graham Jigsaw: A Puzzle in the Post 9781529503319 Walker Books Australia
Corrine Fenton Tracie Grimwood Lionel and me 9781922326607 New Frontier Publishing
Carrie Gallasch Hannah Sommerville Market Day 9781760504076 Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing
Scott Stuart My Shadow is Purple 9781922503817 Larrikin House
Coral Vass Tull Suwannakit Please Handle with Care 9781922503817 New Frontier Publishing
Jane Godwin Evie Barrow Polly’s Grand Party Plan 9781922400857 Affirm Press
Margaret Hamilton Anna Pignataro Rainbow Days 9781761210242 Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing
Mal Webster Ship Ahoy! Box Boy 9780645323597 Windy Hollow Books
Anna Walker Snap! 9781922585387 Scribble Kids’ Books
Sally Morgan Johnny Warrkatja
Malibirr
Thank You Rain! 9781922613646 Magabala Books
Renee Treml This Little Joey 9781761046537 Penguin Random House Australia
Vicky Conley Max Hamilton Where the Lyrebird Lives 9781761046537 Windy Hollow Books

The 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 texts, where the story, theme or concept is unified through the illustrations. Ages 0 – 18. Note: Some books may be for mature readers).

Illustrator  Author  Title  ISBN  Publisher 
Maxine Beneba Clark Randa Abdel-Fatah 11 Words for Love 9780734421203 Hachette Australia
Briony Stewart Accidentally Kelly Street 9781922848055 Affirm Press
Gabriel Evans A Job for Kingsley 9781761210211 Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing
Michelle Pereira Sandhya
Parappukkaran
Amma’s Sari 9781760509910 Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing
Sher Rill Ng Alice Pung Be Careful, Xiao Xin! 9781922033932 HarperCollins Publishers
Shane DeVries Phil Cummings Crumbs 9781760970086 Scholastic Australia
Tom Jellett Michael Wagner Dirt by Sea 9781760894061 Penguin Random House Australia
Harrison Vial Clare Atkins Egg 9780702265594 University of Queensland Press
Sophie Blackall Farmhouse 9780734421654 Hachette Australia
Sean E Avery Frank’s Red Hat 9781760654283 Walker Books Australia
Bob Graham Jigsaw: A Puzzle in the Post 9781529503319 Walker Books Australia
Nicky Johnston Coral Vass Jørn’s Magnificent
Imagination
9781922539144 EK Books
Stephen Michael King Koala Ark 9781761128257 Scholastic Australia
Zeno Sworder My Strange, Shrinking Parents 9781760761233 Thames & Hudson Australia
Jasmine Seymour Open Your Heart to Country 9781922613769 Magabala Books
Dub Leffler Kirli Saunders Our Dreaming 9781742995113 Scholastic Australia
Levi Pinfold Paradise Sands: A Story of Enchantment 9781406383942 Walker Books Australia
Caroline Magerl Piano Fingers 9781760652616 Walker Books Australia
Marjorie Crosby-Fairall Trudie Trewin Summer Blue 9781743837405 Scholastic Australia
Sally Soweol Han Tiny Wonders 9780702263477 University of Queensland Press
Matt Ottley The Tree of Ecstasy and
Unbearable Sadness
9780648023852 Westwords
Hilary Jean Tapper Davinia Bell What to Say When You don’t Know What to Say 9780734421142 Hachette Australia
Judy Watson Sofie Laguna When You’re Older 9781760291341 Allen & Unwin
Phil Lesnie Jordan Collins Where? 9781760526382 Allen & Unwin
Jess Racklyeft Claire Saxby Whisper on the Wind 9781760526887 Allen & Unwin

The 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.

Note: Some books in this category are for mature readers and may deal with particularly challenging themes including violence and suicide. Parental guidance is recommended.

Author  Illustrator  Title  ISBN  Publisher 
Frane Lessac A is for Australian Reefs 9781760652258 Walker Books Australia
Jennifer Cousins Amazing Animal Journeys 9780734421432 Hachette Australia
Edith Wright Charmaine
Ledden-Lewis
Charlie’s Swim 9781922613103 Magabala Books
Isaiah Firebrace Jaelyn Biumaiwai Come Together: Things Every
Aussie Kid Should Know about the First Peoples
9781741178166 Hardie Grant Explore
Jess McGeachin DEEP: Delve into Hidden Words 9781803380155 Welbeck Publishing
Sue Whiting Cate James The Echidna Near My Place 9781760652401 Walker Books Australia
Sandra Severgnini Grub 9781922539267 EK Books
Eddie Jaku Nathaniel Eckstrom The Happiest Boy on Earth 9781760985608 Pan Macmillan Australian
Samantha Curcio Hello Every Body! 9781760509903 Hardie Grant Children’s Books
Claire Orrell In an Artist’s Garden 9781760761479 Thames & Hudson Australia
Jess McGeachin Kind 9781761066047 Allen & Unwin
Phillip Bunting The Marvellous Manner of Water 9781760975180 Scholastic Australia
Deborah Frenkel Ingrid Barkowiak Naturopolis 9780645191530 Storytorch Press
Tracey Gray Oceans of Plastic: Understanding and Solving a Pollution Problem 9781486312573 CSIRO Publishing
Alice Oehr Off to the Market 9781925849790 Scribble Kids’ Books
Rohan Cleave Julian Teh On the Trail of the Plainswanderer: A Precious Australian Bird 9781486314478 CSIRO Publishing
Vianne Brain Clare Bradley Opal and Dart 9780645510119 Forty South Publishing
Andrew Kelly & Sue Lawson Dean A Jones Peregrines in the City 9781742036519 Wild Dog Books
Jackie Kerin Milly Formby A Shorebird Flying Adventure 9781486314492 CSIRO Publishing
Mark Wilson Votes for Women! The Story of Nellie, Rose and Mary 9780734420138 Hachette Australia
Vanessa Pirotta Samantha Metcalfe The Voyage of Whale and Calf 9781486315109 CSIRO Publishing
Heath McKenzie Where do Babies Come From? 9780655226680 Lake Press Pty. Ltd.
Leonard Cronin Chris Nixon Wild Australian Life 9781760637224 Allen & Unwin
Tai Sanith Wonders Under the Sun 9781760762438 Thames & Hudson Australia
Phillip Bunting The World’s Most Ridiculous Animals 9781761210594 Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing

 

 

 

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