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.
A Hunger of Thorns by Lili Wilkinson (Allen & Unwin)
Grace Notes by Karen Comer (Hachette Australia)
Inkflower by Suzy Zail (Walker Books Australia)
Let’s Never Speak of this Again by Megan Williams (Text Publishing)
The Quiet and the Loud by Helena Fox (Pan Macmillan Australia)
Two Can Play that Game by Leanne Yong (Allen & Unwin)
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.
Being Jimmy Baxter by Fiona Lloyd (Penguin Random House Australia)
Huda was Here by H Hayek (Allen & Unwin)
Real Pigeons Flap Out by Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood (Illustrator) (Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing)
Scar Town by Tristan Bancks (Penguin Random House Australia)
Scout and the Rescue Dogs by Dianne Wolfer and Tony Flowers (Illustrator) (Walker Books Australia)
The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart by Samera Kamaleddine (HarperCollins Australia)
Another review
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.
Bear and Duck are Friends by Sue deGennaro (Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing)
Can You Tell a Fish to Climb a Tree? by Jane Godwin and Terry Denton (Illustrator) (Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing)
Grace and Mr Milligan by Caz Goodwin and Pip Kruger (Illustrator) (Marshall Cavendish International)
Gymnastica Fantastica! by Briony Stewart (Hachette Australia)
One Little Duck by Katrina Germaine and Danny Snell (Illustrator) (HarperCollins Publishing)
Another review
The Concrete Garden by Bob Graham (Walker Books Australia)
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).
Bowerbird Blues by Aura Parker (Scholastic Australia)
Every Night at Midnight by Peter Cheong (Affirm Press)
If I was a Horse by Sophie Blackall (Hachette Australia)
Paper-flower Girl Illustrated by Mateja Jager and Margrete Lamond (text) (Westwords)
That Bird has Arms! Illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh & Niharika Niharika Hukka and Kate Temple & Jol Temple (text) (Hardie Grant Children’s Books)
Timeless by Kelly Canby (Fremantle Press)
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: Books in this category are for mature readers and some may deal with particularly challenging themes including violence and suicide. Parental guidance is recommended.
Australia: Country of Colour by Jess Racklyeft (Affirm Press)
Country Town by Isolde Martyn & Robyn Ridgeway (Illustrator) (Ford Street Publishing)
Eww Gross: Foul Facts and Putrid Pictures by Dan Marshall (Patera Press)
Our Country: Where History Happens by Mark Greenward and Frane Lessac (Illustrator) (Walker Books Australia)
Tamarra: A story of Termites on Gurindji Country by Violet Wadrill, Topsy Dodd Ngarnjal, Leah Leaman, Cecelia Edwards, Cassandra Algy, Felicity Meakins, Briony Barr, Gregory Crocetti (Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing)
This Book Thinks Ya Deadly! by Corey Tutt and Molly Hunter (Illustrator) (Hardie Grant Explore)
The New Illustrator Award
This Award aims to recognise and encourage new talent in the field of Australian children’s book illustration. Ages 0-18 years.
Etta and the Shadow Taboo Illustrated by Jeremy Worrall with text by Jared Field (Hardie Grant Children’s Books)
Grace and Mr Milligan Illustrated by Pip Kruger with text by Caz Goodwin (Marshall Cavendish International)
Hope is the Thing Illustrated by Erica Wagner with text by Joanna Bell (A & U Children)
Phonobet Illustrated by Kim Drane with text by Kathy Weeden (NLA Publishing)
Raised by Moths Illustrated by Michelle Conn with text by Charlie Archbold (MIdnightSun Publishing)
When You’re a Boy Written and illustrated by Blake Nuto (Affirm Press)
