Children’s Book Award Contenders: ABIA 2018 Shortlist Announced

If you’re looking for some fantastic children’s books for the little readers in your life then look no further. The Australian Book Industry Awards 2018 Shortlist has just been released and there are some amazing contenders for the 2018 awards including; Shaun Micallef’s captivating take on fairytales, Zoë Foster Blake’s picture book No One Likes a Fart and award winning author James Bradley with The Silent Invasion. You’ll also find favourites from long time authors including Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton, Mem Fox and Aaron Blabey.

See the full shortlist here 

Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year

Big Fella Rain, Beryl Webber and illustrated by Fern Martins (Magabala Books, Magabala Books)

Hello, Melbourne!, Megan McKean (Thames & Hudson Australia, Thames & Hudson Australia)

It’s OK to Feel the Way You Do, Josh Langley (Big Sky Publishing, Big Sky Publishing)

The Elephant, Peter Carnavas (The University of Queensland Press, The University of Queensland Press)

Under the Love Umbrella, Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys  (Scribble Kids’ Books, Scribe Publications)

Book of the Year for Older Children (ages 13+)

Beautiful Mess, Claire Christian (Text Publishing, Text Publishing)

Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, Amie Kaufman, Melissa Keil, Will Kostakis, Ellie Marney, Jaclyn Moriarty, Michael Pryor, Alice Pung, Gabrielle Tozer, Lili Wilkinson and Danielle Binks (HarperCollins Publishers, HarperCollins Publishers)

My Life as a Hashtag, Gabrielle Williams (Allen & Unwin, Allen & Unwin)

Tales From a Tall Forest, Shaun Micallef and illustrated by Jonathan Bentley (Hardie Grant Egmont, Hardie Grant Egmont)

The Silent Invasion, James Bradley (Pan Australia, Pan Macmillan Australia)

Book of the Year for Younger Children (ages 7-13)

Frankie Fish and the Sonic Suitcase, Peter Helliar and illustrated by Lesley Vamos (Hardie Grant Egmont, Hardie Grant Egmont)

Funny Kid for President, Matt Stanton (ABC Books, HarperCollins Publishers)

Nevermoor, Jessica Townsend (Lothian Children’s Books, Hachette Australia)

Polly and Buster: The Wayward Witch and the Feelings Monster, Sally Rippin (Hardie Grant Egmont, Hardie Grant Egmont)

The 91-Storey Treehouse, Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton (Pan Australia, Pan Macmillan Australia)

Children’s Picture Book of the Year (ages 0-6)

Do Not Lick This Book, Idan Ben-Barak and illustrated by Julian Frost (Allen & Unwin, Allen & Unwin)

Florette,  Anna Walker (Viking – AU YR, Penguin Random House Australia)

I’m Australian Too,  Mem Fox and illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh (Scholastic Press, Scholastic Australia)

No One Likes a Fart, Zoë Foster Blake (Viking – AU YR, Penguin Random House Australia)

Pig the Star, Aaron Blabey (Scholastic Press, Scholastic Australia)

The ABIA Voting Academy is made up of over 250 representatives from across the bookselling and publishing industry as well as additional specialist experts. Following the announcement of the shortlist a series of expert panels decide on the winner in each category.