Cream of the Crop

The 2018 Children’s Book Council Awards’ Book of the Year Shortlist has been announced and it’s the perfect go-to list if you’re looking for a great read for your kids!

Established with the first awards in 1946, the annual CBCA Book of the Year Awards aim to: promote quality literature for young Australians, support and encourage a wide range of Australian writers and illustrators of children’s books, celebrate contributions to Australian children’s literature

Learn more about the Children’s Book Council of Australia and the Book of the Year Awards 

There are five categories in the CBCA Book of the Year Awards: 

Book of the Year: Older Readers

Mallee Boys, Charlie Archbold, Wakefield Press
In the Dark Spaces, Cally Black, Hardie Grant Egmont
Take Three Girls, Cath Crowley & Fiona Wood & Simmone Howell, Pan Macmillan Australia
Because of You, Pip Harry, University of Queensland Press
The Secret Science of Magic, Melissa Keil, Hardie Grant Egmont
Ballad for a Mad Girl, Vikki Wakefield, Text Publishing

Book of the Year: Younger Readers

The Elephant, Peter Carnavas, UQP
How to Bee, Bren Macdibble, Allen & Unwin
Henrietta and the Perfect Night, Martine Murray, Allen & Unwin
Marsh and Me, Martine Murray, Text Publishing
The Shop at Hoopers Bend, Emily Rodda, Harper Collins Publishers
The Grand Genius Summer of Henry Hoobler, Lisa Shanahan, Allen & Unwin

Book of the Year: Early Childhood

Rodney Loses It, Michael Gerard Bauer, illust: Chrissie Krebs, Omnibus Books
Boy, Phil Cummings, illust: Shane DeVries, Scholastic Australia
I’m Australian Too, Mom Fox, illust: Ronojoy Ghosh, Omnibus Books
The Second Sky, Patrick Guest, illust, Jonathan Bentley, Little Hare
The Very Noisy Baby, Alison Lester, Affirm Press
Hark, it’s me Ruby Lee! Lisa Shanahan, illust: Binny, Hachette Australia

Picture Book of the Year

Ten Pound Pom, Liz Anelli, text. Carole Wilkinson, Walker Books
The Great Rabbit Chase, Freya Blackwood, Scholastic Australia
Mopoke, Phillip Bunting, Omnibus
A Walk in the Bush, Gwyn Perkins, Affirm Press
Swan Lake, Anne Spudvilas, Allen and Unwin
Florette, Anna Walker, Penguin Random House

The Eve Pownall Award for Information Books

Do Not Lick this Book, Idan Ben-Barak, illust. Julian Frost, Allen & Unwin
M is for Mutiny! History by Alphabet, John Dickon, illust: Bern Emmerichs, Berbay Publishing
Left and Right, Lorna Hendry, Wild Dog Books
The Big Book of Antarctica, Charles Hope, Wild Dog Books
Amazing Australians in Their Flying Machines, Prue Mason & Mason Kerry, illust: Tom Jellet, Walker Books Australia
Koala, Claire Saxby, illust: Julie Vivas, Walker Books Australia

Crichton Award for New Illustrators

Can You Find Me? Patrick Shirvington, New Frontier Publishing
I Just Ate My Friend, Heidi McKinnon, Allen & Unwin
Mopoke, Phillip Bunting, Omnibus Books
Once Upon an ABC, Christopher Nielsen, Little Hare
The Sloth Who Came to Stay, Vivienne To, Allen & Unwin
Tintinnabula, Rovina Cai

The Winners and Honour Books will be announced at noon AEST on 17 August