Winners of the CBCA Awards 2020

Congratulations to the authors, illustrators and publishers of these fine Australian children’s books. 

There are six categories in the CBCA Book of the Year Awards. The entries are judged on literary merit, cohesiveness in language and style, appeal to the target readership, quality and originality. 

CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers

Entries in this category are books for young people aged between 13 and 18 years. Readers require a degree of maturity to appreciate the themes and scope of emotional involvement. Books in this category may be fiction, drama, illustrated text, poetry or graphic novels.

And the winner is: This is How We Change the Ending by Vikki Wakefield

CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers

Entries in this category are books published for children in the age range from 7 to 12 years (lower to upper primary school level). Books in the category may be fiction, drama, graphic novels, illustrated text or poetry.

And the winner is: The Little Wave by Pip Harry

CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood

Entries in this category are books suitable in content and style for pre and beginning readers for children in the age range 0 to 6 years (pre-school and infant level). This include works of fiction, poetry, wordless, board and concept books. 

And the winner is: My Friend Fred by Frances Watts, illustrated by A. Yi

CBCA Picture Book of the Year

Entries in this category are books of the genre in which the text and illustrations achieve artistic and literary unity and the story, theme or concept is enhanced and unified through the illustration. The text and illustrations work cohesively. The illustrations are an integral part of or extend the meaning on the page. The age range for this category is 0 to 18 years.

And the winner is: I NEED a Parrot by Chris McKimmie

Eve Pownall Award 

Entries in this category are books with the prime purpose of documenting factual material. Consideration should be given to imaginative presentation, interpretation and variation of style. The age range for this category is 0 to 18 years.

And the winner is: Young Dark Emu by Bruce Pascoe

CBCA Award for New Illustrator 

Entries in this category are for books where the illustrator is emerging or new to the field of children’s book illustration. The entry must be the illustrator’s first children’s illustrated book published where illustrations form a significant part of the book’s narrative or information content. The age range for this category is 0 to 18 years.

And the winner is: Illustrator and author of Baby Business, Jasmine Seymour

To see the full list of winners with more details, including the “Honour books” (books that didn’t win but were highly regarded) click here