Books That Stole Hearts: Indie Book Awards winners announced

Books That Stole Hearts: Indie Book Awards winners announced

Lenny’s Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee has been announced as the Children’s Winner and A Song Only I Can Hear, Young Adults in the 2019 Indie Book Awards.

Lenny’s Book of Everything– a poignant book about family, loving and letting go – has appeared on a number of shortlists recently including for the NSW Premier’s Literary Award and the Children’s Book Council Awards, so it was no surprise that booksellers have been behind its success.

“I’m over-the-moon excited that Lenny’s Book of Everything has been chosen as children’s book of the year at the Indie Book Awards. It was already such an honour to be shortlisted alongside Shaun Tan, Jessica Townsend, Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys. It means the world to have my novel recognised in such a way and I’m so grateful for all the support independent booksellers have given to Lenny and Davey’s story,” said Karen Foxlee, author of Lenny’s Book of Everything (Allen & Unwin).

Author Barry Jonsberg, already an award-winning author for his YA novels, also felt that the amazing shortlist for Children’s and Young Adult was a testament to the outstanding authors writing for young people. His book, A Song Only I Can Hear, is a beautifully moving novel about dreaming big, being brave and marching to the beat of your own drum.

“I don’t know whether to be more thrilled at winning the 2019 Indies Award for YA fiction – or delighted with the amazing quality of Australian fiction for young adults shown by the brilliant long and short lists,” said Barry Jonsberg, author of A Song Only I Can Hear (Allen & Unwin).

The Awards recognise and celebrate the indie booksellers as the number one supporters of Australian authors. What makes our Indies uniquely placed to judge and recommend the best Aussie books of the past year to their customers and readers, is their incredible passion and knowledge, their contribution to the cultural diversity by recommending books beyond the big brands, and their love of quality writing.

The Indies are considered the forerunners of all major Australian book awards. Since the Awards inception in 2008, the Indies have a well-deserved reputation for picking the best of the best in Australian writing. Past Book of the Year winners have gone on to be bestsellers and win other major literary awards. They include: Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend, The Dry by Jane Harper; The Natural Way of Things by Charlotte Wood; The Bush by Don Watson; The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan; The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman; All That I Am by Anna Funder; The Happiest Refugee by Anh Do; Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey; and Breath by Tim Winton.

Here are all the Category Winners of the 2019 Indie Book Awards: 

OVERALL WINNER: BOOK OF THE YEAR
Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton (HarperCollins Australia)

FICTION WINNER:

Bridge of Clay by Markus Zusak (Picador Australia)

NON-FICTION WINNER:
The Arsonist by Chloe Hooper (Penguin Random House Australia)

DEBUT FICTION WINNER:
Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton (HarperCollins Australia)

ILLUSTRATED NON-FICTION WINNER:
Marcia Langton: Welcome to Country by Marcia Langton (Hardie Grant Travel)

CHILDREN’S WINNER:
Lenny’s Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee (Allen & Unwin)

YOUNG ADULT WINNER:
A Song Only I Can Hear by Barry Jonsberg (Allen & Unwin)

 

 

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