CBCA Book of the Year 2024
Yesterday, the 16th of August, the CBCA Book of the Year Awards for 2024 were announced. Here were some fantastic winners and Honour Books this year from an amazing list shortlist and some brilliant notables.
The blurbs have been taken from the CBCA website, which is linked above.
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.
Winner, Older Readers:
Grace Notes by Karen Comer
Shadow Judging Winner:
Inkflower by Suzy Zail
Honour Books:
A Hunger of Thorns by Lili Wilkinson
Let’s Never Speak of This Again by Megan Williams
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 contain mature themes, including violence.
Parental guidance is recommended.
Winner, Younger Readers:
Scar Town by Tristan Bancks
Shadow Judging Winner:
Scar Town by Tristan Bancks
Honour Books:
Real Pigeons: Flap Out by Andrew McDonald
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.
Winner, Early Childhood:
Gymnastica Fantastica by Briony Stewart
Shadow Judging Winner:
The Concrete Garden by Bob Graham
Honour Books:
Grace and Mr Mulligan by Caz Goodwin
Baer and Duck are Friends by Sue DeGennaro
Book of the Year: Picture Book
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 picture books, where the story, theme or concept is unified through illustrations. Ages 0-18 years.
(Note: some of these books may be for mature readers.)
Winner, Picture Book:
Timeless by Kelly Canby
Shadow Judging Winner:
Every Night at Midnight by Peter Cheong
Honour Books:
Paperflower Girl – Mateja Jager (text by Margrete Lamond)
That Bird Has Arms Ronojoy Ghosh and Niharika Hukku (Text by Kate Temple and Jol Temple)
Book of the Year: Eve Pownall Award
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)
Winner, Eve Pownall Award:
Country Town by Isolde Martyn and Robyn Ridgeway (illustrated by Louise Hogan)
Shadow Judging Winner:
Australia: Country of Colour by Jess Rackyleft
Honour Books:
Australia: Country of Colour by Jess Rackyleft
Our Country: Where History Happened by Mark Greenwood (illustrated by Frané Lessac)
Book of the Year: 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.
Hope is the Thing – Erica Wagner
Congratulations to all the winners of the CBCA Awards this year!