The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) today announced the Short List for the 2018 CBCA Book of the Year Awards. The CBCA Awards are the longest running book awards in Australia. From the small list of books entered in 1946, the judges this year received 444 books for consideration and have described the entries as highly original and diverse with a stellar list of potential winners.
‘Themes this year include journeying, resilience and acceptance,’ said CBCA National Chair, Professor Margot Hillel OAM, ‘with stories that reflect the world around us, and demonstrate an openness to interpretation that should invite discussion and reflection.’
The CBCA supports Australian authors and illustrators of books for young readers. These esteemed awards are extremely influential in children’s publishing and bookselling, providing information about quality children's books for schools, libraries and the community at large.
The categories judged are:
· CBCA Book of the Year: Older Readers
· CBCA Book of the Year: Younger Readers
· CBCA Book of the Year: Early Childhood
· CBCA Picture Book of the Year
· The Eve Pownall Award
The CBCA Book of the Year Awards will be announced and presented in Brisbane on Friday August 17, 2018. Along with the category winners, also to be announced at that ceremony is the winner of the Crichton Award for New Illustrators.
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 (NB: These books are for mature readers).
Mallee Boys
In The Dark Spaces
Take Three Girls
Because of You
The Secrets Science of Magic
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. Ages 8-12 years.
The Elephant
How To Bee
Henrietta and The Perfect Night
Marsh and Me
The Shop At Hooper’s Bend
The Grand, Genius Summer of Henry Hoobler
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 0-7 years.
Rodney Loses It!
Boy
I’m Australian Too
The Second Sky
The Very Noise Baby
Hark, It’s Me, Ruby Lee!
Picture Book of the Year
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 (NB. Some of these books may be for mature readers).
Ten Pound Pom
The Great Rabbit Chase
Mopoke
A Walk In The Bush
Swan Lake
Florette
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.
Do Not Lick This Book
M Is For Mutiny! History By Alphabet
The Big Book Of Antarctica
Amazing Australians In Their Flying Machines
Koala
Crichton Award for New Illustrators
The Crichton Award aims to recognise and encourage new talent in the field of Australian children's book illustration. Ages 0-18 years.
Can You Find Me?
I Just Ate My Friend
Mopoke
Once Upon An ABC
The Sloth Who Came To Stay
Tintinnabula
Kids' Book Review congratulate all of the Shortlisted finalists. To see the full listing of books visit the CBCA website.
