CBCA Children's Literature Shortlist Announced

The Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) shortlist has been announced, as has the list of 'Notable' books. The awards will be announced in Children's Book Week on the 17th August. The theme this year is 'Read across the universe'. As usual, there are many wonderful books. I will review the winners and honour books in Book Week, but below you will find all the books shortlisted and links to help you find them. Please don't be put off by the fact that some sites list the books as unavailable. This is common just after the shortlist is announced as major books shops quickly buy up the first print run. New stock typically comes in quite soon.

The shortlist is a valuable guide to book purchases but there many other wonderful books published each year. As a result the CBCA also publishes a Notable Book List that has over 100 titles listed. Standards are high so these are always wonderful books as well.

Shortlist for 'Older Readers' category (Young Adult Readers)

'The Ink Bridge' by Neil Grant (Allen & Unwin)
'Sea Hearts' by Margo Lanagan (Allen & Unwin)
'The Shiny Guys' by Doug MacLeod (Penguin)
'Creepy & Maud' by Dianne Touchell (Fremantle Press)
'Friday Brown' by Vikki Wakefield (Text Publishing)
'The Wrong Boy' by Suzy Zail (Walker Books)

Shortlist for 'Younger Readers' category (Independent Younger Readers, )

'Pennies for Hitler' by Jackie French (Lamont Books)
'Other Brother' by Simon French (Walker Books)
'After' by Morris Gleitzman (Penguin)
'Children of the King' by Sonya Hartnett (Penguin)
'Pookie Aleera is Not my Boyfriend' by Steven Herrick (UQP)
'The Tender Moments of Saffron Silk' by Glenda Millard (ABC Books)


Shortlist for 'Early Childhood' category (Preschool and beginning readers)

'The Terrible Suitcase' by Emma Allen and illustrated by Freya Blackwood (Omnibus)
'With Nan' by Tania Coz and illustrated by Karen Blair (Windy Hollow Books)
'The Pros & Cons of Being a Frog' by Sue DeGennaro (Scholastic)
'Too Many Elephants in This House' by Ursula Dubosarsky and illustrated by Andrew Joyner (Penguin)
'It's a Miroocool!' by Christine Harris and illustrated by Ann James (Little Hare)
'Peggy' by Anna Walker (Scholastic)

Shortlist for 'Picture Books' category (Varied ages, Birth to 18 years)

'The Coat' illustrated by Ron Brooks and written by Julie Hunt (Allen & Unwin)
'Tanglewood' illustrated by Vivienne Goodman and written by Margaret Wild (Omnibus)
'Herman and Rosie' by Gus Gordon (Viking)
'Sophie Scott Goes South' by Alison Lester (Viking)
'Lightning Jack' illustrated by Patricia Mullins and written by Glenda Millard (Scholastic)
'A Day to Remember' illustrated by Mark Wilson and written by Jackie French (Angus & Robertson).

Note: I will be interviewing Ron Brooks on this blog in coming weeks.

Short list for 'Eve Pownall Award for Information Books' category (Varied ages, Birth to 18 years)

'Python' by Christopher Cheng and illustrated by Mark Jackson (Walker Books)
'Lyrebird! A True Story' by Jackie Kerin and illustrated by Peter Gouldthorpe (Museum of Victoria)
'Topsy-turvey World: How Australian Animals Puzzled Early Explorers' by Kirsty Murray (National Library of Australia)
'Portrait of Spain for Kids' by Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art (Queensland Art Gallery)
'Tom the Outback Mailman' by Kristin Weidenbach and illustrated by Timothy Ide (Lothian)

Related links

Previous posts on children's book awards (HERE)