Australia's best children's books

The Children's Book Council (Australia) has just announced its short list for all five categories within its annual awards. The winners and honour books will be announced in Children's Book Week (18-24 August). The theme for Bookweek this year is 'Champions Read'. As always the standard is high. There are some very familiar names and previously honoured authors and illustrators like Nadia Wheatley, Jackie French, Bill Condon, Emily Rodda, Ron Brooks, Alison Lester and Bob Graham. But there are also some good writers who have just missed the cut in previous years and, we have some new names in the list like Ahn Do (with Suzanne Do) and Emma Quay. Interestingly, this is the year for some to have more than one shortlisting. These include Emily Rodda, Freya Blackwood (illustrator) and Bruce Whately (illustrator).

Older Readers Short List 2012

'Ishmael and the Hoops of Steel' by Michael Gerard Bauer, Omnibus Books, Scholastic Australia
'A Straight Line to my Heart' by Bill Condon,  Allen & Unwin
'The Golden Day' by Ursula Dubosarsky, Allen & Unwin
'The Dead I Know' by Scot Gardner, Allen & Unwin
'Ship Kings: The Coming of the Whirlpool' by Andrew McGahan, Allen & Unwin
'When We Were Two' by Robert Newton, Penguin Books, Penguin Group (Australia)

Independent Younger Readers Short List 2012

'Crow Country' by Kate Constable, Allen & Unwin
'Brotherband: The Outcasts' by John Flanagan, Random House Australia
'Nanberry: Black Brother White' by Jackie French, Angus & Robertson Harper Collins Publishers
'The Truth About Verity Sparks' by Susan Green, Walker Books Australia
'The Golden Door' by Emily Rodda, Omnibus Books, Scholastic Australia
'Bungawitta' by Emily Rodda, Omnibus Books, Scholastic Australia

Early Childhood Short List 2012

'The Runaway Hug' by Nick Bland, illustrator Freya Blackwood, Scholastic Press, Scholastic Australia
'Come Down, Cat!' by Sonya Hartnett, illustrator Lucia Masciullo Puffin Books, Penguin Group (Australia)
'That’s Not a Daffodil!' by Elizabeth Honey, Allen & Unwin
'The Last Viking' by Norman Jorgensen, illustrator James Foley, Fremantle Press
'No Bears' by Meg McKinlay, illustrator Leila Rudge, Walker Books Australia
'Rudie Nudie' by Emma Quay, ABC Books, HarperCollins

Picture Book Short List 2012

'Look, a Book!' by Libby Gleeson, illustrator Freya Blackwood, Little Hare Books, Hardie Grant Egmont
'The Dream of the Thylacine' by Margaret Wild, illustrator Ron Brooks, Allen & Unwin
'For All Creatures' by Glenda Millard, illustrator Rebecca Cool, Walker Books Australia
'A Bus Called Heaven' by Bob Graham, Walker Books
'No Bears' by Meg McKinlay, illustrator Leila Rudge Walker Books Australia
'Flood' by Jackie French, illustrator Bruce Whatley, Scholastic Press, Scholastic Australia

Eve Pownall Award for Information Books Short list 2012

'The Little Refugee' by Anh Do & Suzanne Do, illustrator Bruce Whatley, Allen & Unwin
'One Small Island: The Story of Macquarie Island', by Alison Lester & Coral Tulloch, Penguin Group (Australia)
'Surrealism for Kids' by  Queensland Art Gallery, Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art
'Bilby Secrets' by Edel Wignell, illustrator Mark Jackson, Walker Books Australia
'Fromelles: Australia's Bloodiest Day at War' by Carole Wilkinson, Black Dog Books
'Playground' by Nadia Wheatley (Ed), illustrator Ken Searle, Allen & Unwin

Notable List

CBCA also announced its 2012 Notable List last week. This is a list of approximately 100 books (111 this year) published in the year of the awards, that are seen as worthy of the label a 'Notable' Australian Children's books. This is usually a wonderful resource and helps to overcome the tendency to assume that the only books worth purchasing are those short listed.

Read the list HERE