2025 Book of the Year Awards – Winners
We are proud to announce the winners and Honour Books for the 2025 CBCA Book of the Year Awards. Congratulations to all the remarkable creators and publishers bringing Australian stories to life.
Book of the Year Award: Older Readers
Winner
I’m Not Really Here – Gary Lonesborough (A&U Books for Children and Young Adults)
Honour Books
Birdy – Sharon Kernot (Text Publishing)
Into the Mouth of the Wolf – Erin Gough (Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing)
Book of the Year Award: Younger Readers
Winner
Laughter is the Best Ending – Maryam Master, ill. Astred Hicks (Pan Australia)
Honour Books
Aggie Flea Steals the Show – Tania Ingram, ill. A. Yi (Scholastic Australia)
Fluff: Mess Up! – Matt Stanton (ABC Books)
Book of the Year Award: Early Childhood
Winner
The Wobbly Bike – Darren McCallum, ill. Craig Smith (Walker Books Australia)
Honour Books
How to Move a Zoo – Kate Simpson, ill. Owen Swan (A&U Books for Children and Young Adults)
One Little Dung Beetle – Rhiân Williams, ill. Heather Potter & Mark Jackson (Wild Dog Books)
Picture Book of the Year Award
Winner
The Truck Cat – ill. Danny Snell, text by Deborah Frenkel (Bright Light)
Honour Books
Afloat – ill. Freya Blackwood, text by Kirli Saunders (Little Hare)
These Long-Loved Things – ill. Ronojoy Ghosh, text by Josh Pyke (Scholastic Australia)
Book of the Year Award: Eve Pownall Award for Information Books
Winner
Always Was, Always Will Be – Aunty Fay Muir & Sue Lawson (Magabala Books)
Honour Books
Making the Shrine: Stories From Victoria’s War Memorial – Laura J Carroll (The Crossley Press)
South With the Seabirds – Jess McGeachin (A&U Books for Children and Young Adults)
Book of the Year Award: New Illustrator
Winner
Grow Big, Little Seed – ill. Sarah Capon (Bright Light)