Book of the Year Awards 2025
Your critical calendar dates
Bookmark this page for the latest updates on 2025 award announcements.
If you’re looking for Award ENTRY information head across to our award portal via the button below.
Night of the Notables 2025
Tuesday, 25 February 2025,
7:00 p.m. AEDT.
The CBCA Book of the Year Notables (longlist) are announced online and celebrated through local Branch events often including a dinner hosted by local creatives.
Shortlist
2025
Tuesday, 25 March 2025,
12:00 p.m. AEDT.
The CBCA Book of the Year Shortlist is announced online. Check local branch calendars for celebration activities and events.
Honours and
Winners 2025
Friday, 15 August 2025,
12:00 p.m. AEST.
The CBCA Book of the Year Award Honours and Winners are announced online in conjunction with an in-person National Event hosted by the National Library of Australia.
Sun Project: Shadow Judging Book of the Year Award Winner
Friday, 15 August 2025, 12:00 p.m. AEST., as part of the greater 2025 CBCA Book of the Year Awards announcement.
2025 Announcement ceremony
We’re thrilled to have our Book of the Year Awards ceremony in 2025 as part of our 80 year anniversary celebrations at the distinguished National Library of Australia (NLA), Australia’s largest reference library.
NLA are the custodian of Australia’s published, written, oral, visual and digital heritage, ensuring Australian history, culture and knowledge is sustained for all Australian people, both now and in the future.
Their award-winning publishing imprint, NLA Publishing, creates beautiful and informative children’s books that tell stories from the Library’s collection and have featured in numerous CBCA Notable, Shortlist and Honour and Winner annual collections across our 80 year history.
The NLA also host special events and exhibitions that highlight the value of Australian children’s literature to the broader community, and for decades have annually opened their theatre to the CBCA and our local ACT Branch for the national announcement of the Children’s Book of the Year Awards.
Will you be joining us this August in Canberra?