Children’s Book Week® themes 1945 to present
Children’s Book Week® has had a slogan since 1945. Until 1987 CBCA Branches had created their own posters to illustrate the themes and promote events. Since 1987 there has been a national theme which is chosen and voted on by the CBCA members. Artwork is typically (although not always) developed by the winner of the previous Picture Book of the Year illustrator and used for Children’s Book Week® promotional material and merchandise.
| Year | Theme | Dates | Illustrator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Read, Grow, Inspire | 19-25 August | Matt Ottley |
| 2022 | Dreaming with eyes open… | 20-26 August | Jasmine Seymour |
| 2021 | Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds | 21-27 August | Shaun Tan |
| 2020 | Curious Creatures, Wild Minds | 17-23 October | Gwyn Perkins |
| 2019 | Reading is My Secret Power | 17-23 August | Bob Graham |
| 2018 | Find Your Treasure | 18-24 August | Anna Walker |
| 2017 | Escape to Everywhere | 19-26 August | Freya Blackwood |
| 2016 | Australia: Story Country | 20-26 August | Shaun Tan |
| 2015 | Books light up our world | 22-28 August | Art from CBCA Archives |
| 2014 | Connect to reading | 16-22 August | Ron Brooks |
| 2013 | Read across the Universe | 17-23 August | Bob Graham |
| 2012 | Champions Read | 17-23 August | Nicki Greenberg |
| 2011 | One World, Many Stories | 19-25 August | Gregory Rogers |
| 2010 | Across the Story Bridge | 21-27 August | Kylie Dunstan |
| 2009 | Book Safari | 22-28 August | Matt Ottley |
| 2008 | Fuel Your Mind | 16-22 August | Shaun Tan |
| 2007 | READiscover | 18-24 August | Colin Thompson |
| 2006 | Book Now! | 19-25 August | Alison Lester |
| 2005 | Reading Rocks! | 20-26 August | Neil Curtis |
| 2004 | Doorways | 21-27 August | Brian Harrison-Lever |
| 2003 | Oceans of Stories | 16-22 August | Armin Greder |
| 2002 | Book Week – Book Feast | 17-23 August | Ron Brooks |
| 2001 | 2001: A Book Odyssey | 18-25 August | Anne Spudvilas |
| 2000 | The Edge of Tomorrow | 19-25 August | Shaun Tan |
| 1999 | Weave the Book Web | 21-27 August | Junko Morimoto |
| 1998 | Put Yourself in the Picture | 22-28 August | Elizabeth Honey |
| 1997 | Bookaleidoscope | 16-22 August | Narelle Oliver |
| 1996 | Anywhere Anytime Anybook | 26 Aug-1 September | Steven Woolman |
| 1995 | Happy 50th birthday CBCA1945-1995 Celebrate with Stories | 19-26 August | Peter Goldthorpe |
| 1994 | Carnival of Books | 22-28 August | Craig Smith |
| 1993 | Go Under Cover | 23-29 August | Jeannie Baker |
| 1992 | Windows into Worlds | 27 July-2 August | Bob Graham |
| 1991 | Book into the Future | 29 July-4 August | Julie Vivas |
| 1990 | Imagine if you will…. | 30 July-5 August | Ron Brooks |
| 1989 | Dream Time | 22-28 July | Graeme Base |
| 1988 | A Page of History | 20-26 August | Roland Harvey |
| 1987 | Sail Away with books | 15-21 August | Bob Graham |
| 1986 | Key Into Books | 21-25 July | |
| 1985 | Book Banquet | 22-26 July | |
| 1984 | Books Have it Covered | ||
| 1983 | Books Bridge Gaps | ||
| 1982 | Branch Out with Books | ||
| 1981 | Operation Booklink | ||
| 1980 | Care for Books | ||
| 1979 | Build with Books | ||
| 1978 | Blast Off with Books | ||
| 1977 | Lost in a Book | ||
| 1976 | It’s Reading Time | ||
| 1975 | Read All About It | ||
| 1974 | Books for All Seasons | ||
| 1973 | Books for Life | ||
| 1972 | Together with Books | ||
| 1971 | Roundabout with Books | ||
| 1970 | Explore with Books | ||
| 1969 | Books, Please | ||
| 1968 | Come Alive with Books | ||
| 1967 | Hurrah for Books | ||
| 1966 | The World Through Books | ||
| 1965 | Wonderful Books | ||
| 1964 | Let’s Read | ||
| 1963 | Make Books Your Friends | ||
| 1962 | Time to Read | ||
| 1961 | At Home with Books | ||
| 1960 | Treasure from Books | ||
| 1959 | Let’s Look at Books | ||
| 1958 | Round the World with Books | ||
| 1957 | It’s Always Book Time | ||
| 1956 | Adventure with Books | ||
| 1955 | Let’s Read | ||
| 1954 | Make Friends with Books | ||
| 1953 | Books are Fun for Everyone | ||
| 1952 | Good Books are Good Companions | ||
| 1951 | Books are Common Wealth | ||
| 1950 | Grow up with Books | ||
| 1949 | Books are Friends | ||
| 1948 | Books Bring Adventure | ||
| 1947 | Books for the World of Tomorrow | ||
| 1946 | Books are Bridges | ||
| 1945 | United Through Books |