The Cbca Book Of The Year Awards, 2024 Notables List
Congratulations to all CBCA Book of the Year Award Notable authors, illustrators and publishers for 2024. Please enjoy our annual video presentation.
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The Notable Australian Children’s Books 2024 is the perfect guide to share with young people. Compiled from critiques submitted by our expert judges, this document can aid their discovery of good stories to read, a reported reason they give for not reading. So share it, discuss it, and let’s continue to grow our reading culture!
Book Of The Year: Older Readers
Entries in this category may be fiction, drama or poetry and should be appropriate in style and content for readers in their secondary years of schooling. Ages 13-18 years.
Note: Books in this category are for mature readers and some may deal with particularly challenging themes including violence and suicide. Parental guidance is recommended.
- Wildlife of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
- Myke Mollard
- Woodslane Press
- ISBN: 9781922800367
- We Didn’t Think It Through
- Gary Lonesborough
- A & U Children
- ISBN: 9781760526931
- We Could Be Something
- Will Kostakis
- A & U Children
- ISBN: 9781761180170
- This Time It’s Real
- Ann Liang
- Walker Books Australia
- ISBN: 9781761049804
- The Sinister Booksellers Of Bath
- Garth Nix
- A & U Children
- ISBN: 9781761180002
- The Isles Of The Gods
- THE ISLES OF THE GODS
- A & U Children
- ISBN: 9781761180064
- Stuck Up And Stupid
- Angourie Rice and Kate Rice
- Walker Books Australia
- ISBN: 9781760658281
- Picasso And The Greatest Show On Earth
- Anna Fienberg
- A & U Children
- ISBN: 9781760296988
- One Song
- A.J. Betts
- Pan Macmillan
- ISBN: 9781761264900
- Nightbirds
- Kate J. Armstrong
- A & U Children
- ISBN: 9781760526900
- If You Tell Anyone, You’re Next
- Jack Heath
- Scholastic Australia
- ISBN: 9781761292019
- I Am The Mau And Other Stories
- Chemutai Glasheen
- Fremantle Press
- ISBN: 9781760992576
- Eta Draconis
- Brendan Ritchie
- UWA Publishing
- ISBN: 9781760802615
- Eleanor Jones Is Not A Murderer
- Amy Doak
- Penguin Random Australia
- ISBN: 9781761342417
- Borderland
- Graham Akhurst
- UWA Publishing
- ISBN: 9781760802646
- Blind Spot
- Robyn Dennison
- Text Publishing
- ISBN: 9781922790347
- Two Can Play That Game
- Leanne Yong
- A & U Children
- ISBN: 9781761063374
- The Quiet and the Loud
- Helena Fox
- Pan Macmillan Australia
- ISBN: 9781760983024
- Let’s Never Speak of This Again
- Megan Williams
- Text Publishing
- ISBN: 9781922790392
- Inkflower
- Suzy Zail
- Walker Books Australia
- ISBN: 9781760653736
- Grace Notes
- Karen Comer
- Lothian Children's Books
- ISBN: 9780734421722
- A Hunger Of Thorns
- Lili Wilkinson
- A & U Children
- ISBN: 9781760526948
Book Of The Year: Younger Readers
Entries in this category may be fiction, drama or poetry and should be appropriate in style and content for readers from the middle to upper primary years. 7-12 years.
Note: some of the titles in this category may only be suitable for readers who are in the upper primary years as they contain mature themes, including violence. Parental guidance is recommended.
- Uncle Xbox
- Jared Thomas
- Magabala Books
- ISBN: 9781922613363
- The Unlikely Heroes Club
- Kate Foster
- Walker Books Australia
- ISBN: 9781760655969
- The Odds: The Power of Being Odd
- Matt Stanton
- ABC Books AU an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
- ISBN: 9780733340659
- The Mud Puddlers
- Pamela Rushby
- Walker Books (and subsidiaries)
- ISBN: 9781760655808
- The Great Gallipoli Escape
- Jackie French
- Angus & Robertson (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
- ISBN: 9781460764176
- Sunshine On Vinegar Street
- Karen Comer
- A & U Children
- ISBN: 9781761180132
- So That Happened… But Maybe You Already Knew That
- Tami Sussman
- Walker Books Australia
- ISBN: 9781760656010
- Saving Charli
- Di Walker
- Scholastic Australia
- ISBN: 9781761297311
- Running With Ivan
- Suzanne Leal
- HarperCollins Publishers
- ISBN: 9781460761335
- Pearly And Pig And The Lost City Of Mu Savan
- Sue Whiting
- Walker Books Australia
- ISBN: 9781760655457
- Ming & Hilde Lead A Revolution
- Jackie French
- HarperCollins Publishers
- ISBN: 9781460763445
- Meet Me At The Moon Tree
- Shivaun Plozza
- University of Queensland Press
- ISBN: 9780702266171
- Harriet Hound
- Kate Fosterill. Sophie Beer
- Walker Books Australia
- ISBN: 9781760654702
- Dirrarn
- Carl Merrison & Hakea Hustlerill. Dub Leffler
- Magabala Books
- ISBN: 9781922777027
- Bored: Evie Dreams Big
- Matt Stanton
- HarperCollins Publishers (ABC Books)
- ISBN: 9780733342066
- Aggie Flea Is Not A Liar
- Tania Ingramill. Anne Yi
- Scholastic Australia,
- ISBN: 9781760972547
- The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart
- Samera Kamaleddine
- HarperCollins
- ISBN: 9781460762653
- Scout and the Rescue Dogs
- Dianne Wolfer (Illust: Tony Flowers)
- Walker Books Australia
- ISBN: 9781760655860
- Scar Town
- Tristan Bancks
- Puffin Books, Penguin Group (Australia)
- ISBN: 9780143791812
- Real Pigeons Flap Out
- Andrew McDonald (Illust: Ben Wood)
- Hardie Grant Children's Publishing
- ISBN: 9781761211546
- Huda Was Here
- H. Hayek
- A & U Children
- ISBN: 9781761068430
- Being Jimmy Baxter
- Fiona Lloyd
- Puffin Books, Penguin Group (Australia)
- ISBN: 9781760148515
Book Of The Year: Early Childhood
Entries in this category may be fiction, drama or poetry and should be appropriate in style and content for children who are at pre-reading or early stages of reading. Ages 0-6 years.
- Where Will the Sleepy Sheep Sleep?
- David Metzenthen ill. Jonathan Bentley
- A & U Children an imprint of Allen & Unwin
- ISBN: 9781761066160
- When I’m Big
- Karen Blair
- Puffin AU an imprint of Penguin Random House Australia
- ISBN: 9781761045813
- We’re Moving Away
- Niña Nill
- Bright Light an imprint of Hardie Grant Children's Publishing
- ISBN: 9781761212321
- These Little Feet
- Hayley Rawsthorne ill. Briony Stewart
- Albert Street Books an imprint of Allen & Unwin
- ISBN: 9781761069017
- The Wheelbarrow Express
- Sue Whiting ill. Cate James
- Walker Books Australia
- ISBN: 9781760654627
- The Trees
- Victor Steffensen ill. Sandra Steffensen
- Hardie Grant Explore
- ISBN: 9781741178876
- The Little Things
- Penny Harrison ill. Hannah Sommerville
- Little Hare an imprint of Hardie Grant Children's Publishing
- ISBN: 9781761211263
- Shadow Catchers
- Kirsty Murray ill. Karen Blair
- A & U Children an imprint of Allen & Unwin
- ISBN: 9781760526955
- Run Pups Run
- Kerri Day ill. Nicky Johnston
- Windy Hollow Books
- ISBN: 9781921136092
- Ruby’s Repair Cafe
- Michelle Worthington ill. Zoe Bennett
- New Frontier Publishing
- ISBN: 9781922326805
- Our Mob
- Jacinta Daniher & Taylor Hampton ill. Seantelle Walsh
- Ford Street Publishing
- ISBN: 9781922696236
- Nedingar: Ancestors
- Isobel Bevis ill. Leanne Zilm
- Fremantle Press
- ISBN: 9781760992712
- In the Rockpool
- Andrea Rowe ill. Hannah Sommerville
- Little Hare an imprint of Hardie Grant Children's Publishing
- ISBN: 9781761213014
- Hair!
- Mike Dumbleton ill. Lucinda Gifford
- Little Book Press
- ISBN: Little Book Press
- Gurril, Storm Bird
- Trevor Fourmile ill. Jingalu
- Magabala Books
- ISBN: 9781922613455
- Duckling Runs Away
- Margaret Wild ill. Vivienne To
- A & U Children an imprint of Allen & Unwin
- ISBN: 9781761065804
- Big Dog is a Big Help
- Sally Rippinill. Lucinda Gifford
- Little Hare an imprint of Hardie Grant Children's Publishing
- ISBN: 9781761210839
- Bear and Duck are Friends
- Sue deGennaro
- Little Hare (an imprint of Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing)
- ISBN: 9781761210327
- Can You Teach a Fish to Climb a Tree?
- Jane Godwin (Illust: Terry Denton)
- Bright Light (an imprint of Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing)
- ISBN: 9781760508661
- The Concrete Garden
- Bob Graham
- Walker Books Australia
- ISBN: 9781529512649
- One Little Duck
- Katrina Germein (Illust: Danny Snell)
- HarperCollins Publishers
- ISBN: 9781460761649
- Gymnastica Fantastica!
- Briony Stewart
- Lothian Children's Books, (an imprint of Hachette)
- ISBN: 9780734421852
- Grace and Mr Milligan
- Pip Kruger
- Marshall Cavendish International
- ISBN: 9789815009811
Picture Book Of The Year
Entries in this category should be outstanding books of the Picture Book genre in which the author and illustrator achieve artistic and literary unity or, in wordless picture books, where the story, theme or concept is unified through illustrations. Ages 0-18 years.
(Note: some of these books may be for mature readers.)
- Your Head’s Not The Place To Store Problems
- Stephen Michael Kingtext. Josh Pyke
- Scholastic Australia
- ISBN: 9781761293023
- World
- Anna Readtext. Martine Murray
- Parachute Press
- ISBN: 9780645039528
- The Lucky Shack
- Jennifer Falknertext. Apsara Baldovino
- Working Title Press, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
- ISBN: 9781922033154
- The Garden At The End Of The World
- Briony Stewarttext. Cassy Polimeni
- University of Queensland Press
- ISBN: 9780702265693
- The Concrete Garden
- Bob Graham
- Walker Books Australia
- ISBN: 9781529512649
- The Black Cockatoo With One Feather Blue
- Eloise Shorttext. Jodie McLeod
- Wollemi Press
- ISBN: 9780646874708
- Stay For Dinner
- Michelle Pereiratext. Sandhya Parappukkaran
- Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing (Bright Light)
- ISBN: 9781761211966
- Satin
- Lorena Carrington Written by Sophie Masson
- MidnightSun Publishing
- ISBN: 9781922858016
- Raised by Moths
- Michelle Conntext. Charlie Archbold
- MidnightSun Publishing
- ISBN: 9781922858184
- Little Treasure
- Jennifer Goldsmith Written by Chanelle Gosper
- Hachette Australia (Lothian Children’s Books)
- ISBN: 9780734421494
- Leaf-light, A Story About Caring For Each Other
- Trace Balla
- A & U Children
- ISBN: 9781760526207
- Ladybirds Do Not Go to Day Care
- Niña Nill Written by Ali Rutstein
- Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing (Bright Light)
- ISBN: 9781761213113
- Good Morning, My Deer!
- Sophie Beer Written by Mel Amon
- Scribe Publications (Scribble Kid’s Books)
- ISBN: 9781761380358
- Dorrie
- Tania McCartney
- HarperCollins Children’s Books
- ISBN: 9781460760109
- Desert Jungle
- Jeannie Baker
- Walker Books Australia
- ISBN: 9781406387872
- City Of Light
- Mark & Heather Jacksontext. Julia Lawrinson
- Wild Dog Books
- ISBN: 9781922539496
- Anchored
- Debra Tiddball Illustrated by Arielle Li
- EK Books, an imprint of Exisle Publishing
- ISBN: 9781922539496
- Bowerbird Blues
- Aura Parker
- Scholastic Australia
- ISBN: 9781760269609
- Every Night at Midnight
- Peter Cheong
- Affirm Press
- ISBN: 9781922992383
- If I Was a Horse
- Sophie Blackall
- Lothian Children's Books (an imprint of Hachette)
- ISBN: 9780734422712
- Paper-flower Girl
- Mateja Jager (Text: Margrete Lamond)
- Dirt Lane Press (an imprint of WestWords)
- ISBN: 9780645352399
- That Bird Has Arms
- Ronojoy Ghosh & Niharika Hukku (Text: Kate Temple & Jol Temple)
- Little Hare (an imprint of Hardie Grant Children's Publishing)
- ISBN: 9781761210310
- Timeless
- Kelly Canby
- Fremantle Press
- ISBN: 9781760992323
Eve Pownall Award
Entries in this category should be books which have the prime intention of documenting factual material with consideration given to imaginative presentation, interpretation and variation of style. Ages 0-18 years.
(Note: books in this category are for mature readers and some may deal with particularly challenging themes including violence and suicide. Parental guidance is recommended)
- Wollemi: Saving a Dinosaur Tree
- Samantha Tidy ill. Rachel Gyan
- CSIRO Publishing
- ISBN: 9781486316083
- Wildlife Compendium of the World
- Tania McCartney
- Hardie Grant Explore
- ISBN: 9781741177473
- Universal Guide to the Night Sky
- Lisa Harvey-Smith ill. Sophie Beer
- Thames & Hudson Australia
- ISBN: 9781760763121
- The World’s Most Atrocious Animals
- Philip Bunting
- Little Hare an imprint of Hardie Grant Children's Publishing
- ISBN: 9781761212604
- The Forgotten Song: Saving the Regent Honeyeater
- Coral Vass ill. Jess Racklyeft
- CSIRO Publishing
- ISBN: 9781486316403
- Songlines: First Knowledges for Younger Readers
- Margo Neale & Lynne Kelly ill. Blak Douglas
- Thames & Hudson Australia
- ISBN: 9781760763480
- River to Bay – Victoria’s Maritime History
- Carole Wilkinson ill. Prue Pittock
- Wild Dog Books
- ISBN: 9781742036168
- Last Man Out
- Louise Park
- Wild Dog Books
- ISBN: 9781742036427
- How We Came to Be: Creatures of Camouflage and Mimicry
- Sami Bayly
- Lothian Children's Books an imprint of Hachette Australia
- ISBN: 9780734421371
- High
- Jess McGeachin
- Welbeck Publishing
- ISBN: 9781803380278
- Eat My Dust!
- Neridah McMullin ill. Lucia Masciullo
- Walker Books Australia
- ISBN: 9781760654191
- Democracy!
- Philip Bunting
- Little Hare an imprint of Hardie Grant Children's Publishing
- ISBN: 9781761211478
- Country Town
- Isolde Martyn & Robyn Ridgeway ill. Louise Hogan
- Ford Street Publishing
- ISBN: 9781922696342
- Bidhi Galing
- Anita Heiss ill. Samantha Campbell
- Simon & Schuster Australia
- ISBN: 9781761105258
- Australian Animals: From Beach to Bush
- Brentos
- Affirm Press
- ISBN: 9781922930408
- All About the HEART
- Remi Kowalski ill. Tonia Composto
- Berbay Publishing
- ISBN: 9781922610591
- Australia: Country of Colour
- Jess Racklyeft
- Affirm Press
- ISBN: 9781922863881
- Country Town
- Isolde Martyn & Robyn Ridgeway (Illust: Louise Hogan)
- Ford Street Publishing
- ISBN: 9781922696342
- Eww Gross: Foul Facts and Putrid Pictures
- Dan Marshall
- Lost the Plot (an imprint of Pantera Press)
- ISBN: 9780645624564
- Our Country: Where History Happened
- Mark Greenwood (Illust: Frané Lessac)
- Walker Books Australia
- ISBN: 9781760653576
- Tamarra: A Story of Termites on Gurindji Country
- Violet Wadrill, Topsy Dodd Ngarnjal, Leah Leaman, Cecelia Edwards, Cassandra Algy, Felicity Meakins, Briony Barr, Gregory Crocetti
- Hardie Grant Explore
- ISBN: 9781741178302
- This Book Thinks Ya Deadly!
- Corey Tutt (Illust: Molly Hunt)
- Hardie Grant Explore
- ISBN: 9781741178159
2024 Book of the Year Award Shortlist quick references
Please help yourself to any of these handy Shortlist document downloads.
| Category | PDF download | Word document download |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Shortlist book critiques |  (PDF 2.1 Mb.) |  (DOCX 2.4 Mb.) |
| Book of the Year Award Shortlist, complete list | (PDF 238 Kb.) | (DOC. 66 Kb.) |
| 2024 Notable Books critiques 2024 | (PDF 178 Kb.) | blank |
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Happy reading!
Notable Australian Children’s Books 2024, critiques for all 2024 Notable titles. (PDF 17 Mb.)
Book of the Year Award Notables, complete list (PDF 264 Kb.)
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