Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers explained

Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers
Awarded For:	Outstanding Australian books (fiction, drama, illustrated text, poetry or graphic novels) for 13–18-year olds
Presenter:	Children's Book Council of Australia
Country:	Australia
Year:	1946
Website:	http://www.cbca.org.au/

The Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers has been presented annually since 1946 by the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA). Note: from 1946 to 1986 this award was known as "Book of the Year".

The Award "will be made to outstanding books of fiction, drama, or poetry which require of the reader a degree of maturity to appreciate the topics, themes and scope of emotional involvement. Generally, books in this category will be appropriate in style and content for readers in their secondary years of schooling."^[1]

Award winners

1940s

Year	Author	Title	Publisher	Ref.
1946	, illustrated by Walter Cunningham		John Sands	^[2]
1947	No award			^[3]
1948		Shackleton's Argonauts A Saga of the Antarctic Icepacks	Angus and Robertson	^[4]
1949	No competition			^[5]

1950s

Year	Author	Title	Publisher	Ref.
1950	, illustrated by Charles Pont	Whalers of the Midnight Sun	Angus and Robertson	^[6]
1951	, illustrated by Rhys Williams	Verity of Sydney Town	Angus and Robertson	^[7]
1952	, illustrated by Margaret Senior		John Sands	^[8]
1953	, illustrated by Margaret Horder	Good Luck to the Rider	Angus and Robertson	^[9]
1953	and W. D. Martin	Aircraft of Today and Tomorrow	Angus and Robertson
1954	, edited by Henrietta Drake-Brockman, illustrated by Elizabeth Durack	Australian Legendary Tales	Angus and Robertson	^[10]
1955	and Harold Arthur Lindsay, illustrated by Madeleine Boyce		Longmans Green	^[11]
1956	, illustrated by Margaret Horder		Angus and Robertson	^[12]
1957	(ed.), illustrated by Nancy Parker		Longmans Green	^[13]
1958		Tiger in the Bush	Oxford University Press	^[14]
1959	, illustrated by Geraldine Spence	Devil's Hill	Oxford University Press	^[15]
	, illustrated by Brian Keogh	Sea Menace	Constable

1960s

Year	Author	Title	Publisher	Ref.
1960	, illustrated by Clem Seale	All the Proud Tribesmen	Macmillan	^[16]
1961	, illustrated by Brian Wildsmith	Tangara	Oxford University Press	^[17]
1962		Rafferty Rides a Winner	M. Parrish, London	^[18]
			Hodder & Stoughton
1963	, illustrated by Margaret Horder		Constable	^[19]
1964	, illustrated by Geraldine Spence		Oxford University Press	^[20]
1965	, illustrated by Annette Macarthur-Onslow	Pastures of the Blue Crane	Oxford University Press	^[21]
1966	, illustrated by Clem Seale	Ash Road	Angus and Robertson	^[22]
1967	, illustrated by Genevieve Melrose		Lansdowne Press	^[23]
1968	, illustrated by Jennifer Tuckwell	To the Wild Sky	Angus and Robertson	^[24]
1969	, illustrated by Victor G. Ambrus	When Jays Fly to Barbmo	Oxford University Press	^[25]

1970s

Year	Author	Title	Publisher	Ref.
1970		Uhu	Ure Smith	^[26]
1971		Bread and Honey	Angus and Robertson	^[27]
1972		Longtime Passing	Angus and Robertson	^[28]
1973	, illustrated by Robert Micklewright	Family at the Lookout	Oxford University Press	^[29]
1974			Hutchinson	^[30]
1975	No award			^[31]
1976		Fly West	Angus and Robertson	^[32]
1977	, illustrated by Malcolm Green		Oxford University Press	^[33]
1978			Hutchinson	^[34]
1979	, illustrated by Marianne Yamaguchi		Hodder and Stoughton	^[35]

1980s

Year	Author	Title	Publisher	Ref.
1980		Displaced Person	Hyland House	^[36]
1981		Playing Beatie Bow	Nelson Books	^[37]
1982			Opal Books	^[38]
1983		Master of the Grove	Kestrel Books	^[39]
1984			Hutchinson	^[40]
1985			Hyland House	^[41]
1986			Rigby	^[42]
1987		All We Know	Angus and Robertson	^[43]
1988		So Much to Tell You	Joy Street Books	^[44]
1989		Beyond the Labyrinth	Hyland House	^[45]

1990s

Year	Author	Title	Publisher	Ref.
1990		Came Back to Show You I Could Fly	Viking Books
1991		Strange Objects	Heinemann	^[46]
1992			Viking Books
1993		Looking for Alibrandi	Puffin Books
1994			Penguin Books	^[47]
		Angel's Gate	Heinemann
1995		Foxspell	Hyland House
1996		Pagan's Vows	Omnibus Books
1997			University of Queensland Press
1998		Eye to Eye	Puffin Books
1999		Deadly, Unna?	Penguin Books

2000s

Year	Author	Title	Publisher	Ref
2000		48 Shades of Brown	Penguin Books	^[48]
2001		Wolf on the Fold	Allen and Unwin
2002		Forest	Viking Books
2003			Macmillan Publishers
2004		Saving Francesca	Viking Books
2005			Omnibus Books
2006			Random House
2007		Red Spikes	Allen and Unwin	^[49]
2008		The Ghost's Child	Viking Books	^[50]
2009		Tales from Outer Suburbia	Allen and Unwin	^[51]

2010s

Year	Author	Title	Publisher	Ref.
2010		Jarvis 24	Penguin Group	^[52]
2011			Viking Books	^[53]
2012			Allen & Unwin	^[54]
2013		Sea Hearts	Allen & Unwin	^[55]
2014		Wildlife	Pan MacMillan	^[56]
2015			University of Queensland Press	^[57]
2016		Cloudwish	Macmillan Australia	^[58]
2017		One Would Think the Deep	University of Queensland Press	^[59]
2018	, Fiona Wood, and Simmone Howell	Take Three Girls	Pan Macmillan	^[60]
2019		Between Us	Black Inc.	^[61]

2020s

Year	Author	Title	Publisher	Ref.
2020		This Is How We Change the Ending	Text Publishing	^[62]
2021			Text Publishing	^[63]
2022		Tiger Daughter	Allen & Unwin	^[64]
2023		Neverlanders	Penguin Random House	^[65]
2024	Karen Comer	Grace Notes	Lothian Children’s Books	^[66]

Commended books

1940s

Year	Author	Title	Publisher
1948		Ponny the Penguin	Australasian Publishing Co.
		Beetles A'Hoy!	Paterson's Press
	and W. D. Martin		Angus and Robertson
		Bush Cobbers	Australasian Publishing Co.
			John Sands

1950s

Year	Author	Title	Publisher	Ref.
1959			Hutchinson
		Australian and New Zealand Ships of Today	Angus and Robertson
		Exploring Australia	Methuen
			Angus and Robertson

1960s

Year	Author	Title	Publisher	Ref.
1960		Anzac Adventure	Angus and Robertson
			Oxford University Press
	and H. A. Lindsay	Rangatira	Rigby
1961		Doctor With Wings	Brockhampton
		Silver Brumby's Daughter	Hutchinson
		Lillipilly Hill	Oxford University Press
1962			Ure Smith
			Bodley Head
		Sun on the Stubble	Rigby
1964			Oxford University Press
		Threat to the Barkers	Angus and Robertson
		Storm Boy	Rigby
1965		High and Haunted Island	Oxford University Press
			Nelson
			Writers' Press
		Winged Skis	Hutchinson
			Angus and Robertson
		Jamie's Summer Visitor	Bodley Head
1966		By the Sandhills of Yamboorah	Deutsch
		Indonesian Journey	Lansdowne Press
			Oxford University Press
		February Dragon	Rigby
1967			Hicks Smith	^[67]
			Deutsch
		Cocky's Castle	Angus and Robertson
1968			Oxford University Press
		Mathinna's People	Oxford University Press
		Blue Above the Trees	Lansdowne
			Hicks Smith
		Midnite	F. W. Cheshire
1969			Angus and Robertson
		Wood, Wire and Fabric	Lansdowne
		Cricket the Australian Way	Lansdowne
		Wandjina: Children of the Dream Time	Jacaranda
		Let the Balloon Go	Methuen Hicks Smith
		Children of the Desert	Nelson
		I Own the Racecourse	Hutchinson

1970s

Year	Author	Title	Publisher	Ref.
1970		Over the Bridge	Hutchinson	^[68]
		Six Days Between a Second	Heinemann
			Collins
		Ombley-Gombley	Angus and Robertson
		Finn's Folly	Angus and Robertson
		Blue Fin	Rigby
1971		James Cook, Royal Navy	Angus and Robertson	^[69]
			Angus and Robertson
		Climb a Lonely Hill	Collins
1972		Hughie	Nelson	^[70]
			Brockhampton Press
1973		Everyday Inventions	Hutchinson
			Angus and Robertson

See also

• List of CBCA Awards
• List of Australian literary awards

External links

• CBCA Awards History

Notes and References

1. http://cbca.org.au/docs/publisher%20guidelines.pdf CBCA Guidelines for Publishers
2. News: 13 November 1946 . Book of the Year . 8 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204356/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/46183607 . live .
3. News: 29 September 1947 . No Book Award by Society . 4 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204406/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206044618 . live .
4. News: 16 November 1948 . Book Society Award . 2 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204401/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18099028 . live .
5. Web site: "CBCA Book of the Year Awards 1946 onwards" . The Children's Book Council of Australia. 13 August 2023.
6. News: 30 July 1950 . New Book Wins Council Award . 44 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204355/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/167980570 . live .
7. News: 5 August 1951 . Prizewinner For Children . 11 . Sunday Herald . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204414/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18495337 . live .
8. News: 10 August 1952 . Children's Book Of The Year: An Australian Classic? . 11 . Sunday Herald . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204402/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/18515643 . live .
9. News: 5 December 1953 . For the Young Reader . 21 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204414/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/206911475 . live .
10. Web site: Australian Legendary Tales by K. Langloh Parker . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160507084048/http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C423598 . 7 May 2016 . 29 April 2016 . Austlit.
11. Web site: The First Walkabout by Norman B. Tindale & Harold Arthur Lindsay . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160507105037/http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C151032 . 7 May 2016 . 2 May 2016 . Austlit.
12. Web site: The Crooked Snake by Patricia Wrightson . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160507050442/http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C385140 . 7 May 2016 . 2 May 2016 . Austlit.
13. Web site: The Boomerang Book of Legendary Tales edited by Enid Moodie Heddle . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160507090108/http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C181347 . 7 May 2016 . 2 May 2016 . Austlit.
14. Web site: Tiger in the Bush by Nan Chauncy . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160507095717/http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C3676 . 7 May 2016 . 2 May 2016 . Austlit.
15. Web site: 11 July 1959 . Children's Book of the Year Award Shared . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204417/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/114847166 . 7 March 2023 . 26 April 2016 . . 11.
16. News: 11 July 1960 . Kylie Tennant Wins Book Of Year Award . 3 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204359/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/137118152 . live .
17. News: 8 July 1961 . Children's Book Week . 14 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204412/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/130716863 . live .
18. News: 7 July 1962 . Award Winners . 17 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204400/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/131726266 . live .
19. Web site: The Family Conspiracy by Joan Phipson . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160610233420/http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C147561 . 10 June 2016 . 30 May 2016 . Austlit.
20. News: 4 July 1964 . K. Masterman Reviews The Award Winner And Highly Commended Books In The Australian Children's Book Council's 1964 Selections Book Of The Year By Eleanor Spence . 11 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204416/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/105832295 . live .
21. News: 3 July 1965 . Children's book awards . 14 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204411/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/105758938 . live .
22. News: 9 July 1966 . The award winners . 12 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204357/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/107880852 . live .
23. News: 8 July 1967 . Children's Book Week 1967 . 13 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204358/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/106965786 . live .
24. News: 6 July 1968 . Children's Book Week . 13 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204426/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/107061241 . live .
25. News: 12 July 1969 . Book Council award winners . 16 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204401/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/136943729 . live .
26. Web site: Judges' awards . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204358/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110331635 . 2023-03-07 . 2023-03-08 . The Canberra Times.
27. Web site: 10 July 1971 . 1971 awards . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204408/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110666933 . 2023-03-07 . 2023-03-08 . . 15.
28. Web site: 8 July 1972 . Children's Book Week . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204350/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/101993472 . 2023-03-07 . 2023-03-08 . The Canberra Times.
29. News: 7 July 1973 . The Judges' Report . 11 . . 2023-03-08.
30. News: 6 July 1974 . Judges' Report . 11 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204358/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110718249 . live .
31. News: 26 April 1975 . No major award for children's books . 11 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204349/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/116344404 . live .
32. News: 10 July 1976 . 1976 children's book awards announced . 3 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204352/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110816752 . live .
33. Web site: "CBCA Awards Judges' Report 1977" . CBCA. 20 April 2024.
34. Web site: "CBCA Awards Judges' Report 1978" . CBCA. 20 April 2024.
35. Web site: "CBCA Awards Judges' Report 1979" . CBCA. 20 April 2024.
36. Web site: "Book award to Victorian" . The Canberrra Times, 12 July 1980, p3. 27 August 2023.
37. Web site: "No Picture Book of Year prize" . The Canberra Times, 11 July 1981, p9. 11 October 2023.
38. Web site: "1982 Australian Children's Book of the Year Award" . The Canberra Times, 24 July 1982, p13. 16 November 2023.
39. Web site: Austlit — Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers 1983 . Austlit. 21 November 2023.
40. Web site: Austlit — Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers 1984 . Austlit. 21 November 2023.
41. Web site: Austlit — Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers 1985 . Austlit. 21 November 2023.
42. Web site: Austlit — Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers 1986 . Austlit. 21 November 2023.
43. Web site: Austlit — Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers 1987 . Austlit. 9 December 2023.
44. Web site: Austlit — So Much To Tell You — Awards . Austlit. 23 December 2023.
45. Web site: Austlit — Beyond the Labyrinth — Awards . Austlit. 23 December 2023.
46. News: 27 July 1991 . Selectors' difficult task . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204358/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/122373476 . live .
47. Web site: "Carmody, Crew take out book honours" . The Canberra Times, 21 August 1994, p2. 20 June 2024.
48. Web site: "CBCA Awards – Winners 2000-2006" . CBCA. 20 April 2024.
49. Web site: "CBCA – Winners 2007" . CBCA. 20 April 2024.
50. Web site: "CBCA – Winners 2008" . CBCA. 20 April 2024.
51. Web site: "CBCA – Winners 2009" . CBCA. 20 April 2024.
52. Web site: "CBCA – Winners 2010" . CBCA. 20 April 2024.
53. Web site: "CBCA – Winners 2011" . CBCA. 20 April 2024.
54. Web site: "CBCA – Winners 2012" . CBCA. 20 April 2024.
55. Web site: "CBCA – Winners 2013" . CBCA. 20 April 2024.
56. Web site: "CBCA – Winners 2014" . CBCA. 20 April 2024.
57. Web site: "CBCA – Winners 2015" . CBCA. 20 April 2024.
58. Web site: "CBCA – Winners 2016" . CBCA. 20 April 2024.
59. News: Convery . Stephanie . Harmon . Steph . 17 August 2017 . Claire Zorn's grief-and-surfing story wins children's book of the year award . The Guardian . live . 18 August 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190816192029/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/aug/18/claire-zorns-grief-and-surfing-story-wins-childrens-book-of-the-year-award . 16 August 2019 . 0261-3077.
60. Web site: CBCA – Book of the Year Awards 2018 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180903135412/https://cbca.org.au/winners-2018 . 3 September 2018 . 28 August 2018 . cbca.org.au.
61. Web site: 16 August 2019 . CBCA Awards 2019 winners announced . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190816183834/https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2019/08/16/137855/cbca-awards-2019-winners-announced/ . 16 August 2019 . 2019-08-16 . Books+Publishing . en-AU.
62. Web site: 16 October 2020 . CBCA Book of the Year 2020 winners announced . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201017014533/https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2020/10/16/158101/cbca-book-of-the-year-2020-winners-announced/ . 17 October 2020 . 2020-10-16 . Books+Publishing . en-AU.
63. Web site: 21 August 2021 . CBCA Book of the Year 2021 winners announced . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210820025648/https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2021/08/20/191847/cbca-book-of-the-year-2021-winners-announced/ . 20 August 2021 . 2021-08-20 . Books+Publishing . en-AU.
64. Web site: 19 August 2022 . CBCA announces 2022 Book of the Year Awards . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220819021253/https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2022/08/19/219322/cbca-announces-2022-book-of-the-year-awards/ . 19 August 2022 . 2022-08-19 . Books+Publishing . en-AU.
65. Web site: 18 August 2023 . CBCA Book of the Year Awards 2023 winners announced . 2023-08-19 . Books+Publishing.
66. News: Story . Hannah . 2024-08-16 . 'It's never been so difficult to get a book into kids' hands': The book prize reaching young people . 2024-08-16 . ABC News . en-AU.
67. News: 8 July 1967 . Australian Book Council Awards . 14 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204436/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/106965787 . live .
68. News: 11 July 1970 . Judges' awards . 16 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204358/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110331635 . live .
69. News: 10 July 1971 . 1971 awards . 15 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204408/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110666933 . live .
70. News: 8 July 1972 . Children's Book Week . 13 . . 2023-03-08 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307204350/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/101993472 . live .