The Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers is a special prize given every year in Australia. It celebrates amazing books written for young people aged 13 to 18. The Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has been giving out this award since 1946. For many years, from 1946 to 1986, it was simply called "Book of the Year."
This award looks for outstanding books that tell stories, plays, or poems. These books often have deeper topics and themes that require readers to think more maturely. They are usually perfect for students in high school.
Award winners
1940s
1950s
| Year |
Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| 1950 |
Villiers, Alan J.Alan J. Villiers, illustrated by Charles Pont |
Whalers of the Midnight Sun |
Angus and Robertson |
| 1951 |
Williams, Ruth C.Ruth C. Williams, illustrated by Rhys Williams |
Verity of Sydney Town |
Angus and Robertson |
| 1952 |
Pownall, EveEve Pownall, illustrated by Margaret Senior |
Australia Book, TheThe Australia Book |
John Sands |
| 1953 |
Phipson, JoanJoan Phipson, illustrated by Margaret Horder |
Good Luck to the Rider |
Angus and Robertson |
| 1953 |
Martin, James H.James H. Martin and W. D. Martin |
Aircraft of Today and Tomorrow |
Angus and Robertson |
| 1954 |
Parker, K. LanglohK. Langloh Parker, edited by Henrietta Drake-Brockman, illustrated by Elizabeth Durack |
Australian Legendary Tales |
Angus and Robertson |
| 1955 |
Tindale, Norman B.Norman B. Tindale and Harold Arthur Lindsay, illustrated by Madeleine Boyce |
First Walkabout, TheThe First Walkabout |
Longmans Green |
| 1956 |
Wrightson, PatriciaPatricia Wrightson, illustrated by Margaret Horder |
Crooked Snake, TheThe Crooked Snake |
Angus and Robertson |
| 1957 |
Heddle, Enid MoodieEnid Moodie Heddle (ed.), illustrated by Nancy Parker |
Boomerang Book of Legendary Tales, TheThe Boomerang Book of Legendary Tales |
Longmans Green |
| 1958 |
Chauncy, NanNan Chauncy |
Tiger in the Bush |
Oxford University Press |
| 1959 |
Chauncy, NanNan Chauncy, illustrated by Geraldine Spence |
Devil's Hill |
Oxford University Press |
| Gunn, JohnJohn Gunn, illustrated by Brian Keogh |
Sea Menace |
Constable |
1960s
| Year |
Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| 1960 |
Tennant, KylieKylie Tennant, illustrated by Clem Seale |
All the Proud Tribesmen |
Macmillan |
| 1961 |
Chauncy, NanNan Chauncy, illustrated by Brian Wildsmith |
Tangara |
Oxford University Press |
| 1962 |
Woodberry, JoanJoan Woodberry |
Rafferty Rides a Winner |
M. Parrish, London |
| Evers, L. H.L. H. Evers |
Racketty Street Gang, TheThe Racketty Street Gang |
Hodder & Stoughton |
| 1963 |
Phipson, JoanJoan Phipson, illustrated by Margaret Horder |
Family Conspiracy, TheThe Family Conspiracy |
Constable |
| 1964 |
Spence, EleanorEleanor Spence, illustrated by Geraldine Spence |
Green Laurel, TheThe Green Laurel |
Oxford University Press |
| 1965 |
Brinsmead, H. F.H. F. Brinsmead, illustrated by Annette Macarthur-Onslow |
Pastures of the Blue Crane |
Oxford University Press |
| 1966 |
Southall, IvanIvan Southall, illustrated by Clem Seale |
Ash Road |
Angus and Robertson |
| 1967 |
Clark, Mavis ThorpeMavis Thorpe Clark, illustrated by Genevieve Melrose |
Min-Min, TheThe Min-Min |
Lansdowne Press |
| 1968 |
Southall, IvanIvan Southall, illustrated by Jennifer Tuckwell |
To the Wild Sky |
Angus and Robertson |
| 1969 |
Balderson, MargaretMargaret Balderson, illustrated by Victor G. Ambrus |
When Jays Fly to Barbmo |
Oxford University Press |
1970s
| Year |
Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| 1970 |
Macarthur-Onslow, AnnetteAnnette Macarthur-Onslow |
Uhu |
Ure Smith |
| 1971 |
Southall, IvanIvan Southall |
Bread and Honey |
Angus and Robertson |
| 1972 |
Brinsmead, H. F.H. F. Brinsmead |
Longtime Passing |
Angus and Robertson |
| 1973 |
Shelley, NoreenNoreen Shelley, illustrated by Robert Micklewright |
Family at the Lookout |
Oxford University Press |
| 1974 |
Wrightson, PatriciaPatricia Wrightson |
Nargun and the Stars, TheThe Nargun and the Stars |
Hutchinson |
| 1975 |
No award |
| 1976 |
Southall, IvanIvan Southall |
Fly West |
Angus and Robertson |
| 1977 |
Spence, EleanorEleanor Spence, illustrated by Malcolm Green |
The October Child |
Oxford University Press |
| 1978 |
Wrightson, PatriciaPatricia Wrightson |
The Ice is Coming |
Hutchinson |
| 1979 |
Manley, RuthRuth Manley, illustrated by Marianne Yamaguchi |
Plum-Rain Scroll, TheThe Plum-Rain Scroll |
Hodder and Stoughton |
1980s
| Year |
Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| 1980 |
Harding, LeeLee Harding |
Displaced Person |
Hyland House |
| 1981 |
Park, RuthRuth Park |
Playing Beatie Bow |
Nelson Books |
| 1982 |
Thiele, ColinColin Thiele |
Valley Between, TheThe Valley Between |
Opal Books |
| 1983 |
Kelleher, VictorVictor Kelleher |
Master of the Grove |
Kestrel Books |
| 1984 |
Wrightson, PatriciaPatricia Wrightson |
Little Fear, AA Little Fear |
Hutchinson |
| 1985 |
Aldridge, JamesJames Aldridge |
True Story of Lilli Stubeck, TheThe True Story of Lilli Stubeck |
Hyland House |
| 1986 |
Fowler, ThurleyThurley Fowler |
Green Wind, TheThe Green Wind |
Rigby |
| 1987 |
French, SimonSimon French |
All We Know |
Angus and Robertson |
| 1988 |
Marsden, JohnJohn Marsden |
So Much to Tell You |
Joy Street Books |
| 1989 |
Rubinstein, GillianGillian Rubinstein |
Beyond the Labyrinth |
Hyland House |
1990s
| Year |
Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| 1990 |
Klein, RobinRobin Klein |
Came Back to Show You I Could Fly |
Viking Books |
| 1991 |
Crew, GaryGary Crew |
Strange Objects |
Heinemann |
| 1992 |
Nilsson, EleanorEleanor Nilsson |
House Guest, TheThe House Guest |
Viking Books |
| 1993 |
Marchetta, MelinaMelina Marchetta |
Looking for Alibrandi |
Puffin Books |
| 1994 |
Carmody, IsobelleIsobelle Carmody |
Gathering, TheThe Gathering |
Penguin Books |
| Crew, GaryGary Crew |
Angel's Gate |
Heinemann |
| 1995 |
Rubinstein, GillianGillian Rubinstein |
Foxspell |
Hyland House |
| 1996 |
Jinks, CatherineCatherine Jinks |
Pagan's Vows |
Omnibus Books |
| 1997 |
Moloney, JamesJames Moloney |
Bridge to Wiseman's Cove, AA Bridge to Wiseman's Cove |
University of Queensland Press |
| 1998 |
Jinks, CatherineCatherine Jinks |
Eye to Eye |
Puffin Books |
| 1999 |
Gwynne, PhillipPhillip Gwynne |
Deadly, Unna? |
Penguin Books |
2000s
| Year |
Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| 2000 |
Earls, NickNick Earls |
48 Shades of Brown |
Penguin Books |
| 2001 |
Clarke, JudithJudith Clarke |
Wolf on the Fold |
Allen and Unwin |
| 2002 |
Hartnett, SonyaSonya Hartnett |
Forest |
Viking Books |
| 2003 |
Zusak, MarkusMarkus Zusak |
Messenger , TheThe Messenger |
Macmillan Publishers |
| 2004 |
Marchetta, MelinaMelina Marchetta |
Saving Francesca |
Viking Books |
| 2005 |
Bauer, Michael GerardMichael Gerard Bauer |
Running Man, TheThe Running Man |
Omnibus Books |
| 2006 |
Burke, J. C.J. C. Burke |
Story of Tom Brennan, TheThe Story of Tom Brennan |
Random House |
| 2007 |
Lanagan, MargoMargo Lanagan |
Red Spikes |
Allen and Unwin |
| 2008 |
Hartnett, SonyaSonya Hartnett |
The Ghost's Child |
Viking Books |
| 2009 |
Tan, ShaunShaun Tan |
Tales from Outer Suburbia |
Allen and Unwin |
2010s
| Year |
Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| 2010 |
Metzenthen, DavidDavid Metzenthen |
Jarvis 24 |
Penguin Group |
| 2011 |
Hartnett, SonyaSonya Hartnett |
Midnight Zoo, TheThe Midnight Zoo |
Viking Books |
| 2012 |
Gardner, ScotScot Gardner |
Dead I Know, TheThe Dead I Know |
Allen & Unwin |
| 2013 |
Lanagan, MargoMargo Lanagan |
Sea Hearts |
Allen & Unwin |
| 2014 |
Wood, FionaFiona Wood |
Wildlife |
Pan MacMillan |
| 2015 |
Zorn, ClaireClaire Zorn |
Protected, TheThe Protected |
University of Queensland Press |
| 2016 |
Wood, FionaFiona Wood |
Cloudwish |
Macmillan Australia |
| 2017 |
Zorn, ClaireClaire Zorn |
One Would Think the Deep |
University of Queensland Press |
| 2018 |
Crowley, CathCath Crowley, Fiona Wood, and Simmone Howell |
Take Three Girls |
Pan Macmillan |
| 2019 |
Atkins, ClareClare Atkins |
Between Us |
Black Inc. |
2020s
| Year |
Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| 2020 |
Wakefield, VikkiVikki Wakefield |
This Is How We Change the Ending |
Text Publishing |
| 2021 |
Bell, DavinaDavina Bell |
End of the World is Bigger than Love, TheThe End of the World is Bigger than Love |
Text Publishing |
| 2022 |
Lim, RebeccaRebecca Lim |
Tiger Daughter |
Allen & Unwin |
| 2023 |
Taylor, TomTom Taylor |
Neverlanders |
Penguin Random House |
| 2024 |
Karen Comer |
Grace Notes |
Lothian Children’s Books |
See also
