CBCA Book of the Year Awards Shortlist 2015

The Children's Book Council of Australia do so much to champion the vast number of great children's books that are produced in Australia every year. The annual Book of the Year Awards are so important to highlight the best of these books every year. The Shortlists were announced yesterday.

Some of these books are very much on my radar already, others are completely new to me, and indeed I'm rather thrilled that I've even managed to read some of them so far. I've already bought others and have them lurking in the TBR so now I will move them up towards the top.

Book of the Year: Older Readers Shortlist

Nona & Me - Clare Atkins
Intruder - Christine Bongers
Are You Seeing Me? - Darren Groth
The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl - Melissa Keil
The Minnow - Diana Sweeney
The Protected - Claire Zorn (see my review)

Older Readers Notable Books

Wrath - Anne Davies
Masquerade - Kylie Fornasier
I am Juliet - Jackie French (see my review)
Loyal Creatures - Morris Gleitzman (see my review)
Razorhurst - Justine Larbalestier
The Astrologer's Daughter - Rebecca Lim
Tigers on the Beach - Doug MacLeod
The Crystal Heart - Sophie Masson
Tigerfish - David Metzenthen
The Cracks in the Kingdom - Jaclyn Moriarty
The Year it all Ended - Kristy Murray
As Stars Fall - Christie Nieman
Laurinda - Alice Pung
The Ratcatcher's Daughter - Pamela Rushby
Alexander Altmann A10567 - Suzy Zail


Books of the Year: Younger Readers Shortlist

Two Wolves - Tristan Bancks (see my review)
The Simple Things - Beth Condon, Beth Norling (illustrator) (see my review)
The Cleo Stories: The Necklace and the Present - Libby Gleeson, Freya Blackwood (illustrator)
Bleakboy and Hunter Stand Out in the Rain - Steven Herrick
Figgy in the World - Tamsin Janu
Withering-by-Sea: A Stella Montgomery Intrigue - Judith Rossell (see my review)

Younger Readers Notable Books

The Adventures of Stunt Boy and his Amazing Wonder Dog Blindfold - Lollie Barr
Violet Mackerel's Helpful Suggestion - Anna Branford, Sarah Davis (illustrator)
Ophelia and the Marvellous Boy - Karen Foxlee
Kelsey and the Quest of the Porcelain Doll - Rosanne Hawke
Through My Eyes: Malini - Robert Hillman
A Very Singular Guild Book 3 City of Orphans - Catherine Jinks
Tea and Sugar Christmas - Jane Jolly, Robert Ingpen (illustrator)
Going Bush with Grandpa - Sally Morgan and Ezekiel Kwaymullina, Craig Smith (illustrator)
Roses are Blue - Sally Murphy, Gabriel Evans (illustrator)
Crossing - Catherine Norton
The Firebird Mystery: a Jack Mason Adventure - Darrell Pitt
The Ratcatcher's Daughter - Pamela Rushby
Truly Tan Freaked - Jen Storer, Claire Robertson (illustrator)
The Mapmaker Chronicles: Race to the End of the World - A.L. Tait
Paper Planes - Allayne L Webster

Book of the Year: Early Childhood Shortlist

Pig the Pug - Aaron Blabey (see my review)
Scary Night - Lesley Gibbes, Stephen Michael King (illustrator)
Go To Sleep, Jessie! - Libby Gleeson, Freya Blackwood (illustrator)
A House of Her Own - Jenny Hughes, Jonathan Bentley (illustrator)
Snail and Turtle are Friends - Stephen Michael King
Noni the Pony Goes to the Beach - Alison Lester

Early Childhood Notable Books

Baby Beats - Karen Blair
Monster Chef - Nick Bland
My Dad is a Bear - Nicola Connelly, Annie White (illustrator)
Bridie's Boots - Phil Cummings, Sara Acton (illustrator)
Tim and Ed - Ursula Dubosarsky, Andrew Joyner (illustrator)
B is for Bedtime - Margaret Hamilton, Anna Pignataro (illustrator)
Our Island - Alison Lester, Elizabeth Honey (illustrator)
Max - Marc Martin
One Night - Penny Matthews, Stephen Michael King (illustrator)
Kick with My Left Foot - Paul Seden, Karen Briggs (illustrator)
Big Pet Day - Lisa Shanahan, Gus Gordon (illustrator)
Whale in the Bath - Kylie Westaway, Tom Jellett (illustrator)

Picture Book of the Year Shortlist

Rivertime - Trace Bella (see my review)
My Two Blankets - Freya Blackwood (illustrator), Irena Kobald (text) (see my review)
One Minute's Silence - Michael Camilleri (illustrator), David Metzenthen (text) (see my review)
The Duck and the Darklings - Stephen Michael King (illustrator), Glenda Millard (text)
The Stone Lion - Ritva Voutila (illustrator), Margaret Wild (text) (see my review)
Fire - Bruce Whatley (illustrator), Jackie French (text) (see my review)

Picture Books Notable Books

The Amazing A to Z Thing - Bronwyn Bancroft (illustrator), Sally Morgan (text)
A House of Her Own - Jonathan Bentley (illustrator), Jenny Hughes (text)
The Brothers Quibble - Aaron Blabey (see my review)
Hello from Nowhere - Karen Blair (illustrator), Raewyn Caisley (text)
Top Dog - Rod Clement
Vanilla Ice Cream - Bob Graham
Tea and Sugar Christmas - Robert Ingpen (illustrator), Jane Jolly (text)
Once a Shepherd - Phil Lesnie (illustrator), Glenda Millard (text)
Along the Road to Gundagai - Andrew McLean (illustrator), Jack O'Hagan (dec) (text)
The Wild One - Lucia Masciullo (illustrator), Sonya Hartnett (text)
I Was Only Nineteen - Craig Smith (illustrator), John Schumann (text)
Outside - Ritva Voutila (illustrator), Libby Hathorn (text)

Eve Pownall Award for Information Books Shortlist

A-Z of Convicts in Van Diemen's Land - Simon Barnard
Coming of Age: Growing Up Muslim in Australia - Demet Divaroren and Amra Pajalic (editors)
Mary's Australia: How Mary Mackillop Changed Australia - Pamela Freeman
Tea and Sugar Christmas - Jane Jolly, Robert Ingpen (illustrator)
Emu - Claire Saxby, Graham Byrne (illustrator)
Audacity: Stories of Heroic Australians in Wartime - Carlie Walker, Brett Fatherly (illustrator)

Eve Pownall Award Notable Books

Australian Federation: One People, One Destiny - Net Brennan
Meet Douglas Mawson - Mike Dumbleton, Snip Green (illustrator)
Australia's Greatest Landmarks & Locations - Virginia Grant
Midnight: The Story of a Light Horse - Mark Greenwood, Frané Lessac (illustrator)
Our Island - The Children of Gununa with Alison Lester, Elizabeth Honey (illustrator)
One Minute's Silence - David Metzenthen (text), Michael Camilleri (illustrator) (see my review)
The Soldier's Gift - Tony Palmer, Jane Tanner (illustrator)
The Poppy - Andrew Plant
Emily Eases Her Wheezes - Katrina Roe, Leigh Hedstrom (illustrator)
The Afghanistan Pup - Mark Wilson

Crichton Award for New Illustrators Shortlist

Rivertime - Trace Balla (see my review)
Kick with My Left Foot -  Karen Briggs (illustrator), Paul Seden (text)
One Minute's Silence - Michael Camilleri (illustrator), David Metzenthen (text) (see my review)
Little Dog and the Christmas Wish - Corinne Fenton (illustrator), Robin Cowcher (text) (see my review)
Meet Douglas Mawson - Snip Green (illustrator), Mike Dumbleton (text)
The Lost Girl - Leanne Tobin (illustrator), Ambelin Kwaymullina (text)

I've somewhat randomly picked my winners before reading all the books, by cover alone, or if I've read one book in the category. Last year I picked 50% this way...

The winners will be announced at Noon on Friday August 21 at the start of Children's Book Week (August 22-28). The theme this year is Books Light Up Our World.

I will be trying to read as many as I can before August.

See my post with CBCA Book of the Year Winners 2015.