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]
Year
Author
Title
Publisher
Ref.
1950
Alan J. Villiers , illustrated by Charles Pont
Whalers of the Midnight Sun
Angus and Robertson
[ 6]
1951
Ruth C. Williams , illustrated by Rhys Williams
Verity of Sydney Town
Angus and Robertson
[ 7]
1952
Eve Pownall , illustrated by Margaret Senior
The Australia Book
John Sands
[ 8]
1953
Joan Phipson , illustrated by Margaret Horder
Good Luck to the Rider
Angus and Robertson
[ 9]
1953
James H. Martin and W. D. Martin
Aircraft of Today and Tomorrow
Angus and Robertson
[ 9]
1954
K. Langloh Parker , edited by Henrietta Drake-Brockman , illustrated by Elizabeth Durack
Australian Legendary Tales
Angus and Robertson
[ 10]
1955
Norman B. Tindale and Harold Arthur Lindsay , illustrated by Madeleine Boyce
The First Walkabout
Longmans Green
[ 11]
1956
Patricia Wrightson , illustrated by Margaret Horder
The Crooked Snake
Angus and Robertson
[ 12]
1957
Enid Moodie Heddle (ed.), illustrated by Nancy Parker
The Boomerang Book of Legendary Tales
Longmans Green
[ 13]
1958
Nan Chauncy
Tiger in the Bush
Oxford University Press
[ 14]
1959
Nan Chauncy , illustrated by Geraldine Spence
Devil's Hill
Oxford University Press
[ 15]
John Gunn , illustrated by Brian Keogh
Sea Menace
Constable
[ 15]
Year
Author
Title
Publisher
Ref.
1960
Kylie Tennant , illustrated by Clem Seale
All the Proud Tribesmen
Macmillan
[ 16]
1961
Nan Chauncy , illustrated by Brian Wildsmith
Tangara
Oxford University Press
[ 17]
1962
Joan Woodberry
Rafferty Rides a Winner
M. Parrish, London
[ 18]
L. H. Evers
The Racketty Street Gang
Hodder & Stoughton
[ 18]
1963
Joan Phipson , illustrated by Margaret Horder
The Family Conspiracy
Constable
[ 19]
1964
Eleanor Spence , illustrated by Geraldine Spence
The Green Laurel
Oxford University Press
[ 20]
1965
H. F. Brinsmead , illustrated by Annette Macarthur-Onslow
Pastures of the Blue Crane
Oxford University Press
[ 21]
1966
Ivan Southall , illustrated by Clem Seale
Ash Road
Angus and Robertson
[ 22]
1967
Mavis Thorpe Clark , illustrated by Genevieve Melrose
The Min-Min
Lansdowne Press
[ 23]
1968
Ivan Southall , illustrated by Jennifer Tuckwell
To the Wild Sky
Angus and Robertson
[ 24]
1969
Margaret Balderson , illustrated by Victor G. Ambrus
When Jays Fly to Barbmo
Oxford University Press
[ 25]
^ CBCA Guidelines for Publishers Archived 20 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
^ "Book of the Year" . The West Australian . 13 November 1946. p. 8. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "No Book Award by Society" . The Age . 29 September 1947. p. 4. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ a b "Book Society Award" . Sydney Morning Herald . 16 November 1948. p. 2. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ " "CBCA Book of the Year Awards 1946 onwards" " (PDF) . The Children's Book Council of Australia. Retrieved 13 August 2023 .
^ "New Book Wins Council Award" . Truth . 30 July 1950. p. 44. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "Prizewinner For Children" . Sunday Herald . 5 August 1951. p. 11. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "Children's Book Of The Year: An Australian Classic?" . Sunday Herald . 10 August 1952. p. 11. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ a b "For the Young Reader" . The Age . 5 December 1953. p. 21. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "Australian Legendary Tales by K. Langloh Parker" . Austlit . Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2016 .
^ "The First Walkabout by Norman B. Tindale & Harold Arthur Lindsay" . Austlit . Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016 .
^ "The Crooked Snake by Patricia Wrightson" . Austlit . Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016 .
^ "The Boomerang Book of Legendary Tales edited by Enid Moodie Heddle" . Austlit . Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016 .
^ "Tiger in the Bush by Nan Chauncy" . Austlit . Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016 .
^ a b c "Children's Book of the Year Award Shared" . The Canberra Times . 11 July 1959. p. 11. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2016 .
^ a b "Kylie Tennant Wins Book Of Year Award" . Canberra Times . 11 July 1960. p. 3. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ a b "Children's Book Week" . Canberra Times . 8 July 1961. p. 14. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ a b c "Award Winners" . Canberra Times . 7 July 1962. p. 17. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "The Family Conspiracy by Joan Phipson" . Austlit . Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016 .
^ a b "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" . Canberra Times . 4 July 1964. p. 11. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ a b "Children's book awards" . Canberra Times . 3 July 1965. p. 14. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ a b "The award winners" . Canberra Times . 9 July 1966. p. 12. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "Children's Book Week 1967" . Canberra Times . 8 July 1967. p. 13. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ a b "Children's Book Week" . Canberra Times . 6 July 1968. p. 13. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ a b "Book Council award winners" . Canberra Times . 12 July 1969. p. 16. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "Judges' awards" . The Canberra Times . Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "1971 awards" . The Canberra Times . 10 July 1971. p. 15. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "Children's Book Week" . The Canberra Times . 8 July 1972. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ a b c "The Judges' Report" . Canberra Times . 7 July 1973. p. 11. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "Judges' Report" . Canberra Times . 6 July 1974. p. 11. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "No major award for children's books" . Canberra Times . 26 April 1975. p. 11. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ "1976 children's book awards announced" . Canberra Times . 10 July 1976. p. 3. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ " "CBCA Awards Judges' Report 1977" " (PDF) . CBCA. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ " "CBCA Awards Judges' Report 1978" " (PDF) . CBCA. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ " "CBCA Awards Judges' Report 1979" " (PDF) . CBCA. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ " "Book award to Victorian" " . The Canberrra Times, 12 July 1980, p3. Retrieved 27 August 2023 .
^ " "No Picture Book of Year prize" " . The Canberra Times, 11 July 1981, p9. Retrieved 11 October 2023 .
^ " "1982 Australian Children's Book of the Year Award" " . The Canberra Times, 24 July 1982, p13. Retrieved 16 November 2023 .
^ "Austlit — Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers 1983" . Austlit. Retrieved 21 November 2023 .
^ "Austlit — Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers 1984" . Austlit. Retrieved 21 November 2023 .
^ "Austlit — Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers 1985" . Austlit. Retrieved 21 November 2023 .
^ "Austlit — Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers 1986" . Austlit. Retrieved 21 November 2023 .
^ "Austlit — Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers 1987" . Austlit. Retrieved 9 December 2023 .
^ "Austlit — So Much To Tell You — Awards" . Austlit. Retrieved 23 December 2023 .
^ "Austlit — Beyond the Labyrinth — Awards" . Austlit. Retrieved 23 December 2023 .
^ "Selectors' difficult task" . Canberra Times . 27 July 1991. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ a b " "Carmody, Crew take out book honours" " . The Canberra Times, 21 August 1994, p2. Retrieved 20 June 2024 .
^ a b c d e f g " "CBCA Awards – Winners 2000-2006" " . CBCA. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ " "CBCA – Winners 2007" " . CBCA. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ " "CBCA – Winners 2008" " . CBCA. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ " "CBCA – Winners 2009" " . CBCA. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ " "CBCA – Winners 2010" " . CBCA. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ " "CBCA – Winners 2011" " . CBCA. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ " "CBCA – Winners 2012" " . CBCA. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ " "CBCA – Winners 2013" " . CBCA. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ " "CBCA – Winners 2014" " . CBCA. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ " "CBCA – Winners 2015" " . CBCA. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ " "CBCA – Winners 2016" " . CBCA. Retrieved 20 April 2024 .
^ Convery, Stephanie; Harmon, Steph (17 August 2017). "Claire Zorn's grief-and-surfing story wins children's book of the year award" . The Guardian . ISSN 0261-3077 . Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2017 .
^ "CBCA – Book of the Year Awards 2018" . cbca.org.au . Archived from the original on 3 September 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2018 .
^ "CBCA Awards 2019 winners announced" . Books+Publishing . 16 August 2019. Archived from the original on 16 August 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2019 .
^ "CBCA Book of the Year 2020 winners announced" . Books+Publishing . 16 October 2020. Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 16 October 2020 .
^ "CBCA Book of the Year 2021 winners announced" . Books+Publishing . 21 August 2021. Archived from the original on 20 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021 .
^ "CBCA announces 2022 Book of the Year Awards" . Books+Publishing . 19 August 2022. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022 .
^ "CBCA Book of the Year Awards 2023 winners announced" . Books+Publishing. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023 .
^ Story, Hannah (16 August 2024). " 'It's never been so difficult to get a book into kids' hands': The book prize reaching young people" . ABC News . Retrieved 16 August 2024 .
^ "Australian Book Council Awards" . Canberra Times . 8 July 1967. p. 14. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ a b c d e f "Judges' awards" . Canberra Times . 11 July 1970. p. 16. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ a b c "1971 awards" . Canberra Times . 10 July 1971. p. 15. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .
^ a b "Children's Book Week" . Canberra Times . 8 July 1972. p. 13. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023 .