INSIDE THE CBCA 2024 SHORTLIST
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Shortlisted Books for 2024 have been announced.
Follow the links to those books I have already reviewed, or interviewed the author or illustrator, at PaperbarkWords blog. I will add to this list until the winners are announced in August.
Also see the 2024 NOTABLE BOOKS at PaperbarkWords
To the authors, illustrators and publishers – apologies if I don’t feature your book. It is most likely because I haven’t been able to access a copy.
Congratulations to those creators who have been shortlisted. Sincere commiserations to those who have created great books but have missed out on these awards.
BOOK OF THE YEAR:
EARLY CHILDHOOD
The Concrete Garden by Bob Graham (Walker Books Australia) One of my 6 best books of 2023 in the Weekend Australian (behind the paywall). Read my comments in Supplementary resources at the end of this post)
One Little Duck by Katrina Germein, ill. Danny Snell (HarperCollins Publishers) My review as part of an extended survey (scroll down).
Grace and Mr Milligan by Caz Goodwin, ill. Pip Kruger (Marshall Cavendish International) Guest author post
Gymnastica Fantastica! by Briony Stewart (Lothian Children’s Books)
Can You Teach a Fish to Climb a Tree? by Jane Godwin
ill. Terry Denton (Bright Light an imprint of Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing)
Bear and Duck are Friends by Sue deGennaro (Little Hare)
Additional reviews or material about books on this list to feature soon
PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR
NOTE: SOME OF THESE BOOKS MAY BE FOR MATURE READERS.
Bowerbird Blues by Aura Parker (Scholastic Australia) Guest author/illustrator post
If I Was a Horse by Sophie Blackall (Lothian Children’s Books) Review coming soon
Every Night at Midnight by Peter Cheong (Affirm Press)
Timeless by Kelly Canby (Fremantle Press)
Paper-flower Girl by Mateja Jager
text. Margrete Lamond (Dirt Lane Press, an imprint of WestWords)
That Bird Has Arms by Ronojoy Ghosh & Niharika Hukku
text. Kate Temple & Jol Temple (Little Hare an imprint of Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing)
Additional reviews or material about books on this list to feature soon
BOOK OF THE YEAR:
OLDER READERS
Two Can Play That Game by Leanne Yong (A & U Children) Author interview
Let’s Never Speak of This Again by Megan Williams (Text Publishing) Guest author post
Grace Notes by Karen Comer (Lothian Children’s Books) Book review coming soon
Inkflower by Suzy Zail (Walker Books Australia)
A Hunger of Thorns by Lili Wilkinson (A & U Children)
The Quiet and the Loud by Helena Fox (Pan Macmillan Australia)
Additional reviews or material about books on this list to feature soon
BOOK OF THE YEAR:
YOUNGER READERS
Being Jimmy Baxter by Fiona Lloyd (Puffin AU) Guest author post
Scar Town by Tristan Bancks (Puffin AU) Book review and teacher notes by Joy Lawn
Huda Was Here by H. Hayek (A & U Children)
The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart by Samera Kamaleddine (HarperCollins Publishers)
Scout and the Rescue Dogs by Dianne Wolfer
ill. Tony Flowers (Walker Books Australia)
Real Pigeons Flap Out by Andrew McDonald
ill. Ben Wood (Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing)
Additional reviews or material about books on this list to feature soon
EVE POWNALL AWARD
NOTE: SOME BOOKS IN THIS CATEGORY ARE FOR MATURE READERS AND SOME MAY DEAL WITH PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING THEMES INCLUDING VIOLENCE AND SUICIDE. PARENTAL GUIDANCE IS RECOMMENDED.
Australia: Country of Colour by Jess Racklyeft (Affirm Press) My review as part of an extended survey (scroll down).
Our Country: Where History Happened by Mark Greenwood
ill. Frané Lessac (Walker Books Australia)
Tamarra by Violet Wadrill, Topsy Dodd Ngarnjal, Leah Leaman, Cecelia Edwards, Cassandra Algy, Felicity Meakins, Briony Barr, Gregory Crocetti (Hardie Grant Explore)
This Book Thinks Ya Deadly! by Corey Tutt
ill. Molly Hunt (Hardie Grant Explore)
Country Town by Isolde Martyn & Robyn Ridgeway
ill. Louise Hogan (Ford Street Publishing)
Eww Gross: Foul Facts and Putrid Pictures by Dan Marshall (Lost the Plot an imprint of Pantera Press)
Additional reviews or material about books on this list to feature soon
******
The 2024 CBCA winners will be announced in Book Week in August.
Thank you to the publishers who have kindly sent me review copies and to the authors and illustrators who have responded so generously by answering interview questions and writing about their books.
*****
SUPPLEMENTARY RESOURCES
Book of the Year: EARLY CHILDHOOD & Notable Picture Book of the Year
The Concrete Garden by Bob Graham (Walker Books Australia)
One of my 6 best books of 2023 in the Weekend Australian (behind the paywall). Scroll down to bolded section.
Praiseworthy (Giramondo) by Waanyi author Alexis Wright is the Australian Ulysses. A searing satirical yet lyrical allegory about Aboriginal Sovereignty, at more than 700 pages it requires commitment but is a transformative almost hallucinatory reading experience.
Equally masterful is Matt Ottley’s monumental The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness (One Tentacle Publishing), an awarded multimodal work of art, word, music and film. Like a phantastic Alice, it spirals through mental illness, metamorphosis and restoration.
Another surreal illustrated book for older readers is Paradise Sands: A Story of Enchantment (Walker Studio) by Levi Pinfold. To save her brothers, a sister must withstand three days of fasting while others feast. Original, allusively layered and technically brilliant.
The Concrete Garden (Walker Books), by national treasure Bob Graham, is a picture book for all ages. Playing together, children transform ordinary, grey life through rainbow colours. They inspire the world. Suffused with humour, this book celebrates community, diversity, joy, hope and wonder. Flawless.
Wonder and innocence are threatened when a five-year-old’s childhood friend is snatched in Lucy Treloar’s slow-burning literary thriller Days of Innocence and Wonder (Picador). Damaged survivor, Till, changes her name and tries to outrun her fear. Sculpted, charring storytelling.
Bright Shining: How Grace Changes Everything, by Julia Baird (4th Estate), is the book for our jaded, wounded age. The author’s quest for “awe, wonder and light” leads her to seek grace, discovered through undeserved kindness and love, forgiveness and beauty – a liberating gift that is “bright shining as the sun”.
Joy Lawn is a critic specialising in literary fiction, YA and children’s books.
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