CBCA

Below is information about the past winners of the

  Australian Children's Book Council Award.

I've also included the occasional honour book or shortlisted title when I spotted well known authors popping up for the first time.

The first Award was made in 1946. 

The first Picture Book of the Year Award was awarded in 1952. 

In 1982, the Older and Younger Readers awards were separated.

The Eve Pownall Award for information books was presented by Eve Pownall's family in 1988.

The Children's Book Council took it on from 1993. 

The Early Childhood Award was first awarded in 2001.

CBCA Book of the Year Winners

1946 The Story of Karrawingi the Emu by Leslie Rees

1947 No award

1948 Shackleton’s Argonauts: A Saga of the Antarctic Icepacks by Frank Hurley

1949 No competition

1950 Whalers of the Midnight Sun by Alan J Villiers

1951 Verity of Sydney Town by Ruth C Williams

1952 The Australia Book by Eve Pownall

1953 Good Luck to the Rider by Joan Phipson AND Aircraft of Today and Tomorrow by JH & WD Martin

1954 Australian Legendary Tales by Langloh K Parker

CBCA Book of the Year AND Picture Book of the Year 

1955 The First Walkabout by Norman B Tindale

1955 No award

1956 The Crooked Snake by Patricia Wrightson

1956 Wish and the Magic Nut by Shelia Hawkins

1957 The Boomerang Book of Legendary Tales by Enid Moodie-Heddle

1957 No award

1958 Tiger in the Bush by Nan Chauncy

1958 Piccaninny Walkabout by Axel Poignant

1959 Devil’s Hill by Nan Chauncy & Sea Menace by John Gunn           (The Silver Brumby by Eleyne Mitchell ‘highly commended’)

1959 No award

1960 All the Proud Tribesmen by Kylie Tennant

1960 no award

1961 Tangara by Nan Chauncy

1961 no award

1962 The Racketty Street Gang by LH Evers & Rafferty Rides a Winner by Joan Woodberry

1962 no award

1963 The Family Conspiracy by Joan Phipson

1963 no award

1964 The Green Laurel by Eleanor Spence         (Storm Boy by Colin Thiele ‘commended’)  (R)

1964 no award

1965 Pastures of the Blue Crane by HF Brinsmead

1965 Hugh’s Zoo by Elisabeth MacIntyre

1966 Ash Road by Ivan Southall

1966 No award

1967 The Min-Min by Mavis Thorpe Clark

1967 no award

1968 To the Wild Sky by Ivan Southall      (Midnite: The Story of a Wild Colonial Boy by Randolph Stow ‘highly commended’)

1968 no award

1969 When Jay Flies to Barbmo by Margaret Balderson   (Let the Balloon Go by Ivan Southall ‘commended’)  (R)

1969 Sly Old Wardrobe by Ted Greenwood & Ivan Southall (R)

1970 Uhu by Annette Macarthur-Onslow            (Blue Fin by Colin Thiele ‘highly commended’)

1970 no award

1971 Bread and Honey by Ivan Southall (R)         (Climb A Lonely Hill by Lilith Norman ‘commended’)

1971 Waltzing Matilda by Desmond Digby & AB Paterson (R)

1972 Longtime Passing by HF Brinsmead

1972 no award

1973 Family at the Lookout by Noreen Shelley

1973 no award

1974 The Nargun and the Stars by Patricia Wrightson 

1974 The Bunyip of Berkeley’s Creek by Ron Brooks &Jenny Wagner

1975 no award           (Callie’s Castle by Ruth Park ‘highly commended’ (R) & Magpie Island by Colin Thiele ‘commended’)

1975 The Man From Ironbark by Quentin Hole & AB Paterson (R)

1976 Fly West by Ivan Southall

1976 The Rainbow Serpent by Dick Roughsey (R)         (Annie’s Rainbow by Ron Brooks ‘highly commended’) (R)

1977 The October Child by Eleanor Spence

1977 no award

1978 The Ice is Coming by Patricia Wrightson

1978 John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat by Ron Brooks and Jenny Wagner (R)     (The Lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch by Ronda & David Armitage ‘highly commended’) (R)

1979 The Plum-Rain Scroll by Ruth Manley

1979 The Quinkins by Dick Roughsey & Percy Trezise

1980 Displaced Person by Lee Harding

1980 One Dragon’s Dream by Peter Pavey (R)

1981 Playing Beatie Bow by Ruth Park

1981 no award               (Mr Archimedes’ Bath by Pamela Allen ‘commended’) (R)

CBCA Book of the Year, Junior Book of the Year and Picture Book of the Year

1982 The Valley Between by Colin Thiele

1982 Rummage by Christobel Mattingley

1982 Sunshine by Jan Ormerod   (R)         (Whistle Up the Chimney by Nan Hunt ‘commended’) (R)

1983 Master of the Grove by Victor Kelleher

1983 Thing by Robin Klein

1983 Who Sank the Boat? By Pamela Allen (R)    (Moonlilght by Jan Ormerod ‘finalist’) (R)

1984 A Little Fear by Patricia Wrightson     (Penny Pollard’s Diary by Robin Klein ‘highly commended’)

1984 Bernice Knows Best by Max Dann

1984 Bertie and the Bear by Pamela Allen (R)     (Possum Magic by Julie Vivas &Mem Fox ‘highly commended’)

1985 The True Story of Lilli Stubeck by James Aldridge        (Dancing in the Anzac Deli by Nadia Wheatley ‘commended’ & Hating Alison Ashley by Robin Klein ‘shortlist’)

1985 Something Special by Emily Rodda

1985 no award        (Home in the Sky by Jeannie Baker ‘commended’ (R)  & There’s A Sea in My Bedroom by Jane Tanner & Margaret Wild ‘shortlist’ (R)  & Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge by Julie Vivas & Mem Fox ‘shortlist’(R) ) 

1986 The Green Wind by Thurley Fowler

1986 Arkwright by Mary Steele

1986 Felix and Alexander by Terry Denton    (Clive Eats Alligators by Alison Lester ‘commended’ (R) & Sebastian Lives in a Hat by Kerry Argent & Thelma Catterwell ‘shortlist' )

1987 All We Know by Simon French         (Space Demons by Gillian Rubenstein ‘honour book’& Taronga by Victor Kelleher ‘honour book’)

1987 Pigs Might Fly by Emily Rodda                  (Farmer Schulz’s Ducks by Colin Thiele ‘shortlist’(R) )

1987 Kojuro and the Bears by Junko Morimoto & Helen Smith              (Animalia by Graeme Base ‘honour book’(R) )

Book of the Year, Junior Book of the Year, Picture Book of the Year & Eve Pownall Award For Information Books

1988 So Much To Tell You by John Marsden        (Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody ‘shortlist’)

1988 My Place by Nadia Wheatley & Donna Rawlins (R)

1988 Crusher is Coming by Bob Graham (R)                  (Where the Forest Meets the Sea by Jeannie Baker ‘honour book’(R) & The Long Red Scarf by Margaret Power & Nette Hilton ‘honour book’ (R)

1988 My Place by Nadia Wheatley & Donna Rawlins (R)

1989 Beyond the Labyrinth by Gilliam Rubenstein

1989 The Best-kept Secret by Emily Rodda

1989 Drac and the Gremlin by Jane Tanner & Alan Bailie (R)  AND The Eleventh Hour by Graeme Base (R)

1990 Came Back to Show You I Could Fly by Robin Klein

1990 Pigs and Honey by Jeanie Adams

1990 The Very Best of Friends by Julie Vivas & Margaret Wild         (The Journey Home by Alison Lester ‘honour book’(R) )

1990 no award

1991 Strange Objects by Gary Crew

1991 Finders Keepers by Emily Rodda

1991 Greetings From Sandy Beach by Bob Graham  (R)            (Counting on Frank by Rod Clement ‘honour book’(R) & Magic Beach by Alison Lester ‘shortlist’(R) )

1991 no award

1992 The House Guest by Eleanor Nilsson

1992 The Magnificent Nose and Other Marvels by Anna Fienberg

1992 Window by Jeannie Baker (R)

1992 no award

1993 Looking For Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta

1993 The Bamboo Flute by Garry Disher

1993 Rose Meets Mr Wintergarten by Bob Graham (R)           (Belinda by Pamela Allen ‘honour book’(R) )

1993 Tjarany Roughtail by Gracie Greene

1994 The Gathering by Isobelle Carmody

1994 Rowan of Rin by Emily Rodda

1994 First Light by Peter Gouldthorpe & Gary Crew (R)

1994 V for Vanishing by Patricia Mullens (R)

1995 Foxspell by Gillian Rubinstein

1995 Ark in the Park by Wendy Orr & Kerry Millard

1995 The Watertower by Stephen Woolman & Gary Crew

1995 New Faces The Complete Book of Alternative Pets by Robin E Stewart

1996 Pagan’s Vows by Catherine Jinks

1996 Swashbuckler by James Moloney                  (Tashi by Anna & Barbara Fienberg ‘shortlist’)

1996 The Hunt by Narelle Oliver                         

1996 The First Fleet: A New Beginning in an Old Land by John Nicholson

1997 A Bridge to Wiseman’s Cove by James Moloney

1997 Hannah Plus One by Libby Gleeson & Ann James

1997 Not A Nibble by Honey Elizabeth

1997 Killer Plants and How to Grow Them by Gordon Cheers and Julie Silk

1998 Eye To Eye by Catherine Jinks            (Lockie Leonard, Legend by Tim Winton ‘honour book’)

1998 Someone Like Me by Elaine Forrestal

1998 The Two Bullies by Junko Morimoto (R)           (Queenie the Bantam by Bob Graham ‘shortlist’(R) )

1998 A Home Among the Gum Trees by John Nicholson

1999 Deadly, Unna? By Phillip Gwynne            (A Place Like This by Steven Herrick ‘shorlist’)

1999 My Girragundji by Meme McDonald & Boori Pryor

1999 The Rabbits by Shaun Tan & John Marsden            (Mr McGee and the Biting Flea by Pamela Allen ‘shortlist’(R) )

1999 Going For Kalta by Yvonne Edwards & Brenda Day

2000 48 Shades of Brown by Nick Earls

2000 Hitler’s Daughter by Jackie French       (Hazel Green by Odo Hirsch ‘shortlist’)

2000 Jenny Angel by Anne Spudvilas & Margaret Wild           (Luke’s Way of Looking by Matt Ottley & Nadia Wheatley ‘honour book’ (R) & Memorial by Shaun Tan & Gary Crew ‘honour book’)

2000 Fishing For Islands by John Nicholson

Book of the Year Older Readers, Younger Readers, Early Childhood, Picture Book  & Eve Pownall Award For Information Books

2001 Wolf on the Fold by Judith Clarke                          (The Simple Gift bySteven Herrick ‘shortlist’)

2001 Two Hands Together by Diana Kidd

2001 You’ll Wake the Baby by Catherine Jinks and Andrew McLean

2001 Fox by Ron Brooks & Margaret Wild  (R)           (The Singing Hat by Tohby Riddle ‘honour book’(R)) 

2001 Olympia Warrior Athletes of Ancient Greece by David Kennett & Dyan Blacklock

2002 Forest by Sonya Hartnett                (When Dogs Cry by Markus Zusak ‘honour book’)

2002 My Dog by John Heffernan & Andrew McLean

2002 Let’s Get A Pup by Bob Graham  (R)

2002 An Ordinary Day by Armin Greder & Libby Gleeson     (The Red Tree by Shaun Tan ‘shortlist’)

2002 Papunya School Book of Country and History by Papunya School Publishing Committee

2003 The Messenger by Markus Zusak

2003 Rain May and Captain Daniel by Catherine Bateson

2003 A Year on Our Farm by Penny Matthews & Andrew McLean (R)

2003 In Flander’s Field by Brian Harrison-Lever & Jorgensen Norman           (Diary of a Wombat by Bruce Whatley & Jackie French ‘honour book’(R) )

2003 Iron in the Blood: Convicts and Commandants in Colonial Australia by Alan Tucker

2004 Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

2004 Dragonkeeper by Carole Wilkinson

2004 Grandpa and Thomas by Pamela Allen (R)

2004 Cat and Fish by Neil Curtis & Joan Grant         (Milli, Jack and the Dancing Cat by Stephen Michael King ‘shortlist’(R) )

2004 Animal Architects by John Nicholson

2005 The Running Man by Michael Gerard Bauer

2005 The Silver Donkey by Sonya Hartnett

2005 Where is the Green Sheep? By Mem Fox & Judy Horacek (R)

2005 Are We There Yet by Alison Lester (R)

2005 To the Moon and Back by Bryan Sullivan and Jackie French

2006 The Story of Tom Brennan by JC Burke

2006 Helicopter Man by Elizabeth Fensham                           (Once by Morris Gleitzman ‘honour book’)

2006 Annie’s Chair by Deborah Niland (R)

2006 The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley by Colin Thompson (R)

2006 Scarecrow Army: The ANZACS at Gallipoli by Leon Davidson

2007 Red Spikes by Margo Lanagan

2007 Being Bee by Catherine Bateson            (The Cat on the Mat is Flat by Andy Griffiths ‘shortlist’(R) )

2007 Amy and Louis by Libby Gleeson & Freya Blackwood (R)

2007 The Arrival by Shaun Tan

2007 The Penguin Book: Birds in Suits by Mark Norman

2008 The Ghost’s Child by Sonya Hartnett

2008 Dragon Moon by Carole Wilkinson

2008 Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley by Aaron Blabey (R)

2008 Requiem for a Beast by Matt Ottley

2008 Parsley Rabbit’s Book About Books by Frances Watts (R)

2009 Tales From Outer Surburbia by Shaun Tan

2009 Perry Angel’s Suitcase by Glenda Millard

2009 How to Heal a Broken Wing by Bob Graham (R)

2009 Collecting Colour by Kylie Dunstan (R)

2009 Alive in the Death Zone by Lincoln Hall

2010 Jarvis 24 by David Metzenthen

2010 Darius Bell and the Glitter Pool by Odo Hirsch

2010 Bear and Chook by the Sea by Lisa Shanahan & Emma Quay (R)

2010 The Hero of Little Street by Gregory Rogers (R)

2010 Australian Backyard Explorer by Peter Macinnis

2011 The Midnight Zoo by Sonya Hartnett

2011 The Red Wind by Isobelle Carmody               (Violet Mackerel’s Brilliant Plot by Anna Branford ‘honour book')

2011 Maudie and Bear by Jan Ormerod & Freya Blackwood

2011 Mirror by Jeanie Baker (R)

2011 The Return of the Word Spy by Ursula Dubosarsky

2012 The Dead I Know by Scot Gardner                          (When We Were Two by Robert Newton ‘honour book’)

2012 Crow Country by Kate Constable

2012 The Runaway Hug by Nick Bland & Freya Blackwood

2012 A Bus Called Heaven by Bob Graham (R)

2012 One Small Island The Story of Macquarie Island by Alison Lester & Carol Tulloch

2013 Sea Hearts by Margot Lanagan                                    (Friday Brown by Vivki Wakefield 'honour book')
2013 The Children of the King by Sonya Hartnett                                (Pennies for Hitler by Jackie French 'honour book')
2013 The Terrible Suitcase by Emma Allen Ill. Freya Blackwood
2013 The Coat Ill. by Ron Brooks (Julie Hunt) (R)
2013 Tom the Outback Mailman by Lothian Children's Books

2014 Wildlife by Fiona Wood                                             (The Sky So Heavy by Claire Zorn 'honour book')
2014 A Very Unusual Pursuit by Catherine Jinks                          (Light Horse Boy by Dianne Wolfer 'honour book')
2014 The Swap by Jan Ormerod & Andrew Joyner      (I'm A Dirty Dinosaur by Janeen Brian & Banjo & Ruby Red by Libby Gleeson 'honour books')
2014 Rules of Summer by Shaun Tan                         (King Pin by Nick Bland & Silver Buttons by Bob Graham 'honour books')
2014 Jeremy by Chris Faille                              (Welcome to My Country by Laklak Burarrwanga & Ice, Wind, Rock by Peter Gouldthorpe 'honour books')

2015 Older Readers - The Protected by Claire Zorn
2015 Younger Readers - The Cleo Stories by Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood
2015 Early Childhood - Go to Sleep Jessie by Libby Gleeson and Freya Blackwood  (R)
2015 Picture Book - My Two Blankets by Freya Blackwood (author Irena Kobald)  (R)
2015 Eve Pownall Info Book - A-Z of Convicts in Van Diemen's Land by Simon Barnard

(entire 2015 shortlist details here)

2016 Older Readers - Cloudwish by Fiona Wood

2016 Younger Readers - Soon by Morris Gleitzman

2016 Early Childhood - Mr Huff by Anna Walker

2016 Picture Book - Flight by Armin Greder (author Nadia Wheatley) 

2016 Eve Pownall - Lennie the Legend by Stephanie Owen Reeder

(entire 2016 shortlist details here)

2017 Older Readers - One Would Think the Deep by Claire Zorn

2017 Younger Readers - Rockhopping by Trace Balla

2017 Early Childhood - Go Home, Cheeky Animals by Johanna Bell

2017 Picture Book - Home in the Rain by Bob Graham   (R)

2017 Eve Pownall - Amazing Animals of Australia's National Parks   (R)
                                                (entire 2017 HUGE longlist details are here)

2018 Older Readers - Take Three Girls by Cath Crowley, Fiona Wood & Simmone Howell

2018 Younger Readers - How to Bee by Bren MacDibble

2018 Early Childhood - Rodney Loses It! by Michael Gerard Bauer (R)  (Honour Book - Hark It's Me Ruby Lee by Lisa Shanahan)     

2018 Picture Book - A Walk in the Bush by Gwyn Perkins   (Honour Book - Mopoke by Philip Bunting)

2018 Eve Pownall - Do Not Lick This Book by Idan Ben-Barak (R)

2019 Older Readers - Between Us by Claire Atkins  (Honour Book - Lenny's Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee)

2019 Younger Readers - His Name Was Walter by Emily Rodda  (Honour Book - Black Cockatoo by Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler)

2019 Early Childhood - Tricky's Bad Day by Alison Lester  (Honour Book - Here Comes Stinkbug by Tohby Riddle)

2019 Picture Book - Cicada by Shaun Tan

2019 Eve Pownall - Sorry Day by Coral Vass, Ill. by Dub Leffler

2020 Older Readers -

2020 Younger Readers -

2020 Early Childhood -

2020 Picture Book -

2020 Eve Pownall

Past Crichton Winners  

In 1985 Mr Wallace Raymond Crichton left a legacy to the Children's Book Council of Australia (Victorian Branch). The Branch decided to establish an award to recognise and encourage new talent in the field of Australian children's book illustration. It was first awarded in 1988. Although administered by the Victorian Branch, it is a CBCA National award.

1988 - Raymond Meeks "The Pheasant and the Kingfisher"
1989 - Marilyn Pride "Australian Dinosaurs"
1990 - Jeanie Adams "Pigs and Honey"
1991 - Grace Fielding "Bip, the Snapping Bungaroo"
1992 - Kim Gamble "The Magnificent Nose & Other Marvels"
1993 - Donna Leslie "Alitiji in Dreamland"
1994 - Jenny Sands "Is it True Grandfather?"
1995 - Astri Baker "I Wish I'd Gone to the Moon with Neil Armstrong" & Geoff Kelly "Power and Glory"
1996 - Anne Spudvilas "The Race"
1997 - Sally Rippin "Fang Fang's Chinese New Year"

1998 - Shaun Tan "The Viewer" & Anna Pignataro "I'm in the Sky and I Can't Come Back"
1999 - No winner this year
2000 - Lorette Broekstra "Baby Bear goes to the Zoo"
2001 - Caroline Magerl "Grandma's Shoes"
2002 - Mini Goss "When Mum was Little"
2003 - Naomi Mairou "The Dugong Meadow"
2004 - Freya Blackwood "Two Summers"
2005 - Declan Lee "Wings"
2006 - Jeremy Geddes "The Mystery of Eilean Mor"
2007 - Vince Agostino "When Elephants Lived in the Sea"

2008 - Anna Walker "Santa’s Aussie Holiday"
2009 - Sarah Davis "Mending Lucille"
2010 - Andy Geppert "Little Big Tree" AND Andrew Joyner "The Big Plop" (R)
2011 - Clare McFadden "The Flying Orchestra" (R)
2012 - Sara Acton "Ben & Duck" (R)
2013 - Marc Martin "A Forest" 
2014 - Graham Byrne & Claire Saxby  "Big Red Kangaroo" 

2015 - Michael Camilleri (author David Metzenthen) "One Minute's Silence"
2016 - Allison Colpoys (author Davina Bell) "The Underwater Fancy Dress Parade"    (R)
2017 - Van T Rudd (author Maxine Beneba Clarke) "The Patchwork Bike"    (R)
2018 - Rovina Cai (author Margo Lanagan) "Tintinnabula" (R)
2019 - Daniel Gray-Barnett "Grandma Z" 
2020 -

(R) Read but not reviewed

Other bloggers reading through the CBCA books:

If your name is not on this list and you would like to be added please leave me the link to your blog 

(or the page where your CBCA challenge is listed) in the comments below.