Book of the Year: Older Readers
WINNER
'I’m Not Really Here' – Gary Lonesborough (A&U Books for Children and Young Adults).
Honour Books
'Birdy' Sharon Kernot
'Into the Mouth of the Wolf' Erin Gough (Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing)
Book of the Year Award: Younger Readers
WINNER
'Laughter is the Best Ending' Maryam Master. Illustrated by Astred Hicks (Pan Australia)
Honour Books
'Aggie Flea Steals the Show' Tania Ingram, and illustrated by A. Yi (Scholastic Australia)
'Fluff: Mess Up!' Matt Stanton (ABC Books)
WINNER
'The Wobbly Bike' by Darren McCallum
Have you ever helped a child to learn to ride their first bike? Most of us have and it isn't always easy. Those wobbly wobbly starts as we sit them on the bike, walk beside them, try to steady them before you let them move a little on their own? It is usually stressful for child and parent.
In this delightful picture book Darren McCallum was inspired by his three year daughter who one day was racing out the door. She had been given a bike and one morning her Dad caught her heading outside. He asked where she was going, to which she replied, "I'm going outside to ride my wobbly bike."
This experience was of course the inspiration for this wonderful picture book. He
One afternoon when his daughter Summer was small, Darren McCallum took the training wheels off her bike. McCallum is a painter by trade who lives in Australia's hot Top End city of Darwin. He was something of a storyteller to his brothers and sisters while growing up.
When he eventually decided to give it 'a crack' (as we sometimes say in AUS), he remembered that Wobbly Bike.
The Wobbly Bike, with illustrations by the well-known illustrator Craig Smith, is the well-deserved winner of the 'Early Childhood' Book award in 2025.
Honour Books Younger Readers (Ages 0-6 Years)
'One Little Dung Beatle' by Heather Potter (illustrator) & text by Mark Jackson
'How to Move a Zoo' by Kate Simson (illustrator) & Owen Simpson
Picture Book of the Year Award
WINNER
'The Truck Cat' written by
The Truck Cat is a story about cats and humans, immigration and identity, and homes that can be lost and yet found again.
Author Deborah Frenkel is an award-winning writer of books for children. She grew up in the 80s and 90s and thought she might just be a 'business lady'. But that wasn't to be, and after working in advertising in her day job writing ads for varied clothing brands, she changed course. She now lives in Melbourne, Australia, on the traditional lands of the Bunurong People of the Kulin Nation.
Her delightful book is well supported by the illustrations of multi-award-winning artist Danny Snell.
Her delightful book is well supported by the illustrations of multi-award-winning artist Danny Snell. 'The Truck Cat' is the perfect book to inspire kindness and compassion in young children everywhere. Now this lead should get you in:
"Some cats are house cats. Some are apartment cats.
But Tinka is a truck cat. Tinka lives everywhere."
Tinka travels with his human owner Yacoub. But no matter how much they travel, home always feels very far
away for both of them. Yacoub drives his truck to make a
living, learning the landscape of a new country along the way, and
longing for connection.
But on one trip, Tinka and Yacoub are unexpectedly
separated. But they are both determined to find one another. In doing so, they find even more than they expected …
"In The Truck Cat,
Deborah Frenkel’s beautiful writing takes the reader on a gentle and
often amusing ride. Yacoub’s story is one of resilience, yearning and
sighs of sadness. Tinka the cat makes sure there is sunshine and smiles
along the way. Danny Snell’s gorgeous colour palette splashes movement
and life on every page. From vignettes to double page spreads, the
combination of art and text presents a heartfelt, hopeful story of
finding home …"
Sandhya Parappukkaran, the award-winning author of 'The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name', suggests 'The Truck Cat' is a must-read picture book’. ‘At a time when the world is in turmoil, much of it due to ignorance, intolerance and bigotry, there could not be a more timely choice for a book that will bring children right across the country together, in a glorious celebration and a move towards greater acceptance and empathy.’
This is a lovely picture book that combines great storytelling that touch on the heartwarming emotions of loss, companionship and love. It's pitched perfectly to entertain and move young readers, as well as to gently open their hearts and minds.’
Honour Books
'These Long-Loved Things' (illustrator) & Josh Pyke (text)
"A moving coming-of-age story with so much heart. For readers who enjoyed Heartstopper." --BOOKS & PUBLISHING
'Afloat' Freya Blackwood (illustrator), Story by Kirli Saunders (Little Hare)
'These Long-Loved Things' Ronojoy Ghosh (illustrator), Story by Josh Pyke (Scholastic Australia)
Other Picture Books Nominated
'A Leaf Called GREAF' by Kelly Canby
'AFLOAT' by Kirli Saunders and text by Freya Blackwood
'The Garden of Broken Things' by Freya Blackwood
'We Live in a Bus' by Dave Petzold.
Book of the Year Award: Eve Pownall Award for Information Books
Winner
'Always Was, Always Will Be' by Aunty Fay Muir & Sue Lawson (Magabala Books)
Honour Books
'Making the Shrine: Stories from Victoria’s War Memorial' Laura J Carroll (The Crossley Press)
South With the Seabirds – Jess McGeachin (A&U Books for Children and Young Adults)
Book Of The Year - New Illustrator
Winner
Grow Big, Little Seed – ill. Sarah Capon (Bright Light)
Worthy Picture Books to Note but not awarded major prizes
1. 'AFLOAT' by Kirli Saunders & Illustrated by Freya Blackwood (Little Hare)
"Roam the water with me. We are here to learn.
Here to spin wisdom, to grow …"
This wonderful picture book is from award award-winning author Kirli Saunders (a proud Gunai woman) and seven-time CBCA-winner Freya Blackwood comes 'Afloat'. And what a triumph!
This is a story told in a time of climate crisis, but against a backdrop of a changed environment. An Aboriginal elder leads a child along the waterways, sharing her People's knowledge, skills like weaving and much more. All the while a child is leaning, discovering and gathering community and seeing their world extended and enriched along the way.
A wonderful new book about the skill of our Indigenous nations. In this book the skill of weaving has a special focus on weaving. But more broadly, it seeks to help young readers to remember and honour our First Nations. This wonderful book has a special focus not just on their unique skills, but also their wisdom and many lessons as they look with hope to the future.
2. 'The Garden of Broken Things' Written & Illustrated by Freya Blackwood
"One day, curious Sadie follows a cat into the tangled vines behind the lonely house at Number 9, Ardent Street.
Deep in the undergrowth, past all the twisted, rusted things, Sadie finds the cat sitting on the lap of a woman, bent with time and weariness.
Sadie has found the Garden of Broken Things." As Maura Pierlot wrote in her excellent review of this picture book in 'Reading Time'.
"A story’s first line can do so many things: capture attention, conjure emotions, pique curiosity, create anticipation, evoke nostalgia. The opening line to The Garden of Broken Things masterfully achieves all these things and more.
One day, Sadie follows a cat into the scrub behind Number 9 Ardent Street, where tangled vines concealed things from another time … things that had come to a final halt. Deep in the undergrowth, she finds the cat sitting on the lap of a woman, bent with time and weariness."
This intriguing and unique picture book is a worthy member of the Children's Bookweek Shortlist in 2025. Freya as we've come to expect has crafted with warmth and emotion and allows us to enter into the life of Sadie as she explores her world. This includes memories, grief and loss, her natural world and her own journey as she grows older and comes to understand the changes in herself.
3. 'We Live in a Bus' by Dave Petzold
