The winners of the annual Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs) were announced last night.
Among the winners was Kathy Kozlowski, who was awarded the Pixie O'Harris Award for her contribution to Australian children’s literature. Aside from being an all-around children’s literature rockstar, Kathy is a children’s specialist bookseller at our Readings Kids bookshop.
Below is a full list of winners from the night. Our congratulations to the winning authors, illustrators, publishers and booksellers.
2019 ABIA BOOK AWARD WINNERS
ABIA Book of the Year:
Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton
Biography Book of the Year:
Eggshell Skull by Bri Lee
General Fiction Book of the Year:
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland
General Non-fiction Book of the Year:
No Friend But the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison by Behrouz Boochani, translated by Omid Tofighian
Honourable mention:
Any Ordinary Day by Leigh Sales
Literary Fiction Book of the Year:
Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton
Illustrated Book of the Year:
Family: New Vegetable Classics to Comfort and Nourish by Hetty McKinnon
International Book of the Year:
Less by Andrew Sean Greer
Small Publishers’ Adult Book of the Year:
Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia edited by Anita Heiss
Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year:
Whisper by Lynette Noni
Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year
Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton
Book of the Year Older Children (age range 8 to 14 years):
Jane Doe and the Cradle of All Worlds by Jeremy Lachlan
Book of the Year for Younger Children (age range 0 to 8 years):
The 104-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths & Terry Denton
Children’s Picture Book of the Year
All the Ways to be Smart by Davina Bell & Alison Colpoys
Audiobook of the Year:
Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton, narrated by Stig Weymss
Honourable Mention:
Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia edited by Anita Heiss, narrated by Gregory J Fryer, Tamala Shelton, Lisa Maza, Tony Briggs, Hunter Page-Lochard, Shari Sebbens
2019 ABIA BUSINESS AWARD WINNERS
Independent Book Retailer of the Year:
Mary Martin Bookshop
National Book Retailer of the Year:
Booktopia
Publisher of the Year:
Pan Macmillan Australia
Small Publisher of the Year:
Affirm Press
Rising Star of the Year
Ella Chapman (Head of Marketing Communications, Hachette Australia)
2019 ABIA HALL OF FAME
Lloyd O’Neil Award for Service to the Australian Book Industry:
Richard Walsh
Pixie O’Harris Award for Outstanding Commitment to Children’s Literature:
Kathy Kozlowski
