The 2022 ABIA shortlists
The shortlists for the 2022 Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs) have been announced! The ABIAs celebrate the best books of the year, as judged by Australian book industry members.
Below are the shortlisted titles from across the 12 ABIA categories.
Biography Book of the Year
- Emotional Female by Yumiko Kadota
- The Mother Wound by Amani Haydar
- Turns Out, I’m Fine by Judith Lucy
- It Wasn’t Meant to be Like This by Lisa Wilkinson
- My Adventurous Life by Dick Smith
General Fiction Book of the Year
- The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth
- Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty
- Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray by Anita Heiss
- Before You Knew My Name by Jacqueline Bublitz
- When Things are Alive They Hum by Hannah Bent
General Non-fiction Book of the Year
- Toxic by Richard Flanagan
- She’s on the Money by Victoria Devine
- Heartsick by Jessie Stephens
- So You Think You Know What’s Good for You? by Norman Swan
- Love Stories by Trent Dalton
Illustrated Book of the Year
- Still Life by Amber Creswell Bell
- Death to Jar Sauce by Nat’s What I Reckon
- You’re Doing it Wrong by Kaz Cooke
- Everything I Love to Cook by Neil Perry
- Costa’s World by Costa Georgiadis
International Book of the Year
- These Precious Days by Ann Patchett
- Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love by Yotam Ottolenghi and Noor Murad
- The Storyteller by Dave Grohl
- Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney
- Still Life by Sarah Winman
Literary Fiction Book of the Year
- Devotion by Hannah Kent
- Love Objects by Emily Maguire
- Wild Abandon by Emily Bitto
- The Truth About Her by Jacqueline Maley
- Love & Virtue by Diana Reid
Small Publishers’ Adult Book of the Year
- Wild Mushrooming by Alison Pouliot and Tom May
- The Game: A Portrait of Scott Morrison by Sean Kelly
- Dropbear by Evelyn Araluen
- Caught in the Act by Shane Jenek
- Black and Blue by Veronica Gorrie
The Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year
- Before You Knew My Name by Jacqueline Bublitz
- The Truth About Her by Jacqueline Maley
- The Mother Wound by Amani Haydar
- When Things are Alive They Hum by Hannah Bent
- Love & Virtue by Diana Reid
CHILDREN & YOUNG ADULT
Book of the Year for Older Children (ages 13+)
- The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni
- Anything but Fine by Tobias Madden
- The Boy from the Mish by Gary Lonesborough
- The Gaps by Leanne Hall
- Welcome to Consent by Yumi Stynes & Dr Melissa Kang
Book of the Year for Younger Children (ages 7-12)
- Exit Through the Gift Shop by Maryam Master
- The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature by Sami Bayly
- The First Scientists by Corey Tutt
- Dragon Skin by Karen Foxlee
- Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief by Katrina Nannestad
Children’s Picture Book of the Year (ages 0-6)
- Day Break by Amy McQuire and Matt Chun
- Bedtime Sorted by Jimmy Rees, illustrated by Briony Stewart
- Winner Winner Bin Chicken Dinner by Kate & Joel Temple, illustrated by Ronojoy Gosh
- Somebody’s Land: Welcome to Our Country by Adam Goodes & Ellie Laing, illustrated by David Hardy
- Boss of Your Own Body by Byll & Beth Stephen, illustrated by Simon Howe
Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year
- The Edge of Thirteen by Nova Weetman
- Let’s Eat Weeds by Annie Raser-Rowland & Adam Grubb, illustrated by Evie Barrow
- Tomorrow is a Brand-New Day by Davina Bell, illustrated by Allison Colpoys
- Albert Namatjira by Vincent Namatjira
- Kunyi Kunyi by June Anne McInerney
