The 2023 ABIA shortlists
The shortlists for the 2023 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 each category.
Biography Book of the Year
- My Dream Time by Ash Barty
- Ten Steps to Nanette by Hannah Gadsby
- The Boy from Boomerang Crescent by Eddie Betts
- Heartstrong by Ellidy Pullin
- The Ninth Life of a Diamond Miner by Grace Tame
General Fiction Book of the Year
- Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor
- The Tilt by Chris Hammer
- Exiles by Jane Harper
- Day’s End by Garry Disher
- Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson
General Nonfiction Book of the Year
- Reasons Not to Worry by Brigid Delaney
- The Space Between the Stars by Indira Naidoo
- Bedtime Story by Chloe Hooper
- Bulldozed by Niki Savva
- Investing with She’s on the Money by Victoria Devine
Illustrated Book of the Year
- First Nations Food Companion by Damien Coulthard & Rebecca Sullivan
- Lune by Kate Reid
- Cressida Campbell by National Gallery of Australia
- Yiayia Next Door by Daniel and Luke Mancuso
- RecipeTin Eats: Dinner by Nagi Maehashi
International Book of the Year
- The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell
- Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart
- The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman
- Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- Stolen Focus by Johann Hari
Literary Fiction Book of the Year
- All That’s Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien
- The Sun Walks Down by Fiona McFarlane
- Horse by Geraldine Brooks
- Seeing Other People by Diana Reid
- Limberlost by Robbie Arnott
Small Publishers’ Adult Book of the Year
- Humanity’s Moment by Joëlle Gergis
- Cold Enough for Snow by Jessica Au
- The Dreaming Path by Paul Callaghan
- Tell Me Again by Amy Thunig
- Warlpiri Encyclopaedic Dictionary by Mary Laughren, Kenneth Hale, Jeannie Nungarrayi Egan, Marlurrku Paddy Patrick Jangala, Robert Hoogenraad, David Nash & Jane Simpson
The Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year
- Tell Me Again by Amy Thunig
- WAKE by Shelley Burr
- Dirt Town by Hayley Scrivenor
- The Ninth Life of a Diamond Miner by Grace Tame
- Root & Branch: Essays on inheritance by Eda Gunaydin
- All That’s Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien
Social impact book of the year
- Come Together by Isaiah Firebrace, illus by Jaelyn Biumaiwai
- How Many More Women by Jennifer Robinson & Keina Yoshida
- The Boy from Boomerang Crescent by Eddie Betts
- Not Now, Not Ever by Julia Gillard
- Freedom, Only Freedom by Behrouz Boochani
CHILDREN & YOUNG ADULT
Book of the Year for Older Children (ages 13+)
- If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang
- The Jammer by Nova Weetman
- Blood Traitor by Lynette Noni
- Unnecessary Drama by Nina Kenwood
- Sugar by Carly Nugent
Book of the Year for Younger Children (ages 7-12)
- The Bookseller’s Apprentice by Amelia Mellor
- Guardians: Wylah the Koorie Warrior 1 by Jordan Gould & Richard Pritchard
- A Girl Called Corpse: An Elston-Fright Tale by Reece Carter, illus Simon Howe
- Runt by Craig Silvey, illus Sara Acton
- Waiting for the Storks by Katrina Nannestad
Children’s Picture Book of the Year (ages 0-6)
- What to Say When You Don’t Know What to Say by Davina Bell & Hilary Jean Tapper
- Floof by Heidi McKinnon
- Ceremony: Welcome to Our Country by Adam Goodes & Ellie Laing, illus by David Hardy
- Be Careful, Xiao Xin! by Alice Pung & Sher Rill Ng
- Miimi Marraal, Mother Earth by Melissa Greenwood
Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year
- My Shadow is Purple by Scott Stuart
- Koori Princess by Anita Heiss
- A Tiny Light by Alison Lester
- Off to the Market by Alice Oehr
- The Brink by Holden Sheppard
