The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has announced their Book of the Year Awards winners for 2018. These Awards celebrate the best Australian books for readers in early childhood up to young adult readers.

Here are the winners for each category.

Older Readers

Take Three Girls by Cath Crowley, Simmone Howell & Fiona Wood

Take Three Girls is a collaboration between three beloved Australian YA authors. When three very different teen girls are grouped together for a wellness class at their elite high school, they discover they have more in common than appears and form a meaningful bond. They they are each targeted by PSST, a website devoted to gossip and slander, they decide to take matters into their own hands.

Honour books:

• Mallee Boys by Charlie Archbold
• In The Dark Spaces by Cally Black

Younger Readers

How to Bee by Bren MacDibble

Peony lives with her sister and grandfather on a fruit farm outside the city. In a world where real bees are extinct, the bravest kids climb the fruit trees and pollinate the flowers by hand. All Peony hopes to become a bee one day. Life on the farm is a scrabble, but there is enough to eat and a place to sleep, and there is love. But then Peony’s mother arrives to take her away from everything she has ever known, and all Peony’s grit and quick thinking might not be enough to keep her safe.

Honour books:

• Marsh And Me by Martine Murray
• Henrietta and the Perfect Night by Martine Murray

Early Childhood

Rodney Loses It! by Michael Gerard Bauer & Chrissie Krebs (illus.)

Rodney was a rabbit who loved nothing more than drawing. He never found it tiresome, tedious or boring. But then one day, while working at his drawing desk, Rodney’s pen just… disappears… Disaster! Rodney Loses It! is a truly hysterical search for a missing pen.

Honour books:

• The Very Noisy Baby by Alison Lester
• Hark, It’s Me, Ruby Lee! by Lisa Shanahan & Binny (illus.)

Picture Book of the Year

A Walk in the Bush by Gwyn Perkins

Little Iggy doesn’t want to leave the house, but Grandad insists – they always have fun together. What follows is a wonderful journey in the great Australian outdoors with singing birds, wallaby surprises, secret caterpillar messages and oodles of grandad humour. Gwyn Perkins has also just released a second story with Iggy and Grandad, A Day at the Show.

Honour books:

• The Great Rabbit Chase by Freya Blackwood
• Mopoke by Philip Bunting

Eve Pownall Award for Information Books

Do Not Lick This Book by Idan Ben-Barak & Julian Frost (illus.)

Min is a microbe. She is so small that you’d need to look through a microscope to see her. Or you can simply open this book and take Min on an adventure to amazing places she’s never seen before – like the icy glaciers of your tooth or the twisted, tangled jungle that is your shirt. Do Not Lick This Book is both a fun interactive picture book, and a fascinating science lesson.

Honour books:

• Left & Right by Lorna Hendry
• Koala by Claire Saxby & Julie Vivas (illus.)

Crichton Award for New Illustrators

Tintinnabula by Rovina Cai & Margo Lanagan (text)

A lone young woman sets out on a journey through devastated lands and wind-lashed barren fields to a place of deeper consolation, renewal and peace. This is sophisticated picture book reminds us that our best friend in hard times can often be ourselves. The illustrations are from young Melbourne illustrator Rovina Cai who has also provided the art for Patrick Ness’s forthcoming title, And the Ocean Was Our Sky.

This year’s Children’s Book Week runs from 18 to 24 August with the theme: ‘Find your treasure’. For more information about the CBCA Awards and Children’s Book Week, visit the CBCA website.