There’s a Prawn in Parliament House: The Kids’ Guide to Australia’s Amazing Democracy

Shortlisted for the 2026 CBCA Eve Pownall Award

A funny and informative account of how Australia's democracy works, written by one of Australia's best-known and most entertaining political writers and documentary makers, Annabel Crabb - host of top-rating ABC series The House, Kitchen Cabinet and Back In Time For Dinner. Helpful and hilarious illustrations supplied by First Dog on the Moon, Australia's only marsupial Walkley award-winning cartoonist.

Hi! I'm Shawn the Prawn, a 350 million-year-old tiny coral fossil that lives in the floor of the grand Marble Foyer at Australia's Parliament House. Sharing a house with a democracy is awesome because Australia's democracy is unique and it totally rocks.

Every three years, Australians come together on a Saturday to elect a government. We do this because having a government is the best way for large groups of people to live in peace and enjoy things like roads and airports and hospitals and delicious food without having to personally arrange all the boring stuff. But how do we elect a government? How does the government make decisions? And what is so special about our system of democracy?

Political writer and commentator Annabel Crabb explores, explains and examines Australia's unique democracy from the smallest shrimp to the largest coathanger with help from Guardian Australia cartoonist First Dog on the Moon.