Momo celebrating time to read: Children's Book of the Year Award Winners 2021

Friday, August 20, 2021

Children's Book of the Year Award Winners 2021

Image Source: CBCA

Once again I didn't predict the winners (except for the Picture Book of the Year).

Just to take you through the process.

1. The judges begin their reading early in 2020. There are three judges for each of the six categories - Book of the Year: Older Readers; Book of the Year: Younger Readers; Book of the Year: Early Childhood; Picture Book of the Year; Eve Pownall award for Non Fiction and the New Illustrator Award.

2. The judges read their assigned books and share their comments with each other and hold regular meetings. This process takes around 8 months.

3. By the end of a year of reading the judges make three sets of selections - The Notables; The Shortlist; and the Winners (there is a winner in each category and two honour books.)

You can review the 2021 Notables here.

There were lots of books in the Notables that I really liked this year.

Younger Readers - Across the Risen Sea by Bren McDibble; The Republic of Birds by Jessica Miller; We are Wolves by Katrina Nannestad; Bindi by Kirli Saunders; The Fire Star by AL Tait; and Beyond Belief by Dee White.

Picture Book of Year - The Biscuit Maker by Sue Lawson; I saw Pete and Pete saw me by Maggie Hutchins; Littlelight by Kelly Canby; How to make a bird by Meg McKinlay; The Fire Wombat by Jackie French; and Anisa's Alphabet by Mike Dumbleton.

You can review the 2021 shortlisted books here.

One shortlisted book I expected to feature in the award winners was Ellie's Dragon by Bob Graham. And in early childhood I really liked Busy Beaks by Sarah Allen.