The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has announced the winners of the 2022 Book of the Year Awards. The awards celebrate the best Australian literature for young people across six categories.

This year the CBCA recognises a diverse range of voices. The awards explore themes from undocumented persons, life choices, liberty, First Nations stories, and our relationship with the environment.

Wendy Rapee, Chair of the CBCA, says, ‘The entries this year are evidence that “the dedicated writers and illustrators who attend to their craft and the publishers who make the investment to commit to and care about making quality books, are showing the deep respect our young readers deserve.” These Australian book creators are responding to the thirst for colourful powerful stories. Reflecting our evolving, eclectic, and beautifully diverse culture with their sincere, deep, and reflective quality voices and illustration prowess. The 2022 CBCA Book of the Year Awards are truly a window to Australia contemporary culture.’

Check out the winners across all categories:

Older readers

Tiger Daughter (Rebecca Lim, A&U)

Older readers: Honour books

Girls in Boys’ Cars (Felicity Castagna, Pan)

How to Repaint a Life (Steven Herrick, UQP)

Younger readers

A Glasshouse of Stars (Shirley Marr, Puffin)

Younger readers: Honour books

Dragon Skin (Karen Foxlee, A&U)

Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief (Katrina Nannestad, ABC Books)

Early childhood

Jetty Jumping (Andrea Rowe, illus by Hannah Sommerville, HGCP)

Early childhood: Honour books

Amira’s Suitcase (Vikki Conley, illus by Nicky Johnston, New Frontier)

Walk of the Whales (Nick Bland, HGCP)

Picture book of the year

Iceberg (Claire Saxby, illus by Jess Racklyeft, A&U)

Picture book of the year: Honour Books

Just One Bee (Margrete Lamond & Anthony Bertini, illus by Christopher Nielsen, Dirt Lane Press)

Stellarphant (James Foley, Fremantle Press)

Eve Pownall Award

Still Alive, Notes from Australia’s Immigration Detention System (Safdar Ahmed, Twelve Panels Press)

Eve Pownall Award: Honour books

Heroes, Rebels and Innovators (Karen Wyld, illus by Jaelyn Biumaiwai, Lothian)

The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature (Sami Bayly, Hachette)

CBCA Award for New Illustrator

Michelle Pereira for The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name (Sandhya Parappukkaran, HGCP).