The Children’s Book Council of Australia has announced the winners for the 2025 CBCA Book of the Year Awards.
Also announced were the shadow judging winners, chosen by 400 groups of children from the shortlists released in March
The winners, honour books and shadow judging winners in each category are:
Book of the year: Older readers
I’m Not Really Here by Gary Lonesborough
Read an interview with the author
Honour books
Birdy by Sharon Kernot
Read our book review
Read an interview with the author
Into the Mouth of the Wolf by Erin Gough
Read an interview with the author
Shadow judging
Birdy by Sharon Kernot
Read our book review
Read an interview with the auth
Book of the year: Younger readers
Laughter Is the Best Ending by Maryam Master, illus by Astred Hicks
Honour books
Aggie Flea Steals the Show! by Tania Ingram, illus by Anne Yi
Fluff: Mess Up! by Matt Stanton,
Shadow judging
Laughter Is the Best Ending by Maryam Master, illus by Astred Hicks
Book of the year: Early childhood
The Wobbly Bike by Darren McCallum, illus by Craig Smith
Honour books
How to Move a Zoo by Kate Simpson, illus by Owen Swan – Read our book review
One Little Dung Beetle by Rhian Williams, illus by Heather Potter & Mark Jackson
Shadow judging
Spiro by Anna McGregor
Picture book of the year
The Truck Cat by Deborah Frenkel, illus by Danny Snell
Honour books
Afloat by Kirli Saunders, illus by Freya Blackwood
These Long-Loved Things by Josh Pyke, illus by Ronojoy Ghosh
Shadow judging
The Truck Cat by Deborah Frenkel, illus by Danny Snell
Eve Pownall Award
Always Was, Always Will Be by Aunty Fay Muir & Sue Lawson
Read an extract
Honour books
Making the Shrine: Stories from Victoria’s War Memorial by Laura J Carroll
South with the Seabirds byJess McGeachin – Read our book review
Shadow judging
Flora: Australia’s Most Curious Plants by Tania McCartney – Read our book review
South with the Seabirds by Jess McGeachin – Read our book review
CBCA Award for New Illustrator
- Grow Big, Little Seed by Sarah Capon, written by Bec Nanayakkara
