YABBA Awards 2024 shortlists announced

The 2024 YABBA (Young Australians Best Book Awards) shortlists have been announced.

Shortlisted titles are:

Picture storybooks

• The Black Cockatoo with One Feather Blue (Jodie McLeod, illus by Eloise Short, King Street Press)
• Brain Is (Not) Always Right (Scott Stuart, Scholastic)
• Frank’s Red Hat (Sean E Avery, Walker Books)
• G.O.A.T. (Kate Temple & Jol Temple, illus by Rebel Challenger, Scholastic)
• I Just Ate My Friend (Heidi McKinnon, A&U Children’s)
• Macca the Alpaca (Matt Cosgrove, Koala Books)
• Mopoke (Philip Bunting, Scholastic)
• Saltie Mumma (Sandra Kendell, Windy Hollow Books)
• Snap! (Anna Walker, Scribble)
• Your Holiday Was the Best! (Maggie Hutchings, illus by Felicita Sala, Affirm)

Fiction for younger readers

• Ella and Olivia #34: Country School (Yvette Poshoglian, illus by Danielle McDonald, Scholastic)
• Ella Diaries #28: Sleepover Fail (Meredith Costain, illus by Danielle McDonald, Scholastic)
• Epic Fail Tales: Little Stunt Riding Hood (Matt Cosgrove, Omnibus)
• Hot Dog #10: Beach Time! (Anh Do, illus by Dan McGuinness, Scholastic)
• Pearly and Pig and the Lost City of Mu Savan (Sue Whiting, illus by Rebecca Crane, Walker Books)
• Real Pigeons #11: Flap Out (Andrew McDonald, illus by Ben Wood, HGCP)
• Sam Kerr, Kicking Goals #2: A New Knight (Sam Kerr & Fiona Harris, illus by Aki Fukuoka, S&S)
• Shower Land: Break the Curse (Nat Amoore, illus by James Hart, Puffin)
• The Travelling Bookshop #4: Mim and the Disastrous Dog Show (Katrina Nannestad, illus by Cheryl Orsini, ABC Books)
• Worst Week Ever! Monday (Eva Amores, illus by Matt Cosgrove, Scholastic)

Fiction for older readers

• The Book of Wondrous Possibilities (Deborah Abela, Puffin)
• Ella at Eden #6: The London Thief (Laura Sieveking, illus by Danielle McDonald, Scholastic)
• Funny Kid #1: Funny Kid for President (Matt Stanton, ABC Books)
• Kimmi: Queen of the Dingoes (Favel Parrett, Lothian)
• Pippa’s Island: The Beach Shack Cafe (Belinda Murrell, Puffin)
• The Power of Positive Pranking (Nat Amoore, Puffin)
• Runt (Craig Silvey, A&U)
• Shockingly Good Stories (R A Spratt, Puffin)
• We Run Tomorrow (Nat Amoore, illus by Mike Barry, Puffin)
• Wolf Girl #10: The Race Is On (Anh Do, illus by Lachlan Creagh, A&U Children’s)

Fiction for Years 7–9

• August & Jones (Pip Harry, Lothian)
• Dragon Skin (Karen Foxlee, A&U Children’s)
• Exit Through the Gift Shop (Maryam Master, Pan)
• Inkflower (Suzy Zail, Walker Books)
• Liars #5: Armageddon (Jack Heath, Scholastic)
• A Little Spark (Barry Jonsberg, A&U Children’s)
• No Words (Maryam Master, Pan)
• The Raven’s Song (Zana Fraillon & Bren MacDibble, A&U Children’s)
• Scar Town (Tristan Bancks, Puffin)
• Waiting for the Storks (Katrina Nannestad, ABC Books).

These annual children’s choice awards ‘seek to give children a voice within the Australian children’s book industry’, with students encouraged to read shortlisted books and cast their votes during the second and third terms of the school year.

More information about the shortlists is available on the YABBA website.

Category: Awards Local news