CBCA Notable Books for 2017 announced

The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) has released its list of Notable Books for 2017.

Older Readers

• The Hounded (Simon Butters, Wakefield Press)
• Waer (Meg Caddy, Text)
• Words in Deep Blue (Cath Crowley, Macmillan)
• My Best Friend is a Goddess (Tara Eglington, HarperCollins)
• The Bone Sparrow (Zana Fraillon, Lothian)
• Lady Helen and the Dark Days Club (Alison Goodman, HarperCollins)
• Yellow (Megan Jacobson, PRH)
• Becoming Aurora (Elizabeth Kasmer, UQP)
• The Sidekicks (Will Kostakis, PRH)
• Ocean of the Dead (Andrew McGahan, A&U)
• The Stars at Oktober Bend (Glenda Millard, A&U)
• A Toaster on Mars (Darrell Pitt, Text)
• Frankie (Shivaun Plozza, PRH)
• Our Chemical Hearts (Krystal Sutherland, PRH)
• Forgetting Foster (Dianne Touchell, A&U)
• Everything is Changed (Nova Weetman, UQP)
• The Invisible War (Ailsa Wild & Ben Hutchings, Scale Free Network)
• One Would Think the Deep (Claire Zorn, UQP)

Younger Readers

• Cybertricks (Alexander Goldie, Five Senses Education)  
• Rockhopping (Trace Balla, A&U)   
• Blueberry Pancakes Forever (Angelica Banks, A&U)
• Magrit (Lee Battersby & Amy Daoud, Walker Books)
• Within These Walls (Rovyn Bavati, Scholastic)
• Yong: The Journey of an Unworthy Son (Janeen Brian, Walker Books)
• Freedom Swimmer (Wai Chim, A&U)
• The Family with Two Front Doors (Anna Ciddor, A&U)   
• The Pearl-Shell Diver: A Story of Adventure from the Torres Strait (Kay Crabbe, A&U)
• Wicked’s Way (Anna Fienberg, A&U)
• A Most Magical Girl (Karen Foxlee, A&U)
• Fizz and the Police Dog Tryouts (Lesley Gibbes & Stephen Michael King, A&U)
• Toad Delight (Morris Gleitzman, PRH)
• Iris and the Tiger (Leanne Hall, Text)
• Daystar (Anne Hamilton, Wombat Books)
• Daughter of Nomads (Rosanne Hawke, UQP)
• Lily in the Mirror (Paula Hayes, Fremantle Press)
• Fail Safe (Heath Jack, A&U)
• The Unforgettable What’s His Name (Paul Jennings & Craig Smith, A&U)
• Theophilus Grey and the Traitor’s Mask (Catherine Jinks, A&U)
• When the Lyrebird Calls (Kim Kane, A&U)
• Ruby Wishfingers: Skydancer’s Escape (Deborah Kelly & Leigh Hestrom, Wombat Books)
• Ruby Red Shoes Goes to London (Kate Knapp, HarperCollins)
• Elizabeth and Zenobia (Jessica Miller, Text)
• The Lost Sapphire (Belinda Murrell, PRH)
• The Twins of Tintarfell (James O’Loghlin, Macmillan)
• Dragonfly Song (Wendy Orr, A&U)
• Mrs Whitlam (Bruce Pascoe, Magabala)
• Pocket Rocket (Ellyse Perry & Sherry Clark, PRH)
• The Other Christy (Oliver Phommavanh, PRH)
• Wormwood Mire: A Stella Montgomery Intrigue (Judith Rossell, HarperCollins)
• Artie and the Grime Wave (Richard Roxburgh, A&U)
• Lizzie and Margaret Rose (Pamela Rushby, Scholastic)
• Tommy Bell Shoot-out at the Rock (Jane Smith & Pat Kan, Big Sky)
• Captain Jimmy Cook Discovers Third Grade (Kate Temple, Jol Temple & John Foye, A&U)
• What’s in a Name? (Myles Walsh & Pitcha Makin Fellas, boh books)
• The Secrets We Keep (Nova Weetman, UQP)
• Squishy Taylor and the Bonus Sisters (Ailsa Wild & Ben Wood, HGE)
• The Shark Caller (Dianne Wolfer, PRH)

Early Childhood

• Zelda’s Big Adventure (Marie Alafaci, illus by Shane McGowan, A&U)
• Oh Albert! (Davina Bell, illus by Sara Acton, Viking)
• Go Home, Cheeky Animals! (Johanna Bell, illus by Dion Beasley, A&U)
• Where is Bear? (Jonathan Bentley, HGE)
• Pig the Winner (Aaron Blabey, Scholastic)
• Little Chicken Chickabee (Janeen Brian, illus by Danny Snell, Raising Literacy Australia)
• All I Want for Christmas Is Rain (Cori Brooke, illus by Megan Forward, New Frontier)
• The 12th Dog (Charlotte Calder, illus by Tom Jellett, Lothian)
• The Snow Wombat (Susannah Chambers, illus by Mark Jackson, A&U)
• The Cat Wants Custard (Paul Crumble, illus by Lucinda Gifford, Scholastic)
• Nannie Loves (Kylie Dunstan, Working Title Press)
• Ducks Away! (Mem Fox, illus by Judy Horacek, Omnibus)
• Little Bear’s First Sleep (Lesley Gibbes, illus by Lisa Stewart, Scholastic)
• Bear Make Den (Jane Godwin & Michael Wagner, illus by Andrew Joyner, A&U)
• Home in the Rain (Bob Graham, Walker Books)
• Chip (Kylie Howarth, Bonnier)
• Bird and Bear and the Special Day (Ann James, Bonnier)
• Hello Little Babies (Alison Lester, HarperCollins)
• Smile/Cry (Tania McCartney, illus by Jess Racklyeft, Exisle)
• Dream Little One, Dream (Sally Morgan, illus by Ambelin Kwaymullina, Viking)
• Joey Counts to Ten (Sally Morgan, Ambelin Kwaymullina, HGE)
• Twig (Aura Parker, Scholastic)
• Molly and Mae (Dally Parker, illus by Freya Blackwood, HGE)
• Agatha and the Dark (Anna Pignataro, Bonnier)
• Gary (Leila Rudge, Walker Books)
• Wild Pa (Claire Saxby, illus by Connah Brecon, Random House)
• The Whole Caboodle (Lisa Shanahan, illus by Leila Rudge, Scholastic)
• Ten Little Owls (Renne Treml, Random House)
• My Perfect Pup (Sue Walker, illus by Anil Tortop, New Frontier)
• Take Ted Instead (Cassandra Webb, illus by Amanda Francey, New Frontier)
• Together Always (Edwina Wyatt, illus by Lucia Masciullo, HGE)

Picture Book

• The Sisters Saint-Claire (Carlie Gibson, illus by Tamsin Ainslie, A&U)
• One Photo (Ross Watkins, illus by Liz Anelli, Viking)
• Desert Lake: The Story of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre (Pamela Freeman, illus by Anelli, Walker)
• Circle (Jeannie Baker, Walker Books)
• Mechanica (Lance Balchin, Five Mile)
• Colours of Australia (Bronwyn Bancroft, HGE)
• Where is Bear? (Jonathan Bentley, HGE)
• Blue Sky, Yellow Kite (Janet A Holmes, illus by Jonathan Bentley, HGE)
• Don’t Call Me Bear! (Aaron Blabey, Scholastic)
• Molly and Mae (Danny Parker, illus by Freya Blackwood, HGE)
• Hattie Helps Out (Jane Godwin & Davina Bell, illus by Freya Blackwood, A&U)
• Something Wonderful (Raewyn Caisley, illus by Karen Blair, PRH)
• The Fabulous Friend Machine (Nick Bland, Scholastic)
• Reflection: Remembering Those Who Serve in War (Rebecka Sharpe Shelberg, illus by Robin Cowcher, Walker Books)
• Captain Sneer the Buccaneer (Penny Morrison, illus by Gabriel Evans, Walker)
• A Patch from Scratch (Megan Forward, PRH)
• Somewhere Else (Gus Gordon, PRH)
• Home in the Rain (Bob Graham, Walker Books)
• On the River (Roland Harvey, A&U)
• Mr Chicken Arriva a Roma (Leigh Hobbs, A&U)
• My Brother (Tiffan Huxley, Dee Huxley & Oliver Huxley, Working Title Press)
• Grandpa’s Big Adventure (Paul Newman, illus by Tom Jellett, PRH)
• Blue, the Builder’s Dog (Jen Storer, illus by Andrew Joyner, PRH)
• Welcome to Country (Aunty Joy Murphy, illus by Lisa Kennedy, Walker Books)
• A Soldier, a Dog and a Boy (Libby Hathorn, illus by Phil Lesnie, Lothian)
• Archie No Ordinary Sloth (Heath McKenzie, Five Mile)
• Melbourne Word by Word (Michael McMahon, HGE)
• Snail and Turtle: Rainy Days (Stephen Michael King, Scholastic)
• Pandamonia (Chris Owen, illus by Chris Nixon, Fremantle Press)
• Crusts (Danny Parker, Illus by Matt Ottley, HGE)
• Spark (Adam Wallace, illus by Andrew Plant, Ford Street)
• Smeck (Ben Redlich, Windy Hollow Books)
• Milo: A Moving Story (Tohby Riddle, A&U)  
• The Patchwork Bike (Maxine Beneba Clarke, illus by Van T Rudd, Lothian)
• Gary (Leila Rudge, Walker)
• Dog Lost (Brian Simmonds, Jan Ramage, Windy Hollow)
• Chooks in Dinner Suits (Dianne Jackson Hill, illus by Craig Smith, Museum Victoria)
• Out (Angela de Pourbaix, illus by Owen Swan, Scholastic)
• Stanley (Colin Thompson, HarperCollins)
• Small Things (Mel Tregonning, A&U)
• Cyclone (Jackie French, illus by Bruce Whatley, Scholastic)
• New Year Surprise! (Chirstopher Cheng, illus by Di Wu, NLA)

Eve Pownall Award for Information Books

• Circle (Jeannie Baker, Walker Books)
• Resource: Stories of Australian Innovation in Wartime (Jennet Cole-Adams & Judy Gauld, Department of Veterans’ Affairs)
• Spellbound: Making Pictures with the A-B-C (Maree Coote, Melbournestyle Books)
• A-Z of Endangered Animals (Jennifer Cossins, Red Parka Press)
• Socks, Sandbags & Leeches: Letters to My Anzac Dad (Pauline Deeves, NLA)
• Desert Lake: The Story of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre (Pamela Freeman, illus by Liz Anelli, Walker Books)
• Boomerang and Bat (Mark Greenwood, illus by Terry Denton, A&U)
• The Gigantic Book of Genes (Lorna Hendry, Wild Dog Books)
• Chooks in Dinner Suits (Diane Jackson Hill, illus by Craig Smith, Museum Victoria)
• Hello! (Joanna Karmel, illus by Tony Flowers, NLA)
• Australia’s Nightingale: Nellie Melba (Cassy Liberman & Sara Carter Jenkins, illus by Emma Borghesi, Brolly Books)
• The ABC Book of Food (Helen Martin & Judith Simpson Judith, illus by Cheryl Orsini, HarperCollins)
• Fabish: The Horse that Braved a Bushfire (Neridah McMullin, illus by Andrew McLean, A&U)
• Amazing Animals of Australia’s National Parks (Gina M Newton, NLA)
• Degas: An Art Book for Kids (Kate Ryan, illus by Cally Bennett, National Gallery of Victoria)
• William Bligh: A Stormy Story of Tempestuous Times (Michael Sedunary, illus by Bern Emmerichs, Berbay)
• Aliens, Ghosts and Vanishings: Strange and Possibly True Australian Stories (Stella Tarakson, illus by Richard Morden, Random House).

The Notable Books acts as the longlist for the CBCA Book of the Year Awards. The shortlist will be announced on 28 March and the winners at an event in Hobart on on 18 August.

For more information about the CBCA Awards, click here.

Category: Junior Local news