Readings Children’s Book Prize 2024 shortlist announced

The shortlist for the 2024 Readings Children’s Book Prize has been announced.

This year’s six shortlisted books are:

• The Lonely Lighthouse of Elston-Fright (Reece Carter, illus by Simon Howe, A&U Children’s)
• To and Fro (Anton Clifford-Motopi, A&U Children’s)
• Get Your Act Together, Doris Kozlowski (Jo Dabrowski, Affirm)
• Wurrtoo: The wombat who fell in love with the sky (Tylissa Elisara, illus by Dylan Finney, Lothian)
• Spies in the Sky (Beverley McWilliams, Pantera)
• Batthew Aromascent and the Missing Corpse Flower (Ella Mulvey & John Roebuck, Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing).

First established in 2014, the Readings Prizes aim to ‘support and champion new and outstanding Australian voices’, with debut and second-time Australian authors’ titles eligible for the prizes. Categories include the Readings Children’s Book Prize, Young Adult Book Prize and New Australian Fiction Prize.

The winners in each category will be announced at an event on 22 October, with each to receive $5000. The Gab Williams Prize, judged by the Readings Teen Advisory Board from the Young Adult Book prize shortlist, will then be announced on 29 October, with the winner to receive $1000.

Last year’s winner of the Readings Children’s Book Prize was Maryam Master for No Words (Pan).

Category: Awards Local news