Annually since 1945, the Children’s Book Council of Australia have celebrated and advocated for the wonderful work that Australian children’s authors and illustrators do to create books that captivate, inspire and educate youth through CBCA Book Week. This year’s CBCA Book Week theme is Old Worlds, New Worlds, Other Worlds, signifying the way that books have the power transport us to places, times and experiences far different from our own, ones that we may never understand beyond the pages of our favourite stories. CBCA Book Week is acknowledged nationally by public libraries and schools through themed displays, Storytimes and activities to champion the contributions of our local creators. Learn more about the CBCA and their work here.
Professionals in early childhood education consistently highlight the tremendous value of reading in a child’s learning experience (ALIA, 2014), and this sentiment is supported by the CBCA in their endeavour to connect children with Australian books of high literary and artistic quality. Take a look at our Early Years Literacy page for some tips on how to support your child in their reading journey!
To uplift Australian children’s authors and illustrators, I’ve compiled a list of some books recognised by the CBCA in their Book of the Year awards to help you and your family celebrate CBCA Book Week.
Happy reading!