Children's Book Week is on in August. It's a time when we come together to dress-up as favourite book characters and discover the best youth literature of the past year.
Check out this year's top books for young readers as voted by the Children's Book Council of Australia. From the best books for young adults to celebrating incredible illustrators, these awards showcase the fantastic work happening in youth literature in Australia.
Reserve some titles from the list below and start planning your costume for our special storytimes.
Book Week dress-up storytimes, 11 am to 12 pm:
- Saturday 16 August, Ashburton Library
- Monday 18 August, Balwyn Library
- Monday 18 August, Kew Library
- Tuesday 19 August, Hawthorn Library
- Thursday 21 August, Ashburton Library
- Friday 22 August, Camberwell Library
Children's Book Week 2025 shortlisted titles
Book of the Year: Older Readers
A wreck of seabirds* by Karleah Olson
Birdy* by Sharon Kernot
Comes the Night* by Isobelle Carmody
I’m Not Really Here by Gary Lonesborough
Into the Mouth of the Wolf* by Erin Gough
The Skin I’m In by Steph Tisdell
Book of the Year: Younger Readers
Aggie Flea Steals the Show by Tania Ingram
Fluff: Mess Up!* by Matt Stanton
Laughter is the Best Ending by Maryam Master
Saskia Spark-Lee: Fundraiser Fail* by Rebecka Sharpe Shelberg
Tigg and the Bandicoot Bushranger* by Jackie French
To and Fro* by Anton Clifford-Motopi
Book of the Year: Early Childhood
Don’t Worry, Felix* by Yohann Devezy & Katharine Alice
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Tooth Fairy (And Some Things You Didn’t) by Briony Stewart
How to Move a Zoo* by Kate Simpson
One Little Dung Beetle* by Rhiân Williams
Spiro by Anna McGregor
The Wobbly Bike by Darren McCallum
The Picture Book of the Year
Afloat* by Freya Blackwood
The Garden of Broken Things by Freya Blackwood
A Leaf Called Greaf by Kelly Canby
These Long-Loved Things by Ronojoy Ghosh
The Truck Cat* by Danny Snell
We Live in a Bus by Dave Petzold
Eve Pownall Award
Always Was, Always Will Be* by Aunty Fay Muir & Sue Lawson
Design & Building on Country* by Alison Page & Paul Memmott
Flora: Australia’s Most Curious Plants by Tania McCartney
I am a Magpie, I am a Currawong by Bridget Farmer
Making the Shrine: Stories From Victoria’s War Memorial by Laura J Carroll
South With the Seabirds* by Jess McGeachin
CBCA Award For New Illustrator
A Teaspoon of Light, Nisaluk Chantanakom
Digger Digs Down, Huni Melissa Bolliger
Grow Big, Little Seed, Sarah Capon
Peek-a-Boo Lottie, Kristen Willis
Raymaŋgirrbuy dhäwu, When I was a little girl, Kylie Gatjawarrawuy Mununggurr
The Land Recalls You, David Cragg & Noni Cragg
More information
To reserve a book, search the library catalogue, click the title and use your membership number and PIN to place a reservation. Titles with an asterisk (*) are also available from our eBook collection.
Visit our Children’s storytimes and activities page for all our regular children’s programs. See our Literacy and reading resources for families page to find the best reading recommendations, literacy advice and programs for your child.