CBCA 2013 Books of the Year: Winners and runners-up

After several months of speculation the CBCA award winners for 2013 have been announced. The CBCA awards are given to works that are the benchmarks for quality in Australian children’s literature. Even making the short list guarantees that there will be attention given to these works.  In two posts about the 2013 shortlists ( older readers and younger readers) I wrote about these books and offered links to follow up each of them. The books chosen this year were quite varied in their styles and subject matter.

The winners and honour books have a gold medallion put onto the covers and they will be bought by schools for their libraries and their use in classes, public libraries and parents (and relatives) of young people.

The 2013 CBCA Book of the Year awards have been given to the authors and illustrators in the following five categories from older readers to early childhood.

OLDER READERS:

Winner: Sea Hearts  by Margo Lanagan 

Honour books: 

• The Ink Bridge by Neil Grant;
• Friday Brown by Vikki Wakefield

YOUNGER READERS:

Winner: Children of the King    by Sonya Hartnett

Honour books: 

• Pennies for Hitler by Jackie French
• The Tender Moments of Saffron Silk  by Glenda Millard and Stephen Michael King (illus.)

EARLY CHILDHOOD: 

Winner: The Terrible Suitcase  by Emma Allen & Freya Blackwood (Illus)  Teacher’s notes have been written for this book

Honour books: 

• With Nan by Tania Cox  and Karen Blair
• Too Many Elephants in This House by Ursula Dubosarsky and Andrew Joyner

PICTURE BOOK: 

Winner: The Coat  by Ron Brooks (illus) and Julie Hunt. Also available: Teacher Notes and Teacher reviews 

Honour books:

• Herman and Rosie by Gus Gordon
  
• Sophie Scott Goes South by Alison Lester

INFORMATION BOOK:

Winner: Tom the Outback Mailman by Kristin Weidenbach and Timothy Ide. Also available: Teacher Notes 

Honour books:

• Lyrebird! A True Story  by Jackie Kerin and Peter Gouldthrope
• Topsy Turvy World: How Australian Animals Puzzled Early Explorers by Kirsty Murray