Children’s Book Council of Australia 2025 Book of the Year Awards

August 20, 2025August 18, 2025 | Tasha

The winners of the 2025 Book of the Year Awards have been announced by the Children’s Book Council of Australia. Here are the winners and honor books for each category:

OLDER READERS WINNER

I’m Not Really Here by Gary Lonesborough (releasing in US in March 2026)

OLDER READER HONOR BOOKS

Birdy by Sharon Kernot

Into the Mouth of the Wolf by Erin Gough

YOUNGER READERS WINNER

Laughter Is the Best Ending by Maryam Master, illustrated by Astred Hicks

YOUNGER READERS HONOR BOOKS

Aggie Flea Steals the Show by Tania Ingram, illustrated by A. Yi

Fluff: Mess Up! by Matt Stanton

EARLY CHILDHOOD WINNER

The Wobbly Bike by Darren McCallum, illustrated by Craig Smith

EARLY CHILDHOOD HONOR BOOKS

How to Move a Zoo by Kate Simpson, illustrated by Owen Swan (available in US)

One Little Dung Beetle by Rhiân Williams, illustrated by Heather Potter & Mark Jackson

PICTURE BOOK WINNER

The Truck Cat illustrated by Danny Snell, text by Deborah Frenkel (available in US)

PICTURE BOOK HONOR BOOKS

Afloat illustrated by Freya Blackwood, text by Kirli Saunders (available in US)

These Long-Loved Things illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh, text by Josh Pyke

WINNER OF THE EVE POWNALL AWARD FOR INFORMATION BOOKS

Always Was, Always Will Be by Aunty Fay Muir & Sue Lawson

HONOR BOOKS

Making the Shrine: Stories from Victoria’s War Memorial by Laura J. Carroll

South with the Seabirds by Jess McGeachin

NEW ILLUSTRATOR AWARD WINNER

Grow Big, Little Seed illustrated by Sarah Capon, text by Bec Nanayakkara (available in US)

Big Little Baby by Liz Garton Scanlon – Book Review

August 20, 2025July 31, 2025 | Tasha

Big Little Baby by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Trudy Tan (9780593890868)

This board book is a warm and lovely take on a universal baby game of “Baby is SO big” while you raise their hands above their head. The book quickly expands the game to show how strong and big baby is. From being strong like an elephant and stretching to reach a toy to roaring with hunger like a bear. The story then turns to how small baby is, a part of the book that is filled with butterfly kisses and being held close. The book ends with bedtime and a sleeping baby. Award-winning Scanlon sets just the right gentle and playful feel with a rhythm and rhyme that allows the book to skip along at a baby-friendly pace. The illustrations have a lovely watercolor softness combined with engaging colors.

Just right for babies no matter how big or small. Appropriate for ages 0-3.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Penguin Random House.

2025 New Zealand Book Awards

August 19, 2025August 15, 2025 | Tasha

The winners of the 2025 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults have been announced. The awards this year are noted for including so many Maori titles. Here are the winning titles.

MARGARET MAHY BOOK OF THE YEAR

The Treaty of Waitangi by Ross Callman

BOOKHUB PICTURE BOOK AWARD

Titiro Look by Gavin Bishop, translated by Darryn Joseph

WRIGHT FAMILY FOUNDATION ESTHER GLEN AWARD FOR JUNIOR FICTION

Detective Beans and the Case of the Missing Hat by Li Chen (released in US)

YOUNG ADULT FICTION AWARD

The Paradise Generation by Sanna Thompson

ELSIE LOCKE AWARD FOR NON-FICTION

The Treaty of Waitangi by Ross Callman

RUSSELL CLARK AWARD FOR ILLUSTRATION

Hineraukatauri me Te Ara Pūoro by Rehua Wilson

WRIGHT FAMILY FOUNDATION TE KURA POUNAMU AWARD FOR A BOOK ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN TE REO MĀORI

Hineraukatauri me Te Ara Pūoro by Rehua Wilson

WRIGHT FAMILY FOUNDATION TE KURA POUNAMU AWARD FOR A BOOK TRANSLATED INTO TE REO MĀORI

A Ariā me te Atua o te Kūmara by Witi Ihimaera, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, translated by Hēni Jacob

NZSA BEST FIRST BOOK AWARD

The Raven’s Eye Runaways by Claire Mabey (released in US in October)

I Hate Everything! By Sophy Henn – Book Review

August 19, 2025July 31, 2025 | Tasha

I Hate Everything! By Sophy Henn (9781665980494)

When a ghost is having a very bad day, his smaller friend tries to figure out what is wrong. Does the ghost hate him too? No? Does the ghost hate sweets? How about playing dress up? One after the other, the little ghost finds things that the other ghost doesn’t hate, and maybe loves. In the end the ghost has completely forgotten what he hates, or has he? Told entirely in speech bubbles, the book is fast paced and great fun to read aloud with a grumpy ghost voice.

A silly book about bad moods that is sure to put you in a good one. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Beach Lane Books.

CBC Kids Reads 2025 Longlist

August 18, 2025August 15, 2025 | Tasha

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has announced the Kids Reads 2025 Longlist. The 15 picture books in the longlist will be shortened to five books that will compete to win. The shortlist will be announced on September 17 and the winner announced on October 4. Here are the longlisted books:

Benny and the Bananasaurus Rex by Sarabeth Holden, illustrated by Emma Pedersen

Cone Dog by Sarah Howden, illustrated by Carmen Mok

Getting Glam at Gram’s by Sara Weed, illustrated by Erin Hawryluk

The Hockey Skates by Karl Subban, illustrated by Maggie Zeng

How to Staycation Like a Snail by Naseem Hrab, illustrated by Kelly Collier

I Am a Rock by Ashley Qilavaq-Savard, illustrated by Pelin Turgut

The Little Green Envelope by Gillian Sze, illustrated by Claudine Crangle

Mad at Dad by Janie Hao

The Mango Monster by Derek Mascarenhas, illustrated by Meneka Repka

Oh! Look, a Boat! by Andrew J. Ross

The Only Lonely Fairy by Lana Button, illustrated by Peggy Collins

Shark Girl by Kate Beaton

So Loud! by Sahar Golshan, illustrated by Shiva Delsooz

When You Can Swim by Jack Wong

When You Meet a Dragon by Tanya Lloyd Kyi, illustrated by Udayana Lugo

Aggie and the Ghost by Matthew Forsythe – Book review

August 18, 2025July 31, 2025 | Tasha

Aggie and the Ghost by Matthew Forsythe (9781534478206)

The creator of Pokko and the Drum returns with a new picture book. Aggie is looking forward to living on her own, but then discovers that her new house is haunted. The ghost never leaves her alone and won’t follow any of the rules she sets for the house. He steals her socks, haunts during the middle of the night, and eats all the cheese. Finally, Aggie has had enough and heads into the woods during a rainstorm trying to be alone. But the ghost joins her. The two decide to play tic-tac-toe with the winner getting to stay in the house. It’s an epic game but will it be enough to create some rules for the two of them? Probably not.

Forsythe’s humor is evident in his illustrations with their washes of color and doll-faced little person. The ghost is a marvelously malleable creature with one big eye who would certainly be disconcerting to have around the house. The story too is a delight with a marvelous ending that is laugh-out-loud funny.

A hauntingly good book. Appropriate for ages 4-7.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Simon & Schuster.

2025 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards Shortlists

August 15, 2025 | Tasha

Creative Australia has announced the shortlists for the 2025 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards. The awards “acknowledge the contribution of Australian literature to the nation’s cultural and intellectual life.” Winners will be announced on September 29th. Here are the shortlists for the juvenile categories:g

CHILDREN’S LITERATURE SHORTLIST

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Tooth Fairy (And Some Things You Didn’t) by Briony Stewart

A Leaf Called Greaf by Kelly Canby

Leo and Ralph by Peter Carnavas (releasing in February 2026 in US)

Raymaŋgirrbuy dhäwu When I was a little girl by Kylie Gatjawarrawuy Mununggurr

We Live in a Bus by Dave Petzold (releasing in April 2026 in US)

YOUNG ADULT SHORTLIST

Anomaly by Emma Lord (available as ebook in US)

The Anti-Racism Kit by Sabina Patawaran and Jinyoung Kim (available in US)

The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland (available in US)

My Family and Other Suspects by Kate Emery

Thunderhead by Sophie Beer

Wake Your Friday Brain Cells – August 15 Edition

August 15, 2025August 14, 2025 | Tasha

CHILDREN’S LIT

5 New African Picture Books That Bring Home Culture and Joy – Brittle Paper

Back to school: How local schools, libraries will be affected by Supreme Court books ruling – WTOP

Is It Time to Move On From Dr. Seuss? – Lit Hub

LIBRARIES

27 Surprising Things You Can Borrow From Public Libraries – MSN

AI Comes to the Library – WGBH

What’s happening with federal funding for libraries? – Isthmus

Wisconsin libraries may have to drastically reduce services under new federal funding cuts – Post Crescent

2025 Harvey Award Nominees

August 14, 2025 | Tasha

The nominees for the 2025 Harvey Awards have been announced. These awards recognize the best in comics in the previous year in a variety of categories. Here are the nominees in the juvenile categories:

BEST CHILDREN’S BOOK