The 2025 Children’s Book Week took place from Saturday 16 to Saturday 23 August.
The theme of this year’s national event was ‘Book an Adventure’, which encourages young readers to “imagine, explore, and create their own adventures”.
This year also marked the 80th birthday of the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA), of which the Children’s Book Week is an annual highlight event.
The CBCA was established in 1945, “in a time when Australian children’s books were few, and Australian authors and illustrators were virtually unknown”.
According to the not-for-profit, volunteer-run organisation’s website (cbca.org.au), the CBCA’s aim is to engage the community with literature for young Australians so that their lives can be enriched through stories.
Its mission: “To connect, communicate, celebrate and advocate for the value of stories.”
Throughout the years, the CBCA has worked with numerous authors, illustrators, publishers, booksellers and other organisations across the country to promote books of outstanding literary and artistic quality to Australian readers of all ages.
Not just the children, but their families, teachers and overall community members as well.
Apart from the Children’s Book Week, the organisation also administers the annual Book of the Year Awards, which celebrates the remarkable creators, illustrators and publishers who help bringing Australian stories to life.
As of the writing of this article, winners of the 2025 Book of the Year Awards have just been announced.
Gary Lonesborough’s coming-of-age novel I’m Not Really Here won the award for Older Readers, while Maryam Master’s Laughter is the Best Ending, wonderfully illustrated by Astred Hicks, won the award for Younger Readers.
Meanwhile, The Truck Cat, authored by Danny Snell and illustrated by Deborah Frenkel, won the Picture Book of the Year Award.
Our readers would remember the title from this year’s National Simultaneous Storytime back in May.
The CBCA further announced winners of the 2025 Shadow Judging Book of the Year Awards.
The annual ‘Sun Project: Shadow Judging’ program invites young readers from groups across Australia to join the conversation about the Book of the Year Shortlist and choose their own winners.
The process is facilitated by teachers and librarians, but participating kids have found it to be a highly-rewarding learning experience.
As great minds think alike, the Shadow Judging Awards for Younger Readers and for Picture Book went to the previously mentioned Laughter is the Best Ending and The Truck Cat, respectively.
But the award for Older Readers was won by Sharon Kernot’s Birdy, a tender and heart-warming verse novel.
Last yet not the least, the CBCA is inviting Victoria-based young and adult readers to the Birthday Book Adventure in Federation Square on Saturday 23 August, with free activities such as crafting, creator workshops, a book parade, and chances to meet some of the state’s most beloved authors and illustrators.
