Children’s Book of the Year Awards Judging Process

This is how the Judging Process works


December 31 – Registrations close
The judges confirm all the entries are eligible to enter the Awards. April onwards - Judges receive books
Two judging co-ordinators send a copy of every fiction book to eight judges around Australia who read every book and write a report on each based on agreed criteria. There are four fiction categories and one non-fiction category. Non Fiction is decided by a panel of four different judges.

Throughout the year - Lots of reading, discussion, in-depth analysis and evaluation
The Judges receive and read the books that are sent, making notes as they go along. Reports on each book are sent to and collated by the coordinators. They are in constant contact with each other via email and phone.

March following year - Annual Judges’ Conference
Points of view are shared and final decisions discussed and made!!!

April - The Notables and Shortlist are announced
Every year, at the beginning of April, after a conference where all the judges come together to make their final selections, the judges announce two lists:

• the Notable Books- books they came across during judging that show merit in a variety of ways; and,
• the much awaited CBCA Book of the Year Awards Shortlist. They usually select six books in each category for the Shortlist

SSSSSHHHHHH… can you keep a secret?
The judges know the winners but they can’t tell anyone for 5 months!!!

Third Week of August - The winners of the Awards in each category are announced at a public ceremony and prizes given.

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Previous Winners: 2007 (pdf)   2006 (pdf)

About the Junior Judges' Project

Categories & Judging Criteria

Teacher Resources