Books

Book Lists /CBCA Shortlist 2026

Being Indy

Zoe Gaetjens, Estee Sarsfield (Illustrator)

There's a Prawn in Parliament House: the Kids' Guide to Australia's Amazing Democracy

Annabel Crabb, DOG FIRST

Prayer for a River

Glenn Loughrey (Illustrator), Andrew Kelly

The Thing about Christmas

Jo Dabrowski, Briony Stewart (Illustrator)

Ningaloo

Tim Winton, Cindy Lane

Once I Was a Giant

Zeno Sworder

Dawn

Marc Martin

Dear Broccoli

Jo Dabrowski, Cate James (Illustrator)

Beyond the Shore

Kirli Saunders

We Saw What You Started

Carla Salmon

My Nonno Loves

Adelle Frittitta, Claudia Frittitta (Illustrator)

The Frog's First Song

Jazz Money, Jason Phu (Illustrator)

Run

Sarah Armstrong

Tiwi in Paris

Glen Farmer Farmer Illortaminni

The Emperor's Egg

Rae Tan

Golden

Jade Timms

A Loo of One's Own

Eleri Harris

A Farm by the Sea

Jillian Packer

Frogs Are Our Friends

Toni D'Alia

Bob and Dob

Sean E. Avery (Illustrator)

Something Terrible: Tim Tie-Your-Shoelaces

Sally Barton, Christopher Nielsen (Illustrator)

Inked

Karen Wasson, Jake A. Minton (Illustrator)

The Paperbark Tree Committee

Karys McEwen

The Thylacine and the Time Machine

Renee Treml