21/03/2024
The Australian Publishers Association is delighted to announce the shortlists for the 2024 Australian Book Industry Awards.
The Awards recognise excellence and innovation from the teams and individuals across the industry who get books into the hands of readers. This includes the authors, illustrators and narrators, through to the publishers, editors, designers, marketers, publicists, and booksellers, plus the many more professionals behind the scenes.
The 2024 shortlists features established luminaries and emerging talents within the vibrant Australian book industry. With over 7,000 new books published annually, the competition is fierce, making the shortlist an even greater achievement. Being nominated for an ABIA is not just a recognition of individual works but also a testament to the diversity and richness of Australian literature.
Chosen by an experienced cohort of highly-respected publishers, booksellers, agents and media and industry representatives, the judges have selected from books published over the past calendar year, across 14 categories. With each title representing a significant contribution to its respective genre or category, the task of narrowing down the choices is a formidable task speaking volumes for the depth of talent within the industry.
Audiobook of the Year
- The Teacher’s Pet, Hedley Thomas; narrated by Hedley Thomas and Full Cast (Pan Macmillan Australia, Macmillan Australia Audio)
- The Last Daughter, Brenda Matthews; narrated by Ella Ferris (Bolinda audio, Bolinda / ABC audio)
- The Voice to Parliament Handbook, Thomas Mayo, Kerry O’Brien; narrated by Thomas Mayo, Kerry O’Brien (Bolinda audio)
- Welcome to Sex, Melissa Kang, Yumi Stynes; narrated by Melissa Kang, Yumi Stynes (Bolinda audio)
- Wifedom, Anna Funder; narrated by Arianwen Parkes-Lockwood, Jane Slavin (Bolinda audio)
- Edenglassie, Melissa Lucashenko; narrated by Ursula Yovich (Audible Australia, Audible Studios); produced by Radhiah Chowdhury / Sound Kitchen Studio
Biography Book of the Year
- Showing Up, Nedd Brockmann (Simon & Schuster Australia)
- Heartbake, Charlotte Ree (Allen & Unwin)
- Love & Pain, Ben Gillies, Chris Joannou (Hachette Australia)
- Wifedom: Mrs Orwell's Invisible Life, Anna Funder (Penguin Random House Australia, Hamish Hamilton)
- Unfinished Woman, Robyn Davidson (Bloomsbury Publishing)
The initial shortlist announcement contained a sixth title, Did I Ever Tell You This?: A Memoir by Sam Neill (Text Publishing). It was ineligible under the ABIA Biography of the Year Award criteria, and withdrawn.
Book of the Year for Older Children (ages 13+)
- This Book Thinks Ya Deadly, Corey Tutt, illustrated by Molly Hunt (Hardie Grant Publishing, Hardie Grant Explore)
- The Quiet and the Loud, Helena Fox (Pan Macmillan Australia, Pan)
- Welcome to Sex, Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes, illustrated by Jenny Latham (Hardie Grant Children's Publishing, HGCP Non-Fiction)
- Stuck Up and Stupid, Angourie Rice, Kate Rice (Walker Books Australia)
- Eleanor Jones is Not a Murderer, Amy Doak (Penguin Random House Australia, Penguin)
- Isles of Gods, Amie Kaufman (Allen & Unwin)
Book of the Year for Younger Children (ages 7-12)
- It's the Sound of the Thing, Maxine Beneba Clarke (Hardie Grant Children's Publishing, HGCP Older Readers)
- Songlines, Margo Neale, Lynne Kelly, Blak Douglas (Thames & Hudson)
- Kimmi, Favel Parrett (Hachette Australia, Lothian Children's Books)
- The 169-Storey Treehouse, Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton (Pan Macmillan Australia, Pan)
- Custodians: Wylah the Koorie Warrior 2, Jordan Gould and Richard Pritchard (Allen & Unwin, Albert Street Books)
- Ember and the Island of Lost Creatures, Jason Pamment (Allen & Unwin)
Children’s Picture Book of the Year (ages 0-6)
- What to Do When You're Not Sure What to Do, Davina Bell, illustrated by Hilary Jean Tapper (Hachette Australia, Lothian Children's Books)
- If I Was a Horse, Sophie Blackall (Hachette Australia, Lothian Children's Books)
- Nightsong, Sally Soweol (Han University of Queensland Press, UQP)
- Australia: Country of Colour, Jess Racklyeft (Affirm Press)
- Australian Animals: From Beach to Bush, Brentos (Affirm Press)
- A Life Song, Jane Godwin, illustrated by Anna Walker (Penguin Random House Australia, Puffin)
General Fiction Book of the Year
- Homecoming, Kate Morton (Allen & Unwin)
- Mr Einstein's Secretary, Matthew Reilly (Pan Macmillan Australia, Macmillan)
- Green Dot, Madeleine Gray (Allen & Unwin)
- The Bookbinder of Jericho, Pip Williams (Affirm Press)
- Dark Mode, Ashley Kalagian-Blunt (Hardie Grant, Publishing Ultimo Press)
- Everyone On This Train Is A Suspect, Benjamin Stevenson (Penguin Random House Australia, Michael Joseph)
General Non-fiction Book of the Year
- The Voice to Parliament Handbook, Thomas Mayo and Kerry O'Brien Hardie (Grant Publishing, Hardie Grant Explore)
- I Don't, Clementine Ford (Allen & Unwin)
- It's The Menopause: What you need to know in your 40s, 50s and beyond, Kaz Cooke (Penguin Random House Australia, Viking)
- Question 7, Richard Flanagan (Penguin Random House Australia, Knopf)
- Crossing the Line, Nick McKenzie (Hachette Australia)
- Bright Shining, Julia Baird (HarperCollins Publishers, 4th Estate)
Illustrated Book of the Year
- The New Modernist House, Patricia Callan (Thames & Hudson, Thames & Hudson Australia)
- Iwantja, Iwantja Artists (Thames & Hudson Australia)
- Australian Abstract, Amber Creswell Bell (Thames & Hudson, Thames & Hudson Australia)
- Fish Butchery, Josh Niland (Hardie Grant Publishing, Hardie Grant Books)
- The Year I Met My Brain: A travel companion for adults who have just found out they have ADHD, Matilda Boseley, illustrated by Evie Hilliar (Penguin Random House Australia, Penguin Life)
- Getting to Know the Birds in Your Neighbourhood: A Field Guide, Darryl Jones (NewSouth Publishing, NewSouth)
International Book of the Year
- Iron Flame, Rebecca Yarros (Hachette Australia, Piatkus)
- Fourth Wing, Rebecca Yarros (Hachette Australia, Piatkus)
- Tom Lake, Ann Patchett (Bloomsbury Publishing)
- The Woman in Me, Britney Spears (Simon & Schuster Australia)
- Icebreaker, Hannah Grace (Simon & Schuster Australia)
- SPARE, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex (Penguin Random House Australia, Bantam UK)
Literary Fiction Book of the Year
- The Hummingbird Effect, Kate Mildenhall (Simon & Schuster Australia, Scribner Australia)
- The In-Between Christos, Tsiolkas (Allen & Unwin)
- Stone Yard Devotional, Charlotte Wood (Allen & Unwin)
- Prima Facie, Suzie Miller (Pan Macmillan Australia, Picador Australia)
- Women & Children, Tony Birch (University of Queensland Press, UQP)
- Lola in the Mirror, Trent Dalton (HarperCollins Publishers, 4th Estate)
Small Publishers’ Adult Book of the Year
- The Matilda Effect, Fiona Crawford (Melbourne University Publishing Melbourne, University Press)
- Edenglassie, Melissa Lucashenko (University of Queensland Press, UQP)
- Everyone and Everything, Nadine J. Cohen (Pantera Press)
- I'd Rather Not, Robert Skinner (Black Inc.)
- Killing for Country: A Family Story, David Marr (Black Inc.)
Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year
- Gurawul the Whale: An ancient story for our time, Uncle Max Dulumunmun Harrison, illustrated by Laura La Rosa (Magabala Books)
- Meet Me at the Moon Tree, Shivaun Plozza (University of Queensland Press, UQP)
- Let's Never Speak of This Again, Megan Williams (Text Publishing)
- Listen, Nicole Godwin and Duncan Smith, illustrated by Jandamarra Cadd (Wild Dog Books)
- Who's Afraid of the Light?, Anna McGregor (Scribe Publications, Scribble)
- Artichoke to Zucchini: an alphabet of delicious things from around the world, Alice Oehr (Scribe Publications, Scribble)
Social Impact Book of the Year
- The Voice to Parliament Handbook, Thomas Mayo and Kerry O'Brien (Hardie Grant Publishing, Hardie Grant Explore)
- Welcome to Sex, Melissa Kang and Yumi Stynes, illustrated by Jenny Latham (Hardie Grant Children's Publishing, HGCP Non-Fiction)
- The Year I Met My Brain: A travel companion for adults who have just found out they have ADHD, Matilda Boseley, illustrated by Evie Hilliar (Penguin Random House Australia, Penguin Life)
- Wifedom: Mrs Orwell's Invisible Life, Anna Funder (Penguin Random House Australia, Hamish Hamilton)
- The Palestine Laboratory: how Israel exports the technology of occupation around the world, Antony Loewenstein (Scribe Publications)
- The Queen is Dead, Stan Grant (HarperCollins Publishers, 4th Estate)
The Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year
- Green Dot, Madeleine Gray (Allen & Unwin)
- At the Foot of the Cherry Tree, Alli Parker (HarperCollins Publishers)
- Saltwater Boy, Bradley Christmas (Walker Books Australia)
- Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder, Kerryn Mayne (Penguin Random House Australia, Bantam)
- A Brilliant Life, Rachelle Unreich (Hachette Australia)
- Everyone and Everything, Nadine J Cohen (Pantera Press)
Discover the winners on 9 May in Melbourne
Our warm congratulations to all those shortlisted, and look out for the shortlists for the Business Awards on 4 April, along with this year's Hall of Fame recipients.
We look forward to welcoming you all at the Awards Ceremony on Thursday 9 May 2024, as we take the awards to Victoria’s UNESCO City of Literature, and celebrating in style at Zinc Fed Square in the heart of Melbourne.
Thank you to our supporters
ABIA would like to thank our valued sponsors: Copyright Agency, Media Super; Audible Australia, JCDecaux; OPUS Group; TitlePage; Sydney Morning Herald; The Age; BorrowBox; GEODIS; Ingram Content Group; Books + Publishing; Simpsons; Amazon, and Nielsen Book Data.