Australian Book Industry Awards
![]() | This article is missing information about history, origins, funding and winners in previous years.(May 2019) |
The Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) are publishers' and literary awards held by the Australian Publishers Association annually in Sydney "to celebrate the achievements of authors and publishers in bringing Australian books to readers". Works are first selected by an academy of more than 200 industry professionals, and then a shortlist and winners are chosen by judging panels.[1]
The inaugural event was held in July 2006.[2]
2018 winners[]
The 2018 ABIA winners were announced on 3 May, with Jessica Townsend's Nevermoor receiving three awards:[3]
- ABIA book of the year: Nevermoor, Jessica Townsend
- Biography of the year award: Working Class Man, Jimmy Barnes
- General fiction book of the year: The Secrets She Keeps, Michael Robotham
- General non-fiction book of the year: The Trauma Cleaner, Sarah Krasnostein
- Literary fiction book of the year: See What I Have Done, Sarah Schmidt
- Illustrated book of year: Maggie's Recipe for Life, Maggie Beer and Ralph Martins
- International book of year: Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo
- Small publisher adults book of the year: The Australian Bird Guide, Peter Menkhorst, Danny Rogers, Rohan Clarke et al
- Small publisher children’s book of the year: It's OK to Feel the Way You Do, Josh Langley
- The Matt Richell award for new writer of the year: Nevermoor, Jessica Townsend
- Book of the year for older children (ages 13+): Begin, End, Begin: A #LoveOzYA Anthology, edited by Danielle Binks
- Book of the year for younger children (ages seven to 12): Nevermoor, Jessica Townsend
- Children's picture book of the year (ages up to six): No One Likes a Fart, Zoë Foster Blake
- Audiobook of the year: The 91-Storey Treehouse, Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton, narrated by Stig Wemyss
- The Lloyd O'Neill hall of fame award for services to the Australian book industry: Suzy Wilson
- The Pixie O'Harris award for outstanding commitment to children's literature: Jane Covernton
- Publisher of the year: HarperCollins
- Small publisher of the year: Thames & Hudson Australia
- National book retailer of the year: Dymocks
- Independent book retailer of the year: Readings
- Rising star award: Shalini Kunahlan, marketing manager at Text Publishing
2019 winners[]
Trent Dalton's Boy Swallows Universe picked up four awards in the 2019 ABIA awards. Winners were:[4]
- ABIA book of the year: Boy Swallows Universe, Trent Dalton
- Biography of the year award: Eggshell Skull, Bri Lee
- General fiction book of the year: The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Holly Ringland
- General non-fiction book of the year: No Friend But the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison, Behrouz Boochani, Omid Tofighian (translator)
- Honourable mention for non-fiction book of the year: Any Ordinary Day, Leigh Sales
- Literary fiction book of the year: Boy Swallows Universe, Trent Dalton
- Illustrated book of year: Family: New vegetable classics to comfort and nourish, Hetty McKinnon
- International book of year: Less, Andrew Sean Greer
- Small publisher adults book of the year: Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia, Dr Anita Heiss (ed.)
- Small publisher children's book of the year: Whisper, Lynette Noni
- The Matt Richell award for new writer of the year: Boy Swallows Universe, Trent Dalton
- Book of the year for older children (ages 13+): Jane Doe and the Cradle of All Worlds, Jeremy Lachlan
- Book of the year for younger children (ages seven to 12): The 104-Storey Treehouse, Andy Griffiths, Terry Denton
- Children's picture book of the year (ages up to six): All the Ways to be Smart, Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys
- Audiobook of the year: Boy Swallows Universe, Trent Dalton, Narrator Stig Wemyss
- The Lloyd O'Neill hall of fame award for services to the Australian book industry: Richard Walsh
- The Pixie O'Harris award for outstanding commitment to children’s literature: Kathy Kozlowski
- Publisher of the year: Pan Macmillan Australia
- Small publisher of the year: Affirm Press
- Honourable mention: Magabala Books
- National book retailer of the year: Booktopia
- Independent book retailer of the year: Mary Martin Bookshops
- Rising star award: Ella Chapman, head of marketing communications at Hachette Australia
2020 winners[]
The 2020 awards were announced at a virtual event hosted by Casey Bennetto on 13 May. Winners were:[5][6]
- ABIA book of the year: Bluey: The Beach, Ludo Studio, BBC Studios and PRH Australia
- Biography of the year award: When All is Said & Done by Neale Daniher
- General fiction book of the year: Bruny, Heather Rose
- General non-fiction book of the year: Kitty Flanagan’s 488 Rules for Life, Kitty Flanagan
- Literary fiction book of the year: The Weekend, Charlotte Wood
- Illustrated book of year: The Whole Fish Cookbook, Josh Niland
- International book of year: The Testaments, Margaret Atwood
- Small publisher adults book of the year: Sand Talk, Tyson Yunkaporta
- Small publisher children's book of the year: Love Your Body, Jessica Saunders, illustrated by Carol Rossetti
- The Matt Richell award for new writer of the year: Your Own Kind of Girl, Clare Bowditch
- Book of the year for older children (ages 13+): Welcome To Your Period, Yumi Stynes and Melissa Kang
- Book of the year for younger children (ages seven to 12): The 117-Storey Treehouse, Andy Griffiths, Terry Denton
- Children's picture book of the year (ages up to six): Bluey: The Beach, Ludo Studio, BBC Studios and PRH Australia
- Audiobook of the year: No Friend But the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison, Behrouz Boochani. Narrators: Benjamin Law, Omid Tofighian, Isobelle Carmody, Janet Galbraith, Mathilda Imlah, Geoffrey Robertson, Richard Flanagan, Sarah Dale, Thomas Keneally and Yumi Stynes
- The Lloyd O'Neill hall of fame award for services to the Australian book industry: Helen Garner
- The Pixie O'Harris award for outstanding commitment to children’s literature: Erica Wagner
- Publisher of the year: Allen & Unwin
- Small publisher of the year: Magabala Books
- National book retailer of the year: Books Kinokuniya
- Independent book retailer of the year: Readings
- Rising star award: Hazel Lam, senior book designer at HarperCollins
2021 winners[]
The 2021 awards were announced at Carriageworks on 28 April at an in-person and virtual event hosted by Casey Bennetto. Winners were:[7]
- ABIA book of the year: Phosphorescence, Julia Baird
- Biography of the year award: The Happiest Man on Earth, Eddie Jaku
- General fiction book of the year: The Dictionary of Lost Words, Pip Williams
- General non-fiction book of the year: Phosphorescence, Julia Baird
- Literary fiction book of the year: A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing, Jessie Tu
- Illustrated book of year: In Praise of Veg, Alice Zaslavsky
- International book of year: Such a Fun Age, Kiley Reid
- Small publisher adults book of the year: The Animals in That Country, Laura Jean McKay
- Small publisher children's book of the year: Bindi, Kirli Saunders, illustrated by Dub Leffler
- The Matt Richell award for new writer of the year: The Coconut Children, Vivian Pham
- Book of the year for older children (ages 13+): The Left-Handed Booksellers of London, Garth Nix
- Book of the year for younger children (ages seven to 12): The Grandest Bookshop in the World, Amelia Mellor
- Children's picture book of the year (ages up to six): Our Home, Our Heartbeat (Adam Briggs, Kate Moon and Rachael Sarra
- Audiobook of the year: Tell Me Why, Archie Roach, narrated by the author
- The Lloyd O'Neill hall of fame award for services to the Australian book industry: Mandy Macky
- The Pixie O'Harris award for outstanding commitment to children’s literature: Maryann Ballantyne
- Publisher of the year: Penguin Random House Australia
- Small publisher of the year: University of Queensland Press
- National book retailer of the year: Avid Reader, Brisbane
- Independent book retailer of the year: Readings
- Rising star award: Pooja Desai, head of design at Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing
References[]
- ^ "About". ABIA. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ^ "Industry awards". Books and Publishing. 1 August 2006. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
- ^ "HarperCollins and Thames & Hudson win at 2018 ABIAs, 'Nevermoor' named Book of the Year". Books+Publishing. 4 May 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Spring, Alexandra (2 May 2019). "'Extraordinary and beautiful storytelling': Boy Swallows Universe wins ABIA book of the year". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
- ^ "'Bluey: The Beach' wins 2020 ABIA Book of the Year". Books+Publishing. 13 May 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "ABIA 2020 shortlists announced". Books+Publishing. 28 April 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "'Phosphorescence' wins 2021 ABIA Book of the Year". Books+Publishing. 28 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
Further reading[]
- Books + Publishing: Tag abia (Earlier lists and winners are available via links from this search.)
External links[]
- Australian fiction awards
- Australian non-fiction book awards
- Australian booksellers
- Australian literary awards
- Awards established in 2006
- Australian literature-related lists