What makes a good book?

A brief insight into the CBCA Book of the Year Awards, teaching notes for a new picture book that tackles death and grief, and a few of my recent reads.

CBCA Book of the Year Awards

On Friday the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year Awards were announced, kicking off Children’s Book Week for 2024.

These awards were established way back in 1946, and celebrate the highest quality children’s literature published in Australia.

In their own words:

The advocacy role played by the CBCA promotes the literary experience for children and assures the scope and vitality of Australian children’s books. The annual CBCA Book of the Year Awards affirm the quality of some of Australia’s most creative people and provide a boost to their capacity to devote time to their craft.

As for the benefits to educators and parents, the CBCA Book of the Year Awards are the perfect starting point for anyone looking for the best Australian books.

Now, I understand that ‘best’ might be subjective, but as a former CBCA judge I can say that the judging process is rigorous, the criteria is thorough, and when I undertook this mammoth task over two yea…