Judging
This section of our site is about Judging for the Book of the Year Awards.
If you are a current Judge or are interested in becoming a Judge, you should be able to find the information you need here.
General
The Judging Panel Function Statement
To select from the children’s books published in Australia in the preceding year within the terms, definitions, and criteria governing the awards, the most distinguished
contributions to Australian literature for children.
The Judging Panel
The CBCA Book of the Year Judging Panel consists of fifteen (15) members.
Three judges comprise the panel for each category of the Awards.
The judging panel comprises literary/visual literacy experts in children’s literature, children’s librarians or teacher librarians.
Judging panels are formed through application with merit-based processes applied.
The CBCA offers a tenure of two years for judges, with an optional one year roll over term made available on application.
Responsibilities and Duties of Judges
Reading Requirements
Judges will be required to read all books entered in their category during the judging period. Books will be sent to judges monthly and judges will have four weeks to respond
with comments and voting.
Timeline
Entry to the Awards is open between 1 March and 30 November for books published from 1 January to 31 December.
Appointment of Judges
Applications open 1 October each year.
Applications close 30 November each year.
Judge appointments will be announced by 31 January of the following year.
Awards
Notables
The list of Notable Australian Children’s Books will be celebrated at the CBCA Night of the Notables on the last Tuesday in February and published on the CBCA website at 7pm that night.
Shortlist
The Shortlist will be released on the CBCA national website 12 noon ESDT, on the last Tuesday in March.
Winner and Honour
The Winner and Honour recipients receive their Awards at a public function on the third Friday in August at 12 noon. The list of Winner and Honour books are published on the CBCA website
at 12 noon on the third Friday in August.