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

• Apply to become a Judge - Judging Information (redirect to National website)
• Getting help - Contact Us
• Manage your User Account (you'll need to be logged in) - Manage Account
• Voting - View the Books and enter your Votes (you'll need to be logged in)

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.