Each year, Speech Pathology Australia selects a shortlist of books for their Book of the Year awards. The list came out recently and you can reserve and borrow most of the list from Cockburn Libraries today.
The Awards
Literacy is based on good oral language skills. The Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards aim to promote quality Australian books that can help children get the best, most literate start in life.
Books are awarded for “Best Book for Language and Literacy Development” in the following categories:
- Birth to 3 years
- 3 to 5 years
- 5 to 8 years
- 8 to 10 years
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Authored Children’s Book Award
- Decodable Book Series
Each book is judged on its appeal to children, interactive quality and ability to assist speech pathologists and parents in communication and literacy development.
Birth to Three Years
Love Little One by Jayneen Sanders, with illustrations by Summer Macon
Little Angler by Zoe Gaetjens, with illustrations by Heidi McKinnon
Let’s Play by Karen Tyrrell, with illustrations by Maddi Gray (coming soon)
Guess Who: At the Zoo by Jeannette Rowe
Say Hooray by Renae Hayward, with illustrations by Rebecca Mills
Let’s Go! On a Bicycle by Rosalyn Albert, with illustrations by Natalia Moore
I’m a Tiger by Alex Field, with illustrations by Liv Wan
Parcel for Penguin by Shelley Knoll-Miller
Three to 5 Years
Beach Song by Ros Moriarty, with illustrations by Samantha Campbell
Dancing with Dragons by Amy Dunjey, with illustrations by Jesus Lopez
Two Rabbits by Larissa Ferenchuk, with illustrations by Prue Pittock
Almost a Fish by Julianne Negri, with illustrations by Evie Barrow
Odd Sock Sid by Heidi Cooper Smith, with illustrations by
How to Be a Friend by Sarah Ayoub, with illustrations by Mimi Purnell
Ruby’s Repair Cafe by Michelle Worthington, with illustrations by Zoe Bennett
One Little Duck by Katrina Germein, with illustrations by Danny Snell
Five to 8 Years
My Giant Sea Shell by Amanda Lieber, with illustrations by Kathy Creamer
A Friend for Ruby by Sofie Laguna, with illustrations by Marc McBride
Mama’s Chickens by Michelle Worthington, with illustrations by Nicky Johnston
Leo and Ralph by Peter Carnavas
The Useless Tune by Chris Uhlmann, with illustrations by Paul Uhlmann
Grace and Mr Milligan by Caz Goodwin, with illustrations by Pip Kruger
Tayta’s Secret Ingredient by Amal Abdou-Eid, with illustrations by Cara King
The Very Best Doughnut by Randa Abdel-Fattah, with illustrations by Amani Haydar
Harriet Hound by Kate Foster, with illustrations by Sophie Beer
The Gargoyle by Zana Fraillon, with illustrations by Ross Morgan
Eight to 10 Years
Silver Linings by Katrina Nannestad
Being Jimmy Baxter by Fiona Lloyd
Time Out by Eddie Woo and Jess Black, with illustrations by Mitch Vane
Treehouse Tales: Too SILLY to be told… UNTIL NOW! by Andy Griffiths, with illustrations by Terry Denton
The Rebels of Mount Buffalo by Helen Edwards
August & Jones by Pip Harry
Ruby and the Pen by David Lawrence, with illustrations by Cherie Dignam
Riz Chester- The Fingerprint Code by R. A. Stephens, with illustrations by Em Hammond
Decodable Books
Cockburn Libraries only has two of these series but our Rainbow Reader collections are available at each branch.
Fox Kid by Little Learners Love Literacy
Sound Waves Decodable Readers – Foundation and Year 1 (Support Set, Core Set and Extended Set) by Firefly Education (coming soon)
InitiaLit Readers – Levels 1-9 (Series 2) by Multilit Pty Ltd
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Book
Sky Country by Aunty Patsy Cameron, with illustrations by Lisa Kennedy
Walk With Us: Welcome to Our Country by Adam Goodes and Ellie Laing, with illustrations by David Hardy
Nedingar: Ancestors by Isobel Bevis, with illustrations by Leanne Zilm
The Heartbeat of the Land by Cathy Freeman and Coral Vass, with illustrations by Tannya Harricks
Super Snake by Gregg Dreise
Our Flag, Our Story: The Torres Strait Islander Flag by Thomas Mayo and Bernard Namok Jnr, with illustrations by Tori-Jay Mordey
My Body! What I Say Goes! by Jayneen Sanders, with illustrations by Jasmine Seymour
The Bunyip and the Stars by Adam Duncan, with illustrations by Paul Lalo
