The Children's Book of the Year Award: Eve Pownall Award for Information Books was first presented in 1988, when the award was financed by Eve Pownall's family. Since 1993 it has been awarded annually by the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA).
The Award "will be made to outstanding books which have the prime intention of documenting factual material with consideration given to imaginative presentation, interpretation and variation of style. As general guidelines, the judges may consider the relative success of the book in balancing and harmonising the following elements:
- style of language and presentation;
- graphic excellence;
- clarity, appropriateness and aesthetic appeal of illustration;
- integration of text, graphics and illustration to engage interest and enhance understanding;
- overall design of the book to facilitate the presentation of information;
- accuracy with regard to the current state of knowledge."
Award winners
1980s
Eve Pownall Award winners, 1988
| Year |
Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| 1988 |
Nadia Wheatley and Donna Rawlins |
My Place |
Collins Dove |
1990s
Eve Pownall Award winners, 1990-1999
| Year |
Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| 1993 |
Greene, GracieGracie Greene and Joe Tramacchi, illus. Lucille Gill |
Tjarany Roughtail: The Dreaming of the Roughtail Lizard and Other Stories told by the Kukatja |
Magabala |
| 1994 |
Mullins, PatriciaPatricia Mullins |
V for Vanishing: An Alphabet of Endangered Animals |
Margaret Hamilton |
| 1995 |
Stewart, Robert E.Robert E. Stewart |
New Faces: The Complete Book of Alternative Pets |
Agmedia |
| 1996 |
Nicholson, JohnJohn Nicholson |
First Fleet: A New Beginning in an Old Land, TheThe First Fleet: A New Beginning in an Old Land |
Allen & Unwin |
| 1997 |
Cheers, GordonGordon Cheers and Julie Silk, illus. Marjorie Crosby-Fairall |
Killer Plants and How to Grow Them |
Puffin Books |
| 1998 |
Nicholson, JohnJohn Nicholson |
A Home Among the Gum Trees: The Story of Australian Houses |
Allen & Unwin |
| 1999 |
Marsden, JohnJohn Marsden, illus. Shaun Tan |
Rabbits, TheThe Rabbits |
Lothian |
2000s
Eve Pownall Award winners, 2010-2019
| Year |
Author |
Title |
Publisher |
Ref. |
| 2000 |
Nicholson, JohnJohn Nicholson |
Fishing for Islands: Traditional Boats and Seafarers of the Pacific |
Allen & Unwin |
|
| 2001 |
Blacklock, DyanDyan Blacklock, illus. David Kennett |
Olympia: Warrior Athletes of Ancient Greece |
Omnibus Books |
|
| 2002 |
Papunya School Publishing Committee |
Papunya School Book of Country and History |
Allen & Unwin |
|
| 2003 |
Tucker, AllanAllan Tucker |
Iron in the Blood: Convicts and Commandants in Colonial Australia |
Omnibus Books |
|
| 2004 |
Nicholson, JohnJohn Nicholson |
Animal Architects |
Allen & Unwin |
|
| 2005 |
French, JackieJackie French with Bryan Sullivan, illus. Gus Gordon |
To the Moon and Back: The Amazing Australians at the Forefront of Space Travel Plus Fantastic Moon Facts |
HarperCollins |
|
| 2006 |
Davidson, LeonLeon Davidson |
Scarecrow Army: The ANZACS at Gallipoli |
Black Dog Books |
|
| 2007 |
Norman, MarkMark Norman |
Penguin Book: Birds in Suits, TheThe Penguin Book: Birds in Suits |
Black Dog Books |
|
| 2008 |
Watts, FrancesFrances Watts, illus. David Legge |
Parsley Rabbit's Book about Books |
ABC Books |
|
| 2009 |
Hall, LincolnLincoln Hall |
Alive in the Death Zone |
Random House |
|
2010s
Eve Pownall Award winners, 2010-2019
| Year |
Author |
Title |
Publisher |
Ref. |
| 2010 |
Macinnis, PeterPeter Macinnis |
Australian Backyard Explorer |
National Library of Australia |
|
| 2011 |
Dubosarsky, UrsulaUrsula Dubosarsky, illus. Tohby Riddle |
Return of the Word Spy, TheThe Return of the Word Spy |
Viking Books |
|
| 2012 |
Lester, AlisonAlison Lester and Coral Tulloch |
One Small Island: The Story of Macquarie Island |
Penguin Group (Australia) |
|
| 2013 |
Weidenbach, KristinKristin Weidenbach, illus. Timothy Ide |
Tom the Outback Mailman |
Lothian Children's Books, Hachette Australia |
|
| 2014 |
Faille, ChristopherChristopher Faille, illus. Danny Snell |
Jeremy |
Working Title Press |
|
| 2015 |
Barnard, SimonSimon Barnard |
A-Z of Convicts in Van Diemen's Land ''' |
Text Publishing |
|
| 2016 |
Reeder, Stephanie OwenStephanie Owen Reeder |
Lennie The Legend: Solo to Sydney by Pony |
NLA Publishing |
|
| 2017 |
Newton, Gina M.Gina M. Newton |
Amazing Animals of Australia's National Parks |
NLA Publishing |
|
| 2018 |
Ben-Barak, IdanIdan Ben-Barak, illus. Julian Frost |
Do Not Lick This Book |
Allen & Unwin |
|
| 2019 |
Vass, CoralCoral Vass, illus. Dub Leffler |
Sorry Day |
NLA Publishing |
|
2020s
Eve Pownall Award winners, 2020-present
| Year |
Author |
Title |
Publisher |
Ref. |
| 2020 |
Pascoe, BruceBruce Pascoe |
Young Dark Emu: A truer history |
Magabala Books |
|
| 2021 |
Freeman, PamelaPamela Freeman, illus. Liz Anelli |
Dry to Dry: The Seasons of Kakadu |
Walker Books |
|
| 2022 |
Ahmed, SafdarSafdar Ahmed |
Still Alive, Notes from Australia's Immigration Detention System |
Twelve Panels Press |
' |
| 2023 |
McGeachin, JessJess McGeachin |
DEEP: Delve into hidden worlds |
Welbeck Publishing |
|
See also
