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Latest Winners / Recipients

Year: 2023

winner y separately published work icon The ABC Kids Guide to Loving the Planet Jaclyn Crupi , Cheryl Orsini (illustrator), Sydney : HarperCollins Australia , 2022 23426857 2022 single work information book children's

'The long-awaited new title in this much-loved series will empower kids to change their world.

'Our planet is precious.

'It's where we live, learn, work and play.

'This charming picture book is a gentle introduction to caring for the world around us. The simple, engaging text and beautiful illustrations explore ideas like planting veggie gardens and recycling, to show the ways every person, no matter how big or small, can make a difference.

'The perfect book to inspire children to love the planet.' (Publication summary)

Year: 2022

winner y separately published work icon The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Peculiar Pairs in Nature Sami Bayly , Sami Bayly (illustrator), Sydney : Lothian , 2021 23162836 2021 single work picture book information book children's

'Discover 60 of the most peculiar pairs in nature and learn how plant and animal species rely on each other for their survival. Another fresh take on the animal kingdom from bestselling author and illustrator, Sami Bayly.

'Come along for another fresh take on the animal kingdom from bestselling author and illustrator, Sami Bayly.

'Discover 60 of the most peculiar pairs in nature and learn how plant and animal species rely on each other for their survival.

'Whether it be a rare tick living in the fur of a pygmy possum, a stick insect feasting and hiding out amongst the Melaleuca or a handfish laying its eggs on a sea squirt, incredible natural relationships deserve to be explored and celebrated. Investigating all types of relationships, from symbiotic to parasitic, this is an eye-opening guide to the natural world.

'Many species steer clear of those who are different, but the animals and plants in this book have evolved to form relationships with some of the most unlikely partners, and they couldn't live without them.

'This gorgeous hardcover book is illustrated in exquisite detail by award-winning author and illustrator, Sami Bayly. The perfect companion to The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Ugly Animals and The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Dangerous Animals.'

Source : publisher's blurb

Year: 2019

winner y separately published work icon Bouncing Back Bouncing Back : An Eastern Barred Bandicoot Story Rohan Cleave , Coral Tulloch (illustrator), Clayton : CSIRO Publishing , 2018 12806649 2018 single work picture book children's

A beautifully illustrated story of this marsupial's plight and how it was saved from extinction. The Eastern Barred Bandicoot is one of Australia's most threatened species. When their existence came under extreme threat from habitat loss, predators and human development, Eastern Barred Bandicoots found refuge in the most unlikely of places – a rubbish tip. This captivating true story details the plight these small, nocturnal marsupials faced, and the outstanding efforts that ensured their protection. Written by Rohan Cleave and illustrated by Coral Tulloch, Bouncing Back shows that even on the brink of extinction, there is hope for the survival of our most vulnerable species.

Year: 2018

joint winner y separately published work icon Rock Pool Secrets Narelle Oliver , Narelle Oliver (illustrator), Newtown : Walker Books Australia , 2017 11118978 2017 single work picture book children's

Nestling between rocks...

Hiding in the seaweed...

Lift the flap and discover many rock pool secrets! (Source: back cover)

joint winner y separately published work icon Coral Sea Dreaming Coral Sea Dreaming : The Picture Book Kim Michelle Toft , Kim Michelle Toft (illustrator), Ballina : Silkim Books , 2017 12290375 2017 single work picture book children's

'As I lay my head to sleep; The colour blue begins to seep; Inside my mind, inside my soul; Feeling weightless, lost control.'

When daylight fades and the night shift clocks on, an underwater symphony begins. Polyps start popping to a funky sea groove, sea slugs shimmy and alien angels fly into view. The reef at night is teaming with energy and wildlife, all working together to create an underwater masterpiece.

Kim Michelle Toft brings an array of extraordinary reef creatures to life through her vivid hand painted silk illustrations and catchy rhythmic prose, highlighting the urgency of the preservation of the world's critically endangered reef habitats. (Source: Back cover)

Year: 2017

winner y separately published work icon Welcome to Country Joy Wandin Murphy , Lisa Kennedy (illustrator), Newtown : Black Dog Books , 2016 10491285 2016 single work picture book children's

'This is an expansive and generous Welcome to Country from a most respected Elder, Aunty Joy Murphy, beautifully given form by Indigenous artist Lisa Kennedy.

'Welcome to the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri People. We are part of this land and the land is part of us. This is where we come from. Wominjeka Wurundjeri balluk yearmenn koondee bik. Welcome to Country.'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

Works About this Award

Trawling Varuna Seas Terry Whitebeach , 2010 single work essay
— Appears in: Famous Reporter , no. 41 2010; (p. 119-126)
East of the Sun and West of the Moon : Fiction and the Imagination Carmel Bird , 2009 single work essay
— Appears in: Griffith Review , Summer no. 26 2009; (p. 116-123)
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