2025 YABBA Awards Shortlist.

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The nominations are in…

Thank you to everyone who nominated their favourite Australian books for the 2025 YABBA Awards.

Students are encouraged to read as many of these books across Term 2 and Term 3 as they can. All this reading leads to each student rewarding their very favourite book during the voting process that starts in early Term 4.

The 2025 YABBA Shortlist

Picture Story Books

  • L.O.L: G.O.AT. Laughs Out Loud
    Kate and Jol Temple, & Rebel Challenger

  • This is My Book
    Tim Harris & Heidi McKinnon

  • Pig the Grub
    Aaron Blabey

  • Neil, the (Boring), Amazing Sea Cucumber
    Amelia McInerney & Lucinda Gifford

  • Wombat
    Philip Bunting

  • Happy Barry Capybara
    James Foley

  • Bowerbird Brood
    Aura Parker

  • Neville’s Great Escape
    Sean E Avery

  • Every Night at Midnight
    Peter Cheong

  • That Bird Has Arms
    Kate and Jol Temple & Ronojoy Ghosh & Niharika Hukku

Fiction for Older Readers

  • The 113th Assistant Librarian
    Stuart Wilson

  • Mr Bambuckle's Remarkables Fight Back
    Tim Harris

  • The Kindness Project
    Deborah Abela

  • 300 Minutes of Danger
    Jack Heath

  • The Book of Wondrous Possibilities
    Deborah Abela

  • We Run Tomorrow
    Nat Amoore & Mike Barry

  • 200 Minutes of Danger
    Jack Heath

  • Toffle Towers #1: Fully Booked
    Tim Harris

  • The Travelling Bookshop #5: Mim and the Vicious Vendetta
    Katrina Nannestad & Cheryl Orsini

  • Funny Kid #3: Prank Wars
    Matt Stanton

Fiction for Younger Readers

  • The Daredevil Princess and the Golden Unicorn (Book 1)
    Belinda Murrell & illustrated by Rebecca Crane

  • Hot Dog #17: Scary Time!
    Anh Do & Dan McGuiness

  • Ninja Kid #14: Ninja Buddies!
    Anh Do & Anton Emdin

  • Worst Week Ever! Tuesday
    Eva Amores & Matt Cosgrove

  • Paris Takes Over the World
    Kyla May & Zanni Louise

  • Pearly and Pig and the Lost City of Mu Savan
    Sue Whiting & Rebecca Crane

  • Dragon Girls #4: Mei the Ruby Treasure Dragon
    Maddy Mara

  • Real Pigeons Fight Crime
    Andrew McDonald & Ben Wood

  • Ming & Flo: Fight for the Future
    Jackie French

  • Urban Legend Hunters: The Dreaded Mr Snipe
    Joel McKerrow & Wayne Bryant

Fiction for Years 7-9

  • August & Jones
    Pip Harry

  • All the Beautiful Things
    Katrina Nannestad

  • Waiting for the Storks
    Katrina Nannestad

  • Exit Through the Gift Shop
    Maryam Master

  • Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief
    Katrina Nannestad

  • We Are Wolves
    Katrina Nannestad

  • When Rain Turns to Snow
    Jane Godwin

  • As Happy as Here
    Jane Godwin

  • Liars #5: Armageddon
    Jack Heath

  • Dragon Skin
    Karen Foxlee

Get reading and get ready to vote for your favourite book

Download a PDF of the Shortlist