Friday, 22 May 2026

Australian Book Industry Award Winners 2026

The Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) were announced on Thursday 21 May 2026. These awards recognise books published in the preceding year. 

The Winners are:
  • ABIA Book of the Year - Once I was a Giant by Zeno Sworder 
  • Audiobook of the Year - Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth; narrated by Hannah Fredericksen and Jenny Seedsman
  • Biography Book of the Year - Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks
  • The John Marsden Book of the Year for Older Children (ages 13+) - Wandering Wild by Lynette Noni
  • Book of the Year for Younger Children (ages 7–12) - Caution! This Book Contains Deadly Reptiles by Corey Tutt, illustrated by Ben Williams
  • Children's Picture Book of the Year (ages 0–6) - Once I was a Giant by Zeno Sworder 
  • General Fiction Book of the Year - Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth 
  • General Non-Fiction Book of the Year - The Mushroom Tapes by Helen Garner, Chloe Hooper and Sarah Krasnostein 
  • Illustrated Book of the Year - The Art of Kaylene Whiskey: Do you believe in love? by Kaylene Whiskey and Natalie King 
  • International Book of the Year - Heart the Lover by Lily King
  • Literary Fiction Book of the Year - Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy 
  • Small Publishers' Adult Book of the Year - The Rot by Evelyn Araluen 
  • Small Publishers' Children's Book of the Year - Sundays Under the Lemon Tree by Julia Busuttil Nishimura, illustrated by Myo Yim 
  • Social Impact Book of the Year - A Piece of Red Cloth by Leonie Norrington, Merrkiyawuy Ganambarr-Stubbs, Djawa Burarrwanga and Djawundil Maymuru 
  • The Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year - Melaleuca by Angie Faye Martin
This is a great list of titles. I look forward to reading Memorial Days by Geraldine Brooks and Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth, which I may access as an audiobook given it has won for this award.