2020 ABIA Business Awards are NOW OPEN!

6 Feb 2020

Nominations are now open for:

  • Publisher of the Year
  • Small Publisher of the Year
  • Retailer of the Year
  • Bookshop of the Year
  • Rising Star of the Year

From booksellers in Sydney to Townsville; publishers in WA to Melbourne; and emerging publishing professionals all across the country, we want to see your nominations coming in for the best and brightest in the Australian book industry.

Booksellers – Nominate your bookshop! Or a Rising Star in your team! Nominations are free to enter for this category.

Publishers – Don’t think twice! Nominate yourself in the appropriate Publisher of the Year category.

Publishing Managers – Who of your staff that are in the first ten years of their publishing career deserve accolades? Who do you know is a future leader of the industry? Nominate them in the Rising Star Awards. 

Start your submission here or check out the details below for more information on how to enter.

The Business Award submissions close at 11:59 pm on Monday 09 March (AEDT).

 

Award Categories, Descriptions and Sample forms

Publisher of the Year

This is an award for the Australian publisher with a turnover of more than $10 million whose publishing programme (including sales, promotion, editorial and production) demonstrated excellence, commensurate with the publisher’s size, for the period January to December 2019, and which contributed to the success of the industry.

Download a sample copy of the nomination form.

Small Publisher of the Year

This is an award for the Australian publisher with a turnover of less than $10 million whose publishing programme (including sales, promotion, editorial and production) demonstrated excellence, commensurate with the publisher’s size, for the period January to December 2019, and which has contributed to the overall success of the industry.

Download a sample copy of the nomination form.

Retailer of the Year

This is an award for the Australian company or group of companies or retailers that has best demonstrated excellence and contributed to the overall success of the industry over the course of the year January to December 2019.

This award is open only to Australian-registered national retailers, including: book retail chains, discount department stores, online retailers and other retailers successfully selling books as part of a larger range of products.

Download a sample copy of the nomination form.

Bookshop of the Year

This is an award is for an individual physical bookshop in Australia that has demonstrated excellence over the course of the 2019 calendar year. The bookshop may be part of a larger chain, but this award is for an individual store as listed on the entry form.

Download a sample copy of the nomination form.

Rising Star of the Year

This award recognises emerging talent in the Australian book publishing industry whose record reflects ongoing excellence and growth in contribution to their profession. The nominee must currently be working in the Australian publishing industry as a permanent employee, and have been part of the industry for no more than 10 years as of 31 December 2019. Self-nominations will not be accepted.

Download a sample copy of the nomination form.

ABIA Business Awards open 06 February and close 09 March 2019.

Award Winner Interviews

2 May 2019

What a night – what a celebration of books made in 2018. Congratulations to all winners and to the publishers and industry professionals who have brought these books to readers in collaboration with Australian authors.

 

 


2019 Winners Announced

2 May 2019

Congratulations to all ABIA winners for 2019…

With special thanks to our sponsors

Book of the Year 2019

Boy Swallows Universe – Trent Dalton (HarperCollins Australia)

Small Publisher of the Year

Affirm Press

An honourable mention was made by the judges to Magabala Books.

 

Publisher of the Year 2019

Pan Macmillan Australia

Biography Book of the Year

Proudly sponsored by Borrow Box 

Eggshell Skull, Bri Lee (Allen & Unwin)

 

Book of the Year for Older Children (ages 13+)

Jane Doe and the Cradle of all Worlds, Jeremy Lachlan (Hardie Grant Egmont)

Audiobook of the Year

Boy Swallows Universe, Trent Dalton read by Stig Wemyss (HarperAudio with production by Bolinda)

 

An honourable mention was made by the judges to Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia (Wavesound). Originally published by Black Inc. Books. 

 

 

Book of the Year for Younger Children (ages 7-12)

The 104-Storey Treehouse, Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton (Pan Macmillan Australia)

 

Children’s Picture Book of the Year (ages 0-6)

All the Ways to be Smart, Davina Bell and Alison Colpoys (Scribble Kids Books)

 

General Fiction Book of the Year

Proudly Sponsored by Better Reading 

The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Holly Ringland (HarperCollins Australia)

 

General Non-Fiction Book of the Year

Proudly Sponsored by the Copyright Agency

No Friend But The Mountains: Writing From Manus Prison, Behrooz Boochani trans. by Omid Tofighian (Pan Macmillan Australia)

 

An honourable mention was made by the judges to Any Ordinary Day, by Leigh Sales, published by Penguin Random House.

 

 

Illustrated Book of the Year

Family: New Vegetable Classics To Comfort and Nourish, Hetty McKinnon (Pan Macmillan Australia)

 

International Book of the Year

Less, Andrew Sean Greer (Hachette Australia)

 

Literary Fiction Book of the Year

Boy Swallows Universe, Trent Dalton (HarperCollins Australia)

 

Small Publishers’ Adult Book of the Year

Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia, ed. by Anita Heiss (Black Inc. Books)

 

Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year

Whisper, Lynette Noni (Pantera Press)

 

The Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year

Proudly sponsored by Simpsons Solicitors 

Boy Swallows Universe, Trent Dalton (HarperCollins Australia)

 

Business Award for Industry Rising Star

Proudly supported by McPherson’s

Ella Chapman, Hachette Australia

 

National Book Retailer of the Year

Booktopia

 

Independent Book Retailer of the Year

Mary Martin Bookshop

 

2019 ABIA Shortlist Announce

11 Apr 2019

2019 ABIA Shortlist Announcement

The ABIA judging panel this year said it was tough to decide a shortlist in all 12 book categories. The panel mentioned it was great to see strong collaborations between publishers and authors to produce quality books that were in competitive markets. Many of the books shortlisted were noted for their innovative pre-sale marketing and publicity campaigns, which ultimately generated good sales for the titles. Overall the judges felt positive about the standard of Australian books for 2018.

CEO of Hachette Australia, Louise Sherwin-Stark, who was on the judging panel said, “This year’s amazing line up of longlisted books revealed that Australian publishers are vibrant, creative and innovative, and that the books we are producing are connecting with readers and selling in huge numbers. With the support of our bookselling and library partners, our creative and financial investment in authors has surfaced amazing talent and Australian readers have a veritable smorgasbord of brilliant books to choose from. Congratulations to all the longlisted, shortlisted and winning authors and their publishers. 2018 was an astounding year of truly wonderful books, a year we can all be proud of.”

Ingrid Ohlsson, Director of Non-Fiction Publishing at Pan Macmillan Australia, who also chaired the ABIA judging panel said, “I was impressed by the diversity and quality of the longlisted titles. Of particular note was the extraordinary gathering of debut fiction and non-fiction authors. In a this era of disruption, it is heartening to know that artists and thinkers of insight and talent turn to books as their means of expression. it is equally heartening to see that Australian publishers know how to guide, package, and promote this talent with such conviction and confidence.”

And the shortlisted titles are:  

Biography Book of the Year

Proudly sponsored by Borrow Box 

  • Back, After the Break, Osher Günsberg (HarperCollins Publishers)
  • Challenge Accepted!, Celeste Barber (HarperCollins Publishers)
  • Eggshell Skull, Bri Lee (Allen & Unwin)
  • Johnathan Thurston: The Autobiography, Johnathan Thurston, with James Phelps (HarperCollins Publishers)
  • Teacher, Gabbie Stroud (Allen & Unwin)

Book of the Year for Older Children (ages 13+)

  • Amelia Westlake, Erin Gough (Hardie Grant Egmont)
  • Catching Teller Crow, Ambelin Kwaymullina and Ezekiel Kwaymullina (Allen and Unwin)

  • Hive, A.J. Betts (Pan Macmillan)
  • Jane Doe and the Cradle of All Worlds, Jeremy Lachlan (Hardie Grant Egmont)
  • Small Spaces, Sarah Epstein (Walker Books)

Book of the Year for Younger Children (ages 7-12)

  • Lenny’s Book of Everything, Karen Foxlee (Allen & Unwin)
  • Real Pigeons Fight Crime, Andrew McDonald & Ben Wood (Hardie Grant Egmont)
  • The 104-Storey Treehouse, Andy Griffiths, Terry Denton (Pan Macmillan Australia)
  • The Bad Guys Episode 7: Do-You-Think-He-Saurus?!, Aaron Blabey (Scholastic Australia)
  • Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow: Nevermoor 2,  Jessica Townsend (Hachette Australia)

Children’s Picture Book of the Year (ages 0-6)

  • All the Ways to be Smart,  Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys (Scribble Kids’ Books)
  • Cicada, Shaun Tan (Hachette Australia)
  • Claris: The Chicest Mouse in Paris, Megan Hess (Hardie Grant Egmont)
  • Macca the Alpaca, Matt Cosgrove (Scholastic Australia)
  • Pig the Grub, Aaron Blabey (Scholastic Australia)

General Fiction Book of the Year

Proudly Sponsored by Better Reading 

  • Scrublands, Chris Hammer (Allen & Unwin)
  • The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Holly Ringland (HarperCollins Publishers)
  • The Nowhere Child, Christian White (Affirm Press)
  • The Rúin, Dervla McTiernan (HarperCollins Publishers)
  • The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Heather Morris (Echo Publishing)

General Non-Fiction Book of the Year

Proudly Sponsored by the Copyright Agency

  • Any Ordinary Day, Leigh Sales (Penguin Random House Australia)
  • Boys Will Be Boys, Clementine Ford (Allen & Unwin)
  • Dear Santa, Samuel Johnson (Hachette Australia)
  • No Friend But the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison, Behrouz Boochani, Omid Tofighian (translator) (Pan Macmillan Australia)
  • Welcome to Country: A Travel Guide to Indigenous Australia, Marcia Langton (Hardie Grant Publishing)

Illustrated Book of the Year

  • A Painted Landscape: Across Australia from Bush to Coast, Amber Creswell Bell (Thames & Hudson Australia)
  • Family: New vegetable classics to comfort and nourish, Hetty McKinnon (Pan Macmillan Australia)
  • Mirka & Georges, Lesley Harding & Kendrah Morgan (Melbourne University Publishing)
  • Special Guest, Annabel Crabb and Wendy Sharpe (Murdoch Books)
  • The Cook’s Apprentice, Stephanie Alexander (Penguin Random House Australia)

International Book of the Year

  • Becoming, Michelle Obama (Penguin Random House Australia)
  • CIRCE, Madeline Miller (Bloomsbury Publishing)
  • Less, Andrew Sean Greer (Hachette Australia)
  • Lost Connections, Johann Hari (Bloomsbury Publishing)
  • Ottolenghi SIMPLE, Yotam Ottolenghi (Penguin Random House Australia)

Literary Fiction Book of the Year

  • Boy Swallows Universe, Trent Dalton (HarperCollins Publishers)
  • Bridge of Clay, Markus Zusak (Pan Macmillan Australia)
  • Shell, Kristina Olsson (Simon & Schuster Australia)
  • The Shepherd’s Hut, Tim Winton (Penguin Random House Australia)
  • Too Much Lip, Melissa Lucashenko (The University of Queensland Press)

Small Publishers’ Adult Book of the Year

  • A Superior Spectre, Angela Meyer (Ventura Press)
  • Blakwork, Alison Whittaker (Magabala Books)
  • Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia, Dr Anita Heiss (ed.) (Black Inc Books)
  • The Bookshop of the Broken Hearted, Robert Hillman (Text Publishing)
  • The Geography of Friendship, Sally Piper (The University of Queensland Press)

Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year

  • Black Cockatoo, Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler (Magabala Books)
  • I Had Such Friends, Meg Gatland-Veness (Pantera Press)
  • Rhyme Cordial, Antonia Pesenti (Scribble Kids’ Books)
  • The Extremely Weird Thing that Happened in Huggabie Falls, Adam Cece (illustrated by Andrew Weldon) (Text Publishing)
  • Whisper, Lynette Noni (Pantera Press)

The Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year

Proudly sponsored by Simpsons Solicitors 

  • Boy Swallows Universe, Trent Dalton (HarperCollins Publishers)
  • The Nowhere Child,  Christian White (Affirm Press)
  • Eggshell Skull, Bri Lee (Allen & Unwin)
  • The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, Holly Ringland (HarperCollins Publishers)
  • The Tattooist of Auschwitz, Heather Morris (Echo Publishing)

Audiobook of the Year

  • Boy Swallows Universe, Trent Dalton, Narrator Stig Weymss (HarperAudio)
  • Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia, ed Anita Heiss, Narrators Gregory J Fryer, Tamala Shelton, Lisa Maza, Tony Briggs, Hunter Page-Lochard, Shari Stebbens (Wavesound)
  • The Clockmaker’s Daughter, Kate Morton, Narrator Joanne Froggatt (Bolinda)
  • The Lost Man, Jane Harper, Narrator Steve Shanahan (Wavesound)
  • The Trauma Cleaner, Sarah Krasnostein, Narrator Rachael Tidd (Audible)

Business Award for Rising Star

  • Alice Wood (HarperCollins)
  • Catriona Murdie (Penguin Random House)
  • Ella Chapman (Hachette)
  • Mark Campbell (HarperCollins)
  • Sam Cooney (Brow Books)

Big thank you to all our sponsors!

The ABIA committee would like to thank our valued sponsors – JC Decaux, Fairfax, Media Super, Opus/McPherson, The Copyright AgencyBooktopia, Griffin Press, Twitter, The Australian Women’s Weekly, Lightning Source, Nielsen Bookscan, Leading Edge Books, Better Reading, Simpsons Solicitors, John Fisher Printing, BorrowBox,  Drawcard, Books + Publishing, and our industry partners, ABA, ALIA, APA, ASA.

 

BUY YOUR TICKETS

What does it take to build an award winning Australian book?

10 Apr 2019

Listen to the winners of 2018 ABIA – HarperCollins, Hachette Australia and Simon & Schuster staff.
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