Northern Beaches author Pip Harry has won the 2023 Children’s Book Council of Australia’s (CBCA) Shadow Judging Book of the Year Award for younger readers for August & Jones.
The CBCA Shadow Judging Award was launched nationally last year and encourages young people, as a community of readers, to discuss, critique and explore quality Australian literature.
More than 2000 young judges in more than 250 schools across Australia participated in the award. Groups came from every state and territory, from remote and regional communities through to cities, ranging from primary and secondary schools to pre-schools, council library groups to groups run by grandparents.
Jo Panckridge, national coordinator of the CNCA Shadow Judging, said, ”The Shadow Judging program, and the voting of winners by young people, provides a unique opportunity to hear clearly the voices of young Australian readers to understand better what stories resonate with them.”
Pip Harry was honoured to receive the Book of the Year Award.
“(I’m) delighted and surprised as well. This award is new. It’s only the second year it’s been running, and it takes in the opinions of children. And as I’m a children’s writer, their opinion is the most important to me. So I’m so delighted that August & Jones is the kids’ choice for the best younger readers. It’s an absolute cherry on top of a great year for this book.”
