Children’s Book Week is fast approaching, running from 20th to 26th of August.

To kick it off, the winners of the 2016 Children’s Book of the Year awards will be announced on Friday 19th of August. We thought it would be a good time to look at recommended reading based on the nominees for the best books of 2016.

2016 PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR

Ride, Ricardo, Ride, by Shane Devries

My Dead Bunny, by James Foley

Flight, Armin Greder

One Step at a Time, by Sally Heinrich

Suri’s Wall, by Matt Ottley

And the Band Played Walzing Matilda, by Bruce Whatley

2016 EARLY CHILDHOOD BOOK OF THE YEAR

Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas, by Aaron Blabey

Ollie and the Wind, by Ronojoy Ghosh

My Dog Bigsy, by Alison Lester

Perfect, by Danny Parker

Mr Huff, by Anna Walker

The Cow Tripped Over the Moon, by Tony Wilson

2016 YOUNGER READERS BOOK OF THE YEAR

The Cleo Stories: A Friend and a Pet, by Libby Gleeson

Soon, by Morris Gleitzman

Run, Pip, Run, by J.C. Jones

Sister Heart, by Sally Morgan

Molly and Pim and the Millions of Stars, by Martine Murray

Shadows of the Master, by Emily Rodda

2016 OLDER READERS BOOK OF THE YEAR

The Flywheel, by Erin Gough

The Pause, by John Larkin

Freedom Ride, by Sue Lawson

A Single Stone, by Meg McKinlay

Inbetween Days, by Vikki Wakefield

Cloudwish, by Fiona Wood

2016 EVE POWELL AWARD FOR INFORMATION BOOKS

Phasmid: Saving the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect, by Rohan Cleave

The White Mouse: The Story of Nancy Wake, by Peter Gouldthorpe

The Amazing True Story of How Babies Are Made, by Fiona Katauskas

Lennie the Legend: Solo to Sydney by Pony, by Stephanie Owen Reeder

Ancestry: Stories of Multicultural Anzacs, by Robyn Siers & Carlie Walker

We Are the Rebels: the Women and Men Who Made Eureka, by Clare Wright

2016 CRITCHTON AWARD

The Underwater Fancy Dress Parade, by Allison Colpoys

The Cat with the Coloured Tail, by Dinalie Dabarera

My Gallipoli, by Robert Hannaford

Fish Jam, by Kylie Howarth

Meet Weary Dunlop, by Jeremy Lord

Kidglovz, by Dale Newman

Book Week and The annual Children’s Book of the Year awards are run by the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA), which celebrated its 70th anniversary last year. The annual awards were established in 1946, making 2016 the 70th year of the CBCA Children’s Book Awards.

Written by Mel Jackson.

Mel Jackson is an auntie of two who loves reading, hearing and watching stories, and writing. She also likes mining the internet for unhidden gems, and sharing them with others.