2024 Book of the Year Awards: Picture Book of the Year Shortlisted

Best Suited 3-7 Years
Roy is an ordinary bird in every way. He is not the biggest, or the smallest. His squawk is not the loudest or the quietest. He even follows the same football team as everyone else. He was very normal except for one thing – he has ARMS. Absolutely nobody knows – and Roy would like to keep it that way…

That Bird Has Arms is a story about difference and identity. It’s about learning to see that what sets you apart is what makes you strong, and it’s about pride in your own uniqueness.

Best Suited 6+ Years
Step into a top-secret world where frogs don’t just eat flies, they eat danger! This is FROG SQUAD!

Frog Squad comes to the rescue of a mega tanker in distress — and it’s full of ice-cream! Will these brave rescue frogs be fast enough to stop Professor Cain and The Organisation of Amphibious Devious Scoundrels (TOADS) from controlling the global supply of ice-cream?

Best Suited 3-6 Years
This is Goat. He loves to laugh out loud. But Duck can’t make a LOL that will make anyone LOL! Can Goat help?

Best Suited 3-6 Years
This is Goat. He’s a pretty great goat. In fact, he thinks he’s the Greatest of all Time! But some of Goat’s friends are great too. Who is really the Goat?

Best Suited 8+ Years
This is the dangerous story of Trilby Moffat, who took on one of the most treacherous jobs of all time. Well . . . outside of time, to be precise. For fans of Nevermoor and Lemony Snicket. This is NOT just any old book. THIS is a legal document. It contains a truthful record of how Trilby Moffat was accidentally promoted to the most important job that ever existed. The job of Time Keeper. A mystery illness is making people bake ancient cakes, speak dead languages and then fall asleep and never wake up. When Trilby Moffat’s mother catches this strange sickness, Trilby must find her only other surviving relative, a 300-year-old aunt who lives in a secret antique shop on the edge of time. Ahead of Trilby lies an unusual inheritance, an opportunity that will never be repeated and a man in a top hat who will try to kill her . . . more than once. This is the story of how one ordinary girl finds herself on a deliciously fast-paced adventure, fleeing to an island where time doesn’t exist, cats are particularly rude and cake is always on the menu. Here she will take on the most treacherous job of all time. Well . . . outside of time, to be precise. THIS IS THE DANGEROUS BUSINESS OF BEING TRILBY MOFFAT.

Best Suited 8+ Years
 With the past safely restored to the past, Trilby Moffat is looking forward to sitting down to a big slice of cake and a good crossword puzzle. But she’s about to find out that the job of Time Keeper is never done and the future has other plans for her . . . extremely perilous plans. ‘This looks dangerous,’ said Trilby, who was tied to an antique parlour chair teetering on the edge of a rocky cliff. The man in the top hat arched one prickly eyebrow. ‘Children can be so ungrateful. This will be the trip of a lifetime!’ he said, pointing to the endless dark water below. Trilby Moffat is in grave danger, again. When she arrives on a secret island outside of time, in search of her missing mother, she knows she’s in trouble. A strange festival is about to take place and Trilby is the guest of honour. Travellers from all over time are flocking to this mysterious carnival with its treasure markets, floating cupcakes and a terrifying surprise. Now Trilby and her friends must race against time (literally) to reveal the dark truth lurking beneath their beautiful island. Friendship will be tested. Loyalty is stretched to the limits and a skittish prehistoric bird named Anton will destroy Trilby’s favourite jumper. Just when she thinks time is on her side, Trilby is about to get a perilous promotion.

Best Suited 3+ Years
He’s an unusual fellow, really quite quirky. He has many names, but let’s call him … Bush Turkey! His bald head is red, he’s impeccably dressed. And right now he’s building the world’s best-ever nest! With timber and sticks slapped together with plaster … will Bush Turkey’s nest be a hit? Or a wonky disaster?!

Best Suited 3+ Years
Wading through bin juice, sticky with grime, Ibis’s tummy is rumbling … it’s nearly lunchtime! ‘Buzz off! Scram! Shoo! We don’t feed bin chickens here at the zoo!’ It’s feeding time at the zoo and no-one is sharing their lunch. Luckily, Ibis knows just how to steal some snacks … and the spotlight!

Best Suited 3+ Years
Following her beak, on long gangly legs, Ibis spies something shiny—glittering eggs! But there’s kids on a hunt! And a bunny on the loose! ‘Shoo, Bin Chicken! Scram, Garbage Goose!’ It’s Easter morning, and there are eggs everywhere. Ibis had better hop to it and get hunting!

Best Suited 3+ Years
Diving in dumpsters, traipsing through trash! Rummaging through rubbish, making a splash! ‘Revolting!’ they snort, starting to sicken, Trash Turkey! Dumpster Duck! BIN CHICKEN!’ One bird’s trash is another bird’s treasure—find out why the ibis is the queen of the rubbish pile!

Best Suited 3+ Years
Bah humbug! The city is buzzing, shoppers run this way and that, there’s carols and lights and a Santa Claus hat! But if a bird is clever … if a bird is a smartie … a bird can still have a fabulous Christmas party! Ibis is in a flap and can’t find any trash, but Bush Turkey knows exactly where to find a feast to gobble!

Best suited 3+ Years
‘Where’s all the garbage and delightful bin juice? This trash can is empty, I feel like a goose! That dirty truck is stealing my food! It’s simply not on. How terribly rude!’ Ibis has a grand plan to take back her trash! But look out, she’s got some very hungry competition

Best suited 3+ Years
Ibis is on the lookout for food, but she’s not welcome anywhere! Until she spies the most amazing dinner of all.

Best Suited 4+ Years
I GOT THIS HAT is the National Simultaneous Storytime book for 2016!

‘I got this hat in China.
I got this hat from a miner.
I got this hat from a deep-sea diver.
I got this hat from a racing-car driver…’

Hats. Only the headless dislike them. Everyone else loves wearing them!

If you enjoy wearing hats, you’ll enjoy this book.

But please don’t wear it as a hat. It will fall off.

Best Suited 7-10 Years
Jimmy Cook has discovered that he has quite a lot in common with the explorer Captain James Cook. No doubt they were related. So when he finds out that Captain Cook met with a sticky end in Hawaii, he’s determined to travel to the island to finish what he started. His parents aren’t so interested but luckily Jimmy’s favourite brand of cereal is running a competition. First prize: a Hawaiian Holiday.

Jimmy is going to have to eat a lot of full-fibre Wheetblocks to enter, but big dreams come with a big price. And no price is too big when it comes to Captain James Cook especially if it means beating the world’s most annoying person, Alice Toolie.

Best Suited 7-10 Years
Captain Jimmy Cook has made a Top Secret Important Discovery. Even more important than any discovery that the other Captain Cook from the olden days ever made. A real dinosaur footprint! And everyone knows that underneath a real dinosaur footprint will be a real dinosaur bone.

Jimmy has to keep the amazing discovery a big secret because he found it behind a toilet block (that’s totally out-of-bounds). That’s not going to stop Jimmy and his crew! Once he digs up the dinosaur bone, he’s going to be the most famous Captain James Cook in history and not even Ms Fennel will be mad with him.

But even the greatest explorers have problems. Jimmy’s are these: 1) Everyone in the school now wants to help in The Dig, so it’s just a matter of time before Ms Fennel puts a stop to the greatest discovery of all time and 2) a large smelly cat is sitting in his hole.

But luck is on his side. Jimmy’s found a map of the school with a large X on it. And everyone knows what that means — Treasure! Treasure! Treasure!

Captain Jimmy Cook is about to make the discovery of a lifetime …

Best Suited 3-6 Years
Small Panda has lost his bottom. It was there when he went to sleep but now it has disappeared.

He searches high and low, and finds stripy bums, pink butts, feathery derrieres. ‘Are you my bottom?’ he asks, but none of these bottoms are his. Finally, he spots a furry bum which just has to be his – but the answer is surprising!

A cheeky story for anyone who has ever left something behind.

Best Suited 7-10 Years

The Underdog Detective Agency has a proud tradition of snifng out trouble (plus sniffing each other’s butts). They’re on a mission to catch Dogtown’s elusive cat burglar … but if they want to crack this case, they’re going to need help!​​ Enter Fang. Letting a scruffy street cat join the Underdogs is a bold move, but sometimes you’ve got to risk it to get the (dog) biscuit.​​​

Jump on the case with Fang and Barkley as they hit the mean streets of Dogtown. Will they catch the cat burglar? Is Barkley’s bark worse than his bite? Will they bond over furballs? Find out all this and more.

Best Suited 7-10 Years
The Underdog Detective Agency has a proud tradition of snifng out trouble (and sniffing each other’s butts).
Detective Barkley (a dog) and Detective Fang (a cat) are cleaning up the mean

So when Puplo Picasso’s masterpieces are swapped with pawfect imitations, it’s up to The Underdogs to catch the culprit.
Can Fang and Barkley solve the case before the Top Dogs return from their ski trip? What does soup have to do with it? And will Carl finally learn how to answer the phone?

Join Detectives Barkley and Fang in the second instalment of this hilarious, action-packed and highly-illustrated series.

Best Suited 7-10 Years
In The Underdogs Hit a Grand Slam, Barkley and Fang take centre court to find out who’s stealing all the tennis balls in the lead-up to the Dogtown Tennis Grand Slam. Could it be Boris Barker, the famed international tennis pro? Or what about Steffi Gruff? Or Novak Dogavic? Fang and Barkley jump on the case like a dog with a ball, but can they save the day and serve up the criminal mastermind in time? Or will it be game, set, match?

Best Suited 7-10 Years
The Underdog Detective Agency has a proud tradition of snifng out trouble (and sniffing each other’s butts).
Detective Barkley (a dog) and Detective Fang (a cat) are cleaning up the mean streets of Dogtown one crime at a time!

When the DogAid music festival arrives in Dogtown, the Underdogs are called in to help rock legend Mick Wagger of the Rolling Bones! Mick’s golden guitar is missing. Has it been stolen? If so, by who? And why? With many rival musicians in town it could be almost anyone! Was it Justin Beaver? Or maybe it was Catty Perry? Can the Underdog’s crack the case and help the show go on?

Best Suited 7-10 Years
The Underdogs are overdue for a holiday! So when the Mayor of Cape Dog asks for help catching a mysterious sea monster that is terrifying the citizens – the Underdogs head for the coast!

Will they be able to catch this mystery monster? Will they find the missing Top Dogs?
And will Carl get to go on the Splashinator ride at the brand-new Wet Dog Waterpark?

Best suited 7+ Years

Something very bad has happened to Alice Toolie. Her secret diary has been read by her worst enemy – Jimmy Cook.

It’s war! Until Ms Fennel decides that Alice and Jimmy need to make peace and become pen pals for the term.

And it works. Before long, Alice and Jimmy are planning to make billions of dollars for the school fete – and with a captured ghost and jars full of unicorn vomit, it’s sure to be their time to shine.

Best suited 7+ Years
Set the dial to catastrophe! Alice Toolie and her worst enemy Jimmy Cook have a huge problem. Their birthday parties are on the same day and they have both invited the whole class. Disaster!

There’s only one solution. A cake-off. Whoever wins gets to party. Literally.

Best suited 7+ Years
Book Week is always the best week of the year! But when Alice Toolie and Jimmy Cook get involved, it’s set for disaster. From kooky costume ideas to accidental author visits, nothing is safe. It’s no wonder they’ve been fired as Library Monitors! The only way they’ll get their jobs back is by winning First Prize in the book parade. And that means working together. Can these two best frenemies leave their differences behind long enough to win the Battle of Book Week?

Best suited 4-7 Years
There are two sides to every story… A whale has become stranded on the beach, but the tiny puffins are far, far too small to help. When Move That Mountain is read in reverse, the puffins realise they are not too little to help—together they can fix the problem. A heart-warming and inspirational story about how even the smallest voice can make a big difference.

Best suited 4-7 Years
Two seals are perched on a rock. When others need shelter, do they share it? Room on Our Rock celebrates the truth that there are two sides to every story. This clever picture book has one story that can be read two different ways. When read from front to back, the seals believe there is definitely no room on their rock for others. But when the book is read from back to front, the seals welcome others to shelter on their rock. A heartwarming story about sharing and compassion.