Pullman Melbourne on the Park
15, 16 & 17 June 2024

BookPeople annual awards

Through our annual awards BookPeople celebrates the work of Australian booksellers and the books they love to sell. The annual BookPeople Bookseller awards recognise the unique role played by booksellers in distributing learning, ideas, and literature and the positive role they continue to play in their communities. The BookPeople Book awards recognise the Australian new release books our booksellers have selected as their favourite hand-sells as part of their ongoing drive to bring writers and readers together.

BookPeople is thrilled to announce the 2024 Book of the Year Awards shortlists, celebrating exceptional Australian literature published in 2023. These awards recognise outstanding works that have connected Australian writers with readers nationwide, underscoring the significance of booksellers in fostering a vibrant literary community. These awards honour the remarkable talents of Australian authors and celebrate the passionate booksellers who play a pivotal role in connecting these compelling stories with a wider audience.

BookPeople BookData - Adult Fiction Book of the Year

  • Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton (HarperCollins Publishers Australia)
  • Green Dot by Madeleine Gray (Allen & Unwin)
  • Edenglassie by Melissa Lucashenko (University of Queensland Press)
  • Prima Facie by Suzie Miller (Picador Australia)
  • The Bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams (Affirm Press)
  • Stone Yard Devotional by Charlotte Wood (Allen & Unwin)

BookPeople BookData - Adult Non-Fiction Book of the Year

  • Bright Shining: How Grace Changes Everything by Julia Baird (HarperCollins Publishers Australia)
  • Question 7 by Richard Flanagan (Penguin Random House Australia)
  • Wifedom: Mrs Orwell's Invisible Life by Anna Funder (Hamish Hamilton)
  • Killing for Country: A Family Story by David Marr (Black Inc.)
  • The Voice to Parliament Handbook by Thomas Mayo & Kerry O'Brien (Hardie Grant Explore)
  • I'd Rather Not by Robert Skinner, Black Inc.

BookPeople Kids' Reading Guide - Children's Book of the Year

  • Scar Town by Tristan Bancks (Puffin)
  • If I Was A Horse by Sophie Blackall (Lothian Children's Books)
  • A Life Song by Jane Godwin & Anna Walker (Puffin)
  • Welcome to Sex by Dr. Melissa Kang & Yumi Stynes (Hardie Grant Children’s Publishers)
  • Artichoke to Zucchini by Alice Oehr (Scribble)
  • Kimmi by Favel Parrett (Hachette)

The winners will be announced at the BookPeople Gala Dinner and Awards Night on Sunday, June 16, at the Pullman Melbourne on the Park. 

The BookPeopleText Publishing Bookseller of the Year Award recognises an individual bookseller for their outstanding achievement in the past twelve months. The winner will not only be identified for their exceptional performance within the bookshop that they work in but also for their achievements within the book industry as well as the local and wider community. This award gives booksellers the chance to be recognised by the book industry for innovation, excellence and career achievements. The recipient of the award will receive $1,000. 

The 2024 winner will be announced during the BookPeople gala dinner in Melbourne on 16th June.

The BookPeople Hardie Grant Children's Publishing Children's Bookseller of the Year Award recognises individual children's specialist booksellers for their outstanding achievements in the past twelve months. The winner will not only be identified for their exceptional performance within the bookshop that they work in but also for their achievements within the book industry as well as the local and wider community. This award gives booksellers the chance to be recognised by the book industry for innovation, excellence and career achievements. The recipient of the award will receive $1,000. 

The 2024 winner will be announced during the BookPeople gala dinner in Melbourne on 16th June.

The BookPeople Penguin Random House Australia Young Bookseller of the Year Award recognises and rewards the excellence of a bookseller 35 years of age or under and promotes bookselling as a career choice for young people. This award gives booksellers the chance to be recognised by the book industry for their career achievements, innovation and outstanding performance in their stores as well as the local and wider community. The recipient of the award will receive $1,000. 

The 2024 winner will be announced during the BookPeople gala dinner in Melbourne on 16th June.