Readings Prize

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Readings Bookshop in Carlton, the flagship store and home of the Readings Prize

First presented in 2014, the Readings Prize is an Australian literary award across three separate categories of fiction: Children's, Young Adult and New Australian Fiction.[1] It is run by Readings bookstores, an independent Melbourne bookseller with eight stores, established in 1969.[2] In 2016, Readings won International Bookstore of the Year at the London Book Fair, a category open to all stores outside of the UK.[3] Every year, a shortlist of six titles is selected by a revolving panel of Readings staff. Once the shortlist has been decided, a guest judge then joins the panel to select a winner. The Prize is awarded to the work of highest literary merit.[4]

Readings owner Mark Rubbo said about the awards: 'It can be difficult for debut and second-time authors to attract attention, especially when the heavy-hitters dominate the media. We established the prizes to attract readers who might not necessarily pick up these books otherwise.'[5]

Created ‘to financially reward and promote debut and second-time authors of children’s, young adult, and new Australian fiction’, the Readings Prizes were created ‘to support new and outstanding Australian voices’.[6]

Winners of the New Australian Fiction Prize include: Jessica Au,[7] Alice Robinson,[8] Andrew Pippos, Jennifer Down, Elizabeth Tan, Stephanie Bishop,[9] Sam Carmody,[10] Zoe Morrison, and Ceridwen Dovey.

In 2023, Readings awarded an additional young adult book prize: the Gab Williams Prize will ‘honour previous prize manager and young adult author Gab Williams, who passed away suddenly in January 2023’, said Readings. The winner of the new prize is chosen by the Readings Teen Advisory Board, who are readers aged between 14 and 19 years, from the Readings YA Book Prize shortlist.[11] The inaugural winner of the Gab Williams Prize was Completely Normal (and Other Lies) by Biffy James (HGCP) in 2023.[12]

Past shortlists and winners[edit]

Year Prize Shortlist Winner
2023 Readings New Australian Fiction Prize
  • Time and Tide in Sarajevo (Bronwyn Birdsall, Affirm)
  • A Country of Eternal Light (Paul Dalgarno, Fourth Estate)
  • Hydra (Adriane Howell, Transit Lounge)
  • Funny Ethnics (Shirley Le, Affirm)
  • Search History (Amy Taylor, A&U)[13]
 All That’s Left Unsaid (Tracey Lien, HQ)[14]
2023 Readings Children's Book Prize
  • The Bookseller’s Apprentice (Amelia Mellor, Affirm)
  • The Eerie Excavation (An Alice England Mystery) (Ash Harrier, Pantera)
  • Evie and Rhino (Neridah McMullin, illus by Astred Hicks, Walker)
  • Sea Glass (Rebecca Fraser, Wombat Books)
  • The Wintrish Girl (Talismans of Fate, Book 1) (Melanie La’Brooy, UQP)[13]
 No Words (Maryam Master, Pan)[14]
2023 Readings Young Adult Book Prize
  • Dancing Barefoot (Alice Boyle, Text)
  • Spice Road (Maiya Ibrahim, Hodderscape)
  • Completely Normal (And Other Lies) (Biffy James, Hardie Grant)
  • The Upwelling (Lystra Rose, Lothian)
  • Where You Left Us (Rhiannon Wilde, UQP)[13]
 If You Could See the Sun (Ann Liang, Harlequin Teen)[14]
2023 Gab Williams Prize Completely Normal (and Other Lies) by Biffy James (HGCP)[15]
2022 Readings New Australian Fiction Prize Cold Enough for Snow (Jessica Au, Giramondo)[17]
2022 Readings Children's Book Prize
  • A Glasshouse of Stars (Shirley Marr, Puffin)
  • Little Gem (Anna Zobel, Puffin)
  • My Brother Ben (Peter Carnavas, UQP)
  • The Sugarcane Kids and the Red Bottomed Boat (Charlie Archbold, Text)
  • Treasure in the Lake (Jason Pamment, A&U)
  • Wylah the Koorie Warrior #1: Guardians (Jordan Gould & Richard Pritchard, Albert Street Books)[18]
 The Sugarcane Kids and the Red Bottomed Boat (Charlie Archbold, Text)[19]
2022 Readings Young Adult Book Prize
  • The Museum of Broken Things (Lauren Draper, Text)
  • Sugar Town Queens (Malla Nunn, A&U)
  • Sunburnt Veils (Sara Haghdoosti, Wakefield Press)
  • Underground (Mirranda Burton, A&U)
  • We Who Hunt the Hollow (Kate Murray, Hardie Grant Children's)
  • What We All Saw (Mike Lucas, Penguin)[20]
 Underground (Mirranda Burton, A&U)[21]
2021 Readings New Australian Fiction Prize
  • New Animal (Ella Baxter, A&U)
  • She is Haunted (Paige Clark, A&U)
  • Echolalia (Briohny Doyle, Vintage)
  • Lucky's (Andrew Pippos, Picador)
  • Song of the Crocodile (Nardi Simpson, Hachette)
  • Born Into This (Adam Thompson, UQP)[22]
  • Lucky's (Andrew Pippos, Picador)[23]
2021 Readings Children's Book Prize
  • The Power of Positive Pranking (Nat Amoore, Puffin)
  • The Year the Maps Changed (Danielle Binks, Lothian)
  • Aussie Kids: Meet Taj at the Lighthouse (Maxine Beneba Clarke,  illus by Nicki Greenberg, Puffin)
  • The Grandest Bookshop in the World (Amelia Mellor, Affirm)
  • Bindi (Kirli Saunders, illus by Dub Leffler, Magabala Books)
  • As Fast as I Can (Penny Tangey, UQP)[24]
 As Fast as I Can (Penny Tangey, UQP)[25]
2021 Readings Young Adult Book Prize
  • The F Team (Rawah Arja, Giramondo)
  • Future Girl (Asphyxia, A&U)
  • The End of the World is Bigger Than Love (Davina Bell, Text)
  • The Boy From the Mish (Gary Lonesborough, A&U)
  • Metal Fish, Falling Snow (Cath Moore, Text)
  • Where We Begin (Christie Nieman, Pan)[26]
 Future Girl (Asphyxia, A&U)[27]
2020 Readings New Australian Fiction Prize
  • The Animals In That Country (Laura Jean McKay, Scribe)
  • Dolores (Lauren Aimee Curtis, W&N)
  • Lucky Ticket (Joey Bui, Text)
  • A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing (Jessie Tu, A&U)
  • Smart Ovens for Lonely People (Elizabeth Tan, Brio)
  • The House of Youssef (Yumna Kassab, Giramondo)[28]
 Smart Ovens for Lonely People (Elizabeth Tan)
2020 Readings Children's Book Prize
  • Pie in the Sky (Remy Lai, Walker Books)
  • The Dog Runner (Bren MacDibble, A&U)
  • Wombat, Mudlark, and Other Stories (Helen Milroy, Fremantle Press)
  • Sherlock Bones & the Natural History Mystery (Renée Treml, A&U)
  • The Girl, the Cat and the Navigator (Matilda Woods, Scholastic)
  • The Secrets of Magnolia Moon (Edwina Wyatt, illus by Katherine Quinn, Walker Books)[29]
 The Girl, the Cat and the Navigator (Matilda Woods, Scholastic)[30]
2020 Readings Young Adult Book Prize
  • Devil's Ballast (Meg Caddy, Text)
  • The Surprising Power of a Good Dumpling (Wai Chim, A&U)
  • Ghost Bird (Lisa Fuller, UQP)
  • Invisible Boys (Holden Sheppard, Fremantle Press)
  • Everywhere Everything Everyone (Katy Warner, Hardie Grant Egmont)
  • Take the Shot (Susan White, Affirm)
 Ghost Bird (Lisa Fuller, UQP)
2019 Readings New Australian Fiction Prize
  • A Constant Hum (Alice Bishop, Text)
  • Inappropriation (Lexi Freiman, A&U)
  • The Flight of Birds (Joshua Lobb, Sydney University Press)
  • A Superior Spectre (Angela Meyer, Ventura)
  • This Taste for Silence (Amanda O’Callaghan, UQP)
  • The Glad Shout (Alice Robinson, Affirm)
 The Glad Shout (Alice Robinson, Affirm)[31]
2019 Readings Children’s Book Prize
  • Ice Wolves: Elementals Book One (Amie Kaufman, HarperCollins)
  • The Orchard Underground (Mat Larkin, Hardie Grant Egmont)
  • Real Pigeons Fight Crime (Andrew McDonald, illus by Ben Wood, Hardie Grant Egmont)
  • Black Cockatoo (Carl Merrison & Hakea Hustler, Magabala)
  • The Peacock Detectives (Carly Nugent, Text)
  • Ottilie Colter and the Narroway Hunt (Rhiannon Williams, Hardie Grant Egmont)[32]
 The Peacock Detectives (Carly Nugent)[33]
2019 Readings Young Adult Book Prize
  • Highway Bodies (Alison Evans, Echo)
  • What I Like About Me (Jenna Guillaume, Pan)
  • Stone Girl (Eleni Hale, Penguin)
  • Making Friends with Alice Dyson (Poppy Nwosu, Wakefield)
  • Unmasked (Young Adult Edition) (Turia Pitt, Random House)
  • The Learning Curves of Vanessa Partridge (Clare Strahan, A&U)[34]
 Stone Girl (Eleni Hale, Penguin)
2018 Readings New Australian Fiction Prize
  • Flames (Robbie Arnott, Text)
  • Pulse Points (Jennifer Down, Text)
  • The Fireflies of Autumn (Moreno Giovannoni, Black Inc.)
  • Pink Mountain on Locust Island (Jamie Marina Lau, Brow Books)
  • The Town (Shaun Prescott, Brow Books)
  • The Lucky Galah (Tracey Sorensen, Picador)[35]
 Pulse Points (Jennifer Down, Text)[36]
2018 Readings Children’s Book Prize
  • Tarin of the Mammoths: The Exile (Jo Sandhu, Penguin)
  • Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Jessica Townsend, Lothian)
  • Lintang and the Pirate Queen (Tamara Moss, Random House)
  • The Boy, the Bird and the Coffin Maker (Matilda Woods, Scholastic)
  • The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone (Jaclyn Moriarty, A&U)
  • Home Time (Campbell Whyte, Top Shelf Productions)[37]
 Tarin of the Mammoths: The Exile (Jo Sandhu, Penguin)[38]
2018 Readings Young Adult Book Prize
  • Small Spaces (Sarah Epstein, Walker Books)
  • Amelia Westlake (Erin Gough, Hardie Grant Egmont)
  • Between Us (Clare Atkins, Black Inc.)
  • This Mortal Coil (Emily Suvada, Penguin)
  • Beautiful Mess (Claire Christian, Text)
  • Untidy Towns (Kate O'Donnell, UQP)[39]
 Amelia Westlake (Erin Gough, Hardie Grant Egmont)[40]
2017 Readings New Australian Fiction Prize The Windy Season (Sam Carmody)[42]
2016 Readings New Australian Fiction Prize
  • Portable Curiosities (Julie Koh, UQP)
  • The High Places (Fiona McFarlane, Hamish Hamilton)
  • Wood Green (Sean Rabin, Giramondo)
  • Ruins (Rajith Savanadasa, Hachette)
  • Salt Creek (Lucy Treloar, Picador)[43]
 Music and Freedom (Zoë Morrison)[44]
2015 Readings New Australian Fiction Prize
  • Last Day in the Dynamite Factory (Annah Faulkner, Picador)
  • In the Quiet (Eliza Henry-Jones, HarperCollins)
  • Arms Race (Nic Low, Text)
  • Hot Little Hands (Abigail Ulman, Hamish Hamilton)
  • Heat and Light (Ellen van Neerven, UQP)[45]
 The Other Side of the World (Stephanie Bishop)[46][47]
2014 Readings New Australian Fiction Prize Only the Animals (Ceridwen Dovey)[49]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "The Readings Prize — Readings Books". www.readings.com.au. Retrieved 2023-07-30.
  2. ^ Steger, Jason (2023-07-30). "One of 'the world's great booksellers' ends a long chapter at Readings". The Age. Retrieved 2023-07-30.
  3. ^ Harmon, Steph (2016-04-16). "Breaking borders: how to make the best bookshop in the world". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  4. ^ "Readings Prize Winners". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  5. ^ Mem: 10183096. "Au, Burton, Archbold win 2022 Readings Prizes | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-07-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Mem: 10279080. "Readings Young Adult Prize 2023 shortlist announced | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-08-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ "Cold Enough for Snow by Jessica Au wins the 2022 Readings Prize for Fiction". Giramondo Publishing. 2022-10-27. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  8. ^ Mem: 10169160. "'The Glad Shout' wins Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-07-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Cooke, Dewi (2015-10-27). "Stephanie Bishop wins Readings Prize for new Australian fiction". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  10. ^ Steger, Jason (2017-10-24). "Sam Carmody wins Readings fiction prize". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  11. ^ Mem: 10279192. "Readings Young Adult Prize 2023 shortlist announced | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-08-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Mem: 11669552. "Completely Normal (and Other Lies) wins inaugural Gab Williams Prize | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-11-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ a b c "Readings New Australian Fiction Prize 2023 shortlist announced". Books+Publishing. Retrieved 2023-08-30.
  14. ^ a b c "Master, Liang, Lien win 2023 Readings Prizes". Books+Publishing. 2023-10-25. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  15. ^ Mem: 11670648. "Completely Normal (and Other Lies) wins inaugural Gab Williams Prize | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-11-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  16. ^ Mem: 10091656. "Readings announces New Australian Fiction Prize 2022 shortlist | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-07-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Mem: 10189296. "Au, Burton, Archbold win 2022 Readings Prizes | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-07-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Mem: 10118792. "Readings announces Children's Book Prize 2022 shortlist | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-07-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ Mem: 10177840. "Au, Burton, Archbold win 2022 Readings Prizes | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-07-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ Mem: 10059912. "Readings YA Book Prize 2022 shortlist announced | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-07-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ Mem: 10177952. "Au, Burton, Archbold win 2022 Readings Prizes | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-07-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ Mem: 10087344. "Readings announces 2021 New Australian Fiction Prize shortlist | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-07-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ Evans, Tom (2021-11-09). "'Lucky's' by Andrew Pippos has won the 2021 Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction". Pan Macmillan Australia. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  24. ^ "Readings Children's Book Prize 2021 shortlist announced". Books+Publishing. 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  25. ^ Mem: 10106240. "'As Fast as I Can' wins Readings Children's Book Prize 2021 | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-07-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  26. ^ "Readings YA Book Prize 2021 shortlist announced". Books+Publishing. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  27. ^ Mem: 10061360. "'Future Girl' wins 2021 Readings YA book prize | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-07-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  28. ^ "Readings announces 2020 New Australian Fiction Prize shortlist". Books+Publishing. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  29. ^ "Readings Children's Book Prize 2020 shortlist announced". Books+Publishing. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  30. ^ "Matilda Woods wins the Readings Children's Book Prize 2020 — Readings Books". www.readings.com.au. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  31. ^ "Alice Robinson wins the 2019 Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction — Readings Books". www.readings.com.au. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  32. ^ Mem: 10098216. "Readings Children's Book Prize 2019 shortlist announced | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-07-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  33. ^ "Carly Nugent wins the 2019 Readings Children's Book Prize — Readings Books". www.readings.com.au. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  34. ^ Mem: 10066264. "Readings YA Prize 2019 shortlist announced | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-07-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  35. ^ "Readings announces 2018 New Australian Fiction Award shortlist". Books+Publishing. 2018-08-22. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  36. ^ Mem: 10106712. "'Pulse Points' wins 2018 Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-07-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  37. ^ Mem: 10095952. "Readings Children's Book Prize 2018 shortlist announced | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-07-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  38. ^ "Jo Sandhu wins the 2018 Readings Children's Book Prize — Readings Books". www.readings.com.au. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  39. ^ Mem: 10080184. "Readings YA Prize 2018 shortlist announced | Books+Publishing". Retrieved 2023-07-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  40. ^ "Erin Gough wins the 2018 Readings Young Adult Book Prize — Readings Books". www.readings.com.au. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  41. ^ "Readings announces 2017 New Australian Fiction Award shortlist". Books+Publishing. 2017-08-22. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  42. ^ "Sam Carmody wins the 2017 Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction — Readings Books". www.readings.com.au. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  43. ^ "Readings announces 2016 New Australian Writing Award shortlist". Books+Publishing. 2016-08-23. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  44. ^ "Zoë Morrison wins the 2016 Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction — Readings Books". www.readings.com.au. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  45. ^ "Readings New Australian Writing Award 2015 shortlist announced". Books+Publishing. 2015-08-25. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  46. ^ "'The Other Side of the World' wins 2015 Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction". Books+Publishing. 2015-10-27. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  47. ^ "Stephanie Bishop wins The Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction — Readings Books". www.readings.com.au. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
  48. ^ "Readings New Australian Writing Award 2014 shortlist announced". Books+Publishing. 2014-08-27. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  49. ^ "'Only the Animals' wins inaugural Readings New Australian Writing Award". Books+Publishing. 2014-10-28. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
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