Children’s Book Council of Australia 2022 Book of the Year shortlist revealed
The 76th CBCA Book of the Year shortlist has been announced today with two Pan Macmillan books in the mix: Girls in Boys’ Cars by Felicity Castagna in the Older Readers category; and Exit Through the Gift Shop by Maryam Master, with illustrations by Astred Hicks, in the Younger Readers category.
2022 is the year of ‘Dreaming with eyes open…’ The CBCA invites everyone to explore deeply all books on their Notables list and Shortlist ahead of the announcement of the Books of the Year on August 19.
Established in 1945, the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) is a not-for-profit, volunteer run organisation. Find out more about the list here.
About the books
A complicated friendship.
A roadtrip in a stolen car.
The stories that define us.
And two funny, sharp, adventurous young women who refuse to be held back any longer.
Rosa was never really trying to hurt anyone, no matter what they said in court.
But she’s ended up in juvenile jail anyway, living her life through books and wondering why her best mate Asheeka disappeared.
A page-turning novel about a complicated friendship; a road trip through NSW in a stolen car; the stories that define us; and two funny, sharp, adventurous young women who refuse to be held back any longer.
The CBCA judges say Girls in Boys’ Cars is ‘a sophisticated story […that] delves into cultural and sexual expectations, how these change people’s perception of you, and how wearing all these burdens can push you to break… The emotional journey each of the main characters experience feels authentic and the development of their characters is strong. The author has accurately captured the female anger towards a society which is still failing them.’
Anahita Rosalind Ghorban-Galaszczuk (yes, that really is her name but you can call her Ana) is discovering that life is absurd. As if dying of cancer at the age of 12.5 isn’t bad enough, she still has to endure daily insults from her nemesis, Alyssa (Queen Mean) Anderson.
Ana’s on a wild roller-coaster of life and death, kindness and cruelty, ordinary and extraordinary.
And she’s got a few things to do before she exits…
The CBCA judges praised Exit Through the Gift Shop as ‘an amusing, sensitive and at times heart-breaking look at life through the eyes of a 12-year-old… the difficulties Ana encounters are authentically portrayed with hope, humour and positivity.’