Young Adult Book Award

Return to Sender

Lauren Draper (Pan Macmillan Australia)

Judges' comments:

Return to Sender is a polished and engaging double mystery exploring themes of friendship, grief, and home.  The setting is tightly crafted and wholly immersive. Well-drawn characters are the beating heart of the story; Draper crafts a strong and fully realised protagonist as Brodie navigates coming-of-age, historical mystery, and a lovely enemies-to-lovers romance. Warm, skilled and highly contemporary.

Don't Let the Forest In

CG Drews (Hachette Australia)

Judges' comments:

Don’t Let the Forest In is original and fresh, layered with meaning and style. Drews’ unequivocal use of language develops characters and landscapes imbued with fear, menace and sacrifice. Andrew battles demons well beyond those in the forest, demonstrated by his complicated relationship – he loves Thomas, yet despairs rejection. Unique and compelling. 

My Brother, Finch

Kate Gordon (Riveted Press)

Judges' comments:

This is a beautiful unpacking of unanswered grief and growing up. Wren communicates with her missing brother, Finch, as she navigates life without him. Both characters’ voices are crafted in unique and exciting stylistic ways. The authentic, strong plot follows Wren through friendships and family struggles while searching for answers. Lyrical, topical and deeply moving.

Into the Mouth of the Wolf

Erin Gough (Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing)

Judges' comments:

Gough’s evocative, fast-paced work explores environmental responsibility, family dynamics and friendship through the agency of Lena and Iris, two feisty and authentic female characters. Combining elements of mystery, romance and dystopian fiction, the author skilfully creates a powerful and immersive tale that showcases concerns for our planet’s ecological future.

Liar's Test

Ambelin Kwaymullina (Text Publishing)

Judges' comments:

This lively novel expertly blends fantasy and speculative elements to create a world which is as original as it is unforgettable. Featuring a spirited, resourceful protagonist and vigorous writing, Liar’s Test probes power structures and elicits the significance of the ancestral past in ways that are adventurous, surprising and imaginative.