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This year, 21 books were shortlisted across both Awards and the judging panel had the toughest job to pick the winners. Without further ado, the 2023 winners are…

Karajia Award for Children’s Literature: Looking after Country with Fire by Victor Steffensen, illustrated by Sandra Steffensen, published by Hardie Grant Explore

Environment Award for Children’s Literature
Non-fiction: The ABC Guide to Loving the Planet by Jaclyn Crupi, illustrated by Cheryl Orsini, published by ABC Books an imprint of Harper Collins

Picture fiction (co-winners): Kind by Jess McGeachin, published by Allen & Unwin, and The Tree at Number 43 by Jess McGeachin, published by Penguin Random House Australia

Fiction: Berani by Michelle Kadarusman, published by Allen & Unwin

Our friends from Gleebooks are donating 10% of sales of the shortlisted or winning titles back to the Wilderness Society to protect nature!

Congratulations Jessica Hay from Queensland who won the full shortlist of the 2023 Karajia and Environment Awards for Children's Literature.

Thank you to everyone who entered - your range of submitted favourite nature books and First Nations stories was amazing!

Adam Goodes joined the judging panel this year! Adam is an Adnyamathanha and Narungga man and community leader—and of course, a footy legend. He was also a co-winner of the 2022 Karajia Award.

Here’s what he had to say about Looking After Country with Fire: “What I love about this book is the acknowledgment of Traditional Aboriginal ways and how they can be still useful and efficient in today’s settings, especially the management of Country with fire.”

Adam Duncan is a early childhood educator and a Biripi man whose family and ancestors were Traditional Custodians of lands in the Manning River region of New South Wales.

Here’s what he had to say about The ABC Guide to Loving the Planet: “An amazingly practical guide, geared at children and young people. Filled with accessible and useful ideas, concepts and activities that children can undertake to care for the environment.”

Sami Bayly is an award-winning author and illustrator. She was the winner of the 2022 non-fiction category of the Environment Award for Children’s Literature.

Here’s what she had to say about Berani: “This book promotes a great discussion of ethics/morals, consequences and the environment and how they sometimes may not be as straightforward as you might think. A great topic for kids in the current times."

Alex Papps is a writer and actor. And a much-loved Playschool presenter!

Here’s what he had to say about The Tree at Number 43: “A fantastic tale of inspiration and solidarity.”

Adam Duncan had this to say about Kind: “Breathtakingly illustrated—Kind simplifies the process involved in effectively fostering environmental stewardship in children by reducing the first step to its most accessible form—be kind to all creatures.”