The shortlists for the 2025 Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA) have been announced, presented by Books + Publishing and the Australian Publishers Association. 2025 is the ABIA's 25th year celebrating Australian authors and publishing.
The winners in each of the fourteen categories will be announced at the ABIA Ceremony on 7 May, and an overall Book of the Year Award will then be chosen from the winners of each category. Discover a selection of the 2025 shortlists below, or find the full list here.
General Fiction Book of the Year shortlist
The Ledge by Christian White
Red River Road by Anna Downes
Storm Child by Michael Robotham
The Valley by Chris Hammer
The Venice Hotel by Tess Woods
What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan
Literary Fiction Book of the Year shortlist
Cherrywood by Jock Serong
Dusk by Robbie Arnott
Highway 13 by Fiona McFarlane
Juice by Tim Winton
Rapture by Emily Maguire
The Work by Bri Lee
Small Publishers’ Adult Book of the Year shortlist
All I Ever Wanted Was to Be Hot by Lucinda Price
Australian Gospel: A Family Saga by Lech Blaine
The Burrow by Melanie Cheng
Naku Dharuk The Bark Petitions by Clare Wright
Sanctuary by Garry Disher
The Season by Helen Garner
General Non-fiction Book of the Year shortlist
Always Was, Always Will Be by Thomas Mayo
The Chairman’s Lounge by Joe Aston
The Forever War by Nick Bryant
Taboo by Hannah Ferguson
Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Your Child’s Mental Health by Dr Billy Garvey
Three Wild Dogs by Markus Zusak
Uses for Obsession by Ben Shewry
Biography Book of the Year shortlist
A Periodic Tale by Dr Karl Kruszelnicki
Brainstorm by Richard Scolyer with Garry Maddox
Sister Viv by Grantlee Kieza
The Voice Inside by John Farnham with Poppy Stockell
We Are the Stars by Gina Chick
The Whole Truth by Jackie O
Social Impact Book of the Year shortlist
Always Was, Always Will Be by Thomas Mayo
Brainstorm by Richard Scolyer with Garry Maddox
Juice by Tim Winton
Mean Streak by Rick Morton
Murriyang by Stan Grant
My Dad’s Gone Away by Andrew Krakouer & Jacqueline Dinan, illustrated by Paul Seden
The John Marsden Book of the Year for Older Children shortlist
Anomaly by Emma Lord
Comes the Night by Isobelle Carmody
Eleanor Jones Can’t Keep a Secret by Amy Doak
The Girl with No Reflection by Keshe Chow
Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma
My Family and Other Suspects by Kate Emery
Book of the Year for Younger Children shortlist
The 113th Assistant Librarian by Stuart Wilson
All the Beautiful Things by Katrina Nannestad
Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria by LM Wilkinson, illustrated by Lavanya Naidu
The Lost Book of Magic by Amelia Mellor
The Midwatch by Judith Rossell
Wurrtoo by Tylissa Elisara, illustrated by Dylan Finney
Children’s Picture Book of the Year shortlist
The Cheeky Toddler Alphabet by Davina Bell, illustrated by Jennifer Falkner
Fairy Beach by Sheila Knaggs, illustrated by Jennifer Falkner
To Stir with Love by Kate Mildenhall, illustrated by Jess Racklyeft
The Truck Cat by Deborah Frenkel, illustrated by Danny Snell
Over or Under? by Pip Harry, illustrated by Hilary Jean Tapper
Yanga Mother by Cheryl Leavy, illustrated by Christopher Bassi
Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year shortlist
Always Was, Always Will Be by Aunty Fay Muir & Sue Lawson
Dog Beach by Julie Murphy, illustrated by Annie White
Flora: Australia’s Most Curious Plants by Tania McCartney
Leo and Ralph by Peter Carnavas
Spiro by Anna McGregor
Super Snake by Gregg Dreise
Discover the full 2025 ABIA shortlists here.
