Each year, Speech Pathology Australia awards three Australian authors the “Best Book for Language Development” in the categories – Young Children, Lower Primary, Upper Primary and Indigenous Children.  

Each award is based on the book’s appeal to children, interactive quality and ability to assist speech pathologists and parents in communication and literacy development.

The intention of Speech Pathology Australia’s Book of the Year Awards is to:

• Enhance people’s awareness of the role speech pathologists play in literacy development.
• Gradually develop a nationally recognised pool of books that speech pathologists can recommend for the development of oral language and speech and/or sound awareness.
• Promote the Association with the Book of the Year Awards ceremony.

The 2012 Shortlist will be announced at the start of June, while winners will be awarded at a ceremony on 16 October.

Nominations have now closed for the 2012 Book of the Year Awards and it's over to our hard working shortlisters to come up with our shortlist.  Stay tuned to see who's made it at the end of May...
 
  Past Winners of Book of the Year

Hall of Fame Children's Language and Literature Award

A Hall of Fame award - ‘Children’s Language and Literature Award’ may also be presented if there is an outstanding candidate nominated; one who has made a significant and sustained contribution to Australian children’s language and literature.

Speech Pathology Australia is calling for members to nominate any children’s author who satisfies all the eligibility criteria listed below and who you feel would be worthy of such recognition.

• The author must be Australian or reside permanently in Australia
• The author must have published a significant number of books for children over a 10-year period or more
• The books published by this author are, or have been, readily available in Australia
• The books published by this author currently retail, or would have sold for no more than $30.00
• The books published by this author must facilitate interaction and communication
• The books published by this author have quality graphics, design and production

Children from the Yipirinya School in Alice Srings with their new books, from the 2011 Book of the Year competition. (Courtesy of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation)