Banner illustration used with permission of Mark Wilson from his book Ben and Gracie’s Art Adventure, published by Hachette, 2011
You can view the longlists, shortlists and winners from previous years via the Awards menu above.
Book Links’ annual award for children’s historical fiction is for books published in a calendar year.
Information for Publishers and Creators
A prize of $1000 will be awarded to a book that is not only an outstanding work of fiction but excels at increasing the awareness and developing the understanding of history in children.
Entries for the 2025 Book Links Award for Children’s Historical Fiction will open in September.
The deadline has changed and is now 31 December each year.
Entry Information
Entry to the Book Links Award for Children’s Historical Fiction is made in two steps
- Completion of the entry form, and payment of entry fee
- Submission of the required number of copies of the book.
Eligibility of the book and creator/s will be confirmed by the Awards Coordinator. Entries deemed ineligible for the Awards will not be returned nor the entry fee refunded.
ENTER HERE VIA TRYBOOKING.
All entry information will be maintained in a secure database.
Entry Fee
The entry fee is $30 for each book entered.
Copies of Books
THREE copies of the book are required.
The books will be distributed to the judges. Submitted copies of books whether deemed eligible or not shall become the property of Book Links and shall not be returned to the entrant.
All entries will be acknowledged and receipted. While all reasonable care will be taken, no responsibility will be accepted for loss or damage of submitted entries.
Send Books To
Award Administrator
Book Links Qld
8/46 Drane Street
Clayfield, QLD 4011
Closing Date for Entries
The deadline is 231 December 2024
Awards Queries
Please email any queries regarding the Book Links Award for Children’s Historical Fiction to: awards@booklinks.org.au
Readership
The Book Links Award for Children’s Historical Fiction is for books with an implied readership up to the age of fourteen.
Books may be fiction, graphic novels or illustrated fiction that fit the genre of historical fiction.
Eligibility Criteria for Books
- Books must be published in Australia within the period 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2024.
- Books must be available for purchase by the general public in Australia.
- Books must be written in the English language or bilingual texts where one language must be English.
- Books entered must not have been previously published in Australia;
- These awards are only for books in the printed format, as distinct from digital and audiovisual formats.
- Only entries for readers up to 14 years will be eligible.
Additional Details
Books written as part of a series or published in serial form will be judged as separate entities which must be able to ‘standalone’ as a complete work in their own right. Each must have an independent structure and not be reliant on other parts of the series.
Eligibility Criteria for Creators
- The term ‘creator’ includes authors and illustrators whose illustrations in any medium make a substantial contribution to the book.
- At least one of the creators must be Australian citizens or have Australian residency status. Information must be provided on the eligibility of each creator.
Award Judging Criteria
The Judges assess entries as a work of Historical Fiction that will increase the understanding and appreciation of history by children, meets the criteria for this genre and presents a quality work which demonstrates:
- Literary merit – aesthetic qualities of language, standing the test of time, realistic characters
- Historical accuracy based on sound research
- Cohesiveness – language, theme, style
- Appeal to the implied readership
- Quality – illustrations, book design, production, editing
- Originality in the treatment of literary elements
Timeline 2025
- 31 December 2024 – Entries close
- 1 May 2025 – Longlist is announced
- 1 June 2025 – Shortlist is announced
- 2 August 2025 – Winner is announced
