Australian Book Design Awards 2026 shortlists announced

Monday, 23 March 2026 Books+Publishing

The shortlists for the 2026 Australian Book Design Awards, presented by the Australian Book Designers Association (ABDA), have been announced.

Shortlisted works in each category are:

Best designed general fiction cover

Best designed literary fiction/poetry cover

Eros (Zoe Terakes, Hachette), designed by Alex Ross
The Furphy Anthology (Furphy Literary Awards, Hardie Grant), designed by Design by Committee
I Want Everything (Dominic Amerena, Summit), designed by Sandy Cull
Nock Loose (Patrick Marlborough, Fremantle), designed by Nathaneal Whale

Best designed nonfiction cover

Conspiracy Nation (Ariel Bogle & Cam Wilson, Ultimo), designed by George Saad
Gather Up Your World in One Long Breath (S. Shakthidharan, NewSouth), designed by Rekha Dhanaram (with internal design by Rekha Dhanaram & Susiman Nirmalavasan)
No Filters (Christie Watson & Rowan Egberongbe, Chatto & Windus), designed by Hazel Lam
The Red House (Kate Wild, A&U), designed by George Saad

Best designed series

Best designed illustrated book under $50

Dress Up Leigh Bowery (Nicola Rainbird, illus by Daniel Clarke, Smith Street), designed by Susan Le
Dog’s Best Friend (Giuseppe Santamaria, Smith Street), designed by Giuseppe Santamaria
Shifting Ground (Felicity Fenner, Evi O & Formist Editions), designed by Evi O | Evi-O Studio
Trinkets (Cat Rabbit, Smith Street), designed by Michelle Macintosh

Best designed illustrated book over $50

Artists by Artists (Michelle Grey & Susan Armstrong, Thames & Hudson), designed by Daniel New
Natural Order (Dangar Barin Smith, Evi O & Formist Editions), designed by Evi O | Evi-O Studio
Textiles x Art (Ramona Barry & Beck Jobson, Thames & Hudson), designed by Hope Lumsden-Barry
A Visual Feast (Jono Fleming, Smith Street), designed by Susan Le

Best designed catalogue/exhibition book

After the Rain: 5th National Indigenous Art Triennial (NGV), designed by Tony Albert & Evi O | Evi-O Studio
Nell: Face Everything (Heide Museum of Modern Art), designed by Michael Gibb
Yolnu power: The Art of Yirrkala (Art Gallery of NSW), designed by Analiese Cairis
Westwood Kawakubo (NGV), designed by Karina Soraya & Dirk Hiscock

Best designed cookbook

The Japanese Art of Pickling & Fermenting (Yoko Nakazawa, Smith Street), designed by Michelle Mackintosh
Lucky Dragon Supper Club (Stephanie Feher, Murdoch Books), designed by Susan Le
Modern Australian Baking (Christopher Thé, Hardie Grant), designed by Daniel New
Ramen for Days (Deborah Kaloper, Smith Street), designed by Evi O | Evi-O Studio

Best designed children’s book

Between (Anna Walker, Scribble), designed by Miriam Rosenbloom & Guy Ivison
Gone (Michel Streich, Thames & Hudson), designed by Sasha Beekman & Michel Streich
My Name is Jemima (Allison Colpoys, Scribble), designed by Allison Colpoys
Once I was a Giant (Zeno Sworder, Thames & Hudson), designed by Zeno Sworder

Best designed children’s nonfiction book

Diary of a Marine Biologist (Anita Thomas, illus by Sarah Wilkins & Anita Thomas, Walker Books), designed by Sarah Mitchell
Mind-Controlling Bugs (Aidan Doyle, illus by Astrid Hicks, HG Explore), designed by Astrid Hicks
There’s a Prawn in Parliament House (Annabel Crabb, illus by First Dog on the Moon, A&U), designed by Kristy Lund-White
Wonders Under the Moon (Tai Snaith, Thames & Hudson), designed by Hope Lumsden-Barry

Best designed children’s fiction book

Evie P & Me (Petra James, illus by Andrew Joyner, Walker Books), designed by Sarah Mitchell
The Extraordinary Misadventures of Lake and Birdy (and their remarkable fortitude) (Damien Leith, Walker Books), designed by Sarah Mitchell
Inked (Karen Wasson, illus by Jake A Minton, HGCP), designed by Kelly Elphick & Jake A Minton
Willow Bright’s Secret Plot (AL Tait, Scholastic), designed by Grace Felstead

Best designed children’s series

Ebb & Flo (Laura Buntin & Philip Bunting, illus by Philip Bunting, HGCP), designed by Kelly Elphick
The Elston-Fright Tales (Reece Carter, illus by Simon Howe, A&U), designed by Kristy Lund-White
How to Help | What to Do | What to Say (Davina Bell, illus by Hilary Jean Tapper, Lothian), designed by Kirby Armstrong
Junkyard Fairies (Edwina Wyatt, illus by Lauren O’Hara, Walker Books), designed by Sarah Mitchell

Best designed young adult cover

Black River (Ruby Jean Cottle, Atria), designed by Hannah Janzen, illus by Carolina Rodriguez Fuenmayor
A Murder is Going Down (Kate Emery, A&U), designed by Hana Kinoshita Thomson
Run (Sarah Armstrong, HGCP), designed by Pooja Desai & Guy Shield
This Fatal Kiss (Alicia Jasinska, Walker Books), designed by Nicolette Treanor

Best designed small-run book

Best designed student series/cover

Bunny (Mona Awad), designed by Paige Wang, RMIT
Gentle and Fierce (Vanessa Berr), designed by Elisa Tran, RMIT
Gentle and Fierce (Vanessa Berry), designed by Nicole Tan, RMIT
A Very Short Introduction (Leofranc, Holford-Strevens & Jacqueline Stedall), designed by Rachel Nguyen, UTS

Best designed student book

Deb Brash emerging designer of the year

The shortlists in all categories are available on the ABDA website.

In their 74rd year, the awards celebrate the “most original, beautiful and inspiring books published in Australia in 2025”.

The winners will be announced on 8 May in Melbourne.