Article • 19 December 2023

Award-winning and shortlisted books of 2023

Discover some of the best Penguin Random House books of 2023 with this list of award-winning and shortlisted titles this year.

Shortlisted and award-winning books 2023

Award winners

Abomination by Ashley Goldberg, 2023 National Jewish Book Awards (US), Goldberg Prize for Debut Fiction
An Intimate History of Evolution by Alison Bashford, Mark & Evette Moran Nib Literary Award
Cop and Robber by Tristan Bancks, 2023 Young Australians Best Book Awards, Fiction for Years 7-9
Head and Heart by Kirstin Ferguson, 2023 Australian Career Book Award; Thinkers50 2023 Leadership Award
Neverlanders by Tom Taylor and Jon Sommariva, Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year for Older Readers 2023
The Tree at Number 43 by Jess McGeachin, 2023 Environment Award for Children's Literature
The Vegemite Cookbook by Vegemite, Gourmand Awards 2023, Best Corporate Brand Cookbook
Seven Days by Fleur Ferris, Davitt Awards 2023 (Young adult novel)
You Choose 6: Alien Invaders from Beyond the Stars by George Ivanoff, 2023 Young Australians Best Book Awards, Best Fiction for Young Readers

Shortlisted titles

Anam by André Dao, 2023 Mark and Evette Moran Nib Literary Award
Bluey: Mini Bluey, Dymocks Young Readers Book of the Year
Chain-Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, 2023 National Book Awards
Denizen by James McKenzie Watson, 2022 Australian Shadows Award Finalist for a novel category; Ned Kelly Awards, 2023 Best Debut Crime Fiction
Dirt by Sea by Michael Wagner and Tom Jellet, Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Honour Picture Book 2023
Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson, 2023 Australian Book Industry Awards for General Fiction Book of the Year
Faithless by Alice Nelson, The Age Book of the Year (fiction)
Fire Rush by Jacqueline Crooks, Women’s Prize for Fiction 2023
Head and Heart by Kirstin Ferguson, 2023 Australian Business Book Awards, Personal Development, Leadership
Happy Place by Emily Henry, Dymocks Book of the Year
Her Fidelity by Katherine Pollock, cover designed by Christa Moffitt (Christabella Designs), 2023 Australian Book Design Awards (Best Designed Commercial Fiction Cover)
Here Goes Nothing by Steve Toltz, 2022 Aurealis Awards, Best Science Fiction Novel; 2023 Russell Prize for Humour Writing
Investing with She’s on the Money by Victoria Devine, 2023 Australian Book Industry Awards for General Non-Fiction Book of the Year; 2023 Australian Business Book Awards, Personal Finance and Investment
Lenny Marks Gets Away with Murder by Kerryn Mayne, Ned Kelly Awards, 2023 Best Debut Crime Fiction
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, 2023 Australian Book Industry Awards for International Book of the Year
Life: What Nat to Do by Nat’s What I Reckon, 2023 Australian Book Industry Awards for Audiobook of the Year
Mothertongues by Ceridwen Dovey and Eliza Bell, Douglas Stewart Prize for Non-Fiction
Mr Bambuckle's Remarkables by Tim Harris and James Hart, Fiction for odler readers honour book
Nimblefoot by Robert Drewe, 2023 Western Australian Book Awards The Premier’s Prize for Book of the Year; 2023 Margaret & Colin Roderick Literary Award; Voss Literary Prize
Not Now, Not Ever by Julia Gillard, 2023 Australian Book Industry Awards for Social Impact Book of the Year
One of Us Is Back by Karen M. McManus, Dymocks Young Readers Book of the Year
Stone Town by Margaret Hickey, Davitt Awards 2023 (adult novel)
The All of It by Cadance Bell, The Age Book of the Year (non-fiction)
The Angry Women's Choir by Meg Bignell, 2023 Margaret & Colin Roderick Literary Award
The Bee Sting by Paul Marray, 2023 Booker Prize for Fiction
The Blood Traitor by Lynette Noni, 2023 Australian Book Industry Awards for Book of the Year for Older Children (ages 13+)
The Book of Wonderous Possibilities by Deborah Abela, Davitt Awards 2023 (children's novel)
The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman, 2023 Australian Book Industry Awards for International Book of the Year
The Scrap Iron Flotilla by Mike Carlton, 2023 NSW Premier's History Awards, The Anzac memorial Trustees' Military History Prize; 2023 Frank Broeze Memorial Maritime History Book Prize
The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro, Dymocks Young Readers Book of the Year
This Other Eden by Paul Harding, 2023 Booker Prize for Fiction
Time Wise by Amantha Imber, 2023 Australian Business Book Awards, Personal Development
You’re Doing it Wrong by Kaz Cooke, 2023 Russell Prize for Humour Writing
What We All Saw by Mike Lucas, 2023 Prime Minister's Literary Awards, Young adult literature
Zadie Ma and the Dog Who Chased the Moon by Gabrielle Wang, 2023 Prime Minister's Literary Awards, Children's literature; Queensland Literary Awards, Children's Book Award

Featured Titles

Abomination

Ashley Goldberg

A compelling and compassionate debut about friendship, faith, family and identity. Winner of the Debut Fiction Prize, 72nd National Jewish Book Awards (US) ‘We recognize and appreciate Penguin Random House Australia’s decision to publish a book of such high quality – one that enlarges the whole enterprise of Jewish scholarship and contributes to informed living, understanding, and entertainment for the entire English-reading world.’ – Executive Director, National Jewish Book Awards (US)

Cop and Robber

Tristan Bancks

A new nailbiter from the bestselling author of Two Wolves, The Fall and Detention.

Head and Heart

Kirstin Ferguson

Winner of the 2023 Royal Society of Arts Career Book Award.

Neverlanders

Tom Taylor, Jon Sommariva

Neverland has become a war zone and it’s up to a new group of lost teens to set things right in this gritty YA graphic novel series from #1 New York Times bestselling Australian author Tom Taylor and powerhouse Australian comic artist Jon Sommariva!

The Tree at Number 43

Jess McGeachin

A warm, inspirational story about determination, conservation, the magic of nature . . . and grandads.

The Vegemite Cookbook

Vegemite

Tastes like Australia! Over 40 recipes for celebrating and sharing Australia’s iconic and beloved spread: VEGEMITE. Winner: Best Corporate Brand Cookbook at the International Gourmand Awards.

Seven Days

Fleur Ferris

A fast-paced, action-packed story of how the past catches up to us, from bestselling and award-winning author Fleur Ferris.

You Choose 6: Alien Invaders from Beyond the Stars

George Ivanoff

A series of interactive novels for the highly adventurous. Read if you dare! Mistakes will cost you dearly!

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