For the lovers of numbers, we thought we’d share a few stats about the recent CBCA Awards….
CATEGORIES & NUMBER OF BOOKS
401 books were entered in the Awards
The Younger Readers category attracted the largest number of entries, with 117 books entered – 26.4% of total entries
68% of the books were illustrated – that’s 303 books, a decrease of 5% on last year.
147 (or 33%) of the books entered were selected as Notable Books
50% of West Australian authors made the Notable Books list, along with 67% of the Northern Territory illustrators.
BOOK INFORMATION
44% of the entries were hardback books. It was 48% in 2016.
222 of the books entered were printed in Australia.
The most popular month of release for entered books was September. Greatest number of book releases occur between August and October (over 35%)
PRICE OF BOOKS: 54% of books are in the range of $11 to $20. (55% in 2016, 58% in 2015)
The average recommended retail prince was $20.54
The average number of pages per book was 116, in 2016 it was 113 pages.
The total number of pages read by judges was 49,386 – that’s down from 53,420 pages in 2016.
PUBLISHERS
Books entered in the Awards were published by:
- National institutions (e.g. National library, CSIRO, etc) 3.85% (This number was 4% in 2016, 3% in 2015, 3.5% in 2014)
- Self Published – 16.29% of entries (9.5% in 2016, 10% in 2015, 11% in 2014)
- New publishers –49 (60 new in 2016, 54 new in 2015)
- The top 6 big publishing houses submitted 50.45% of entries (They submitted 42% in 2016, 50% in 2015, 35% in 2014)
A total of 106 publishers entered books in this year’s Awards (It was 103 in 2016, 83 in 2015, 94 in 2014)
AUTHORS & ILLUSTRATORS
64% of authors who entered books in the Awards identified as female – that’s 3% fewer than in years past.
54% of illustrators identified as female – that’s 1% fewer than previous years.
FIRST TIMERS
Authors – 110 were first time entrants (that’s 24% of authors)
Illustrators – 57 were first time illustrators (that 19% of illustrators entered)
Several authors had more than one book entered in the Awards –
Jackie French had a record of 5 books entered
Several illustrators had more than one book entered –
Lucinda Gifford and Tom Jellett both illustrated 4 of the books entered.
INDIGENOUS & TORRES STRAIT ISLANDERS
Authors – 5% of authors entered identified as Indigenous or Torres Strait Islander – that’s up 2% from 2016
Illustrators – 5.56% of illustrators identified as Indigenous or Torres Strait Islander
PLACE OF RESIDENCE OF AUTHORS
41% of authors entered live in NSW – up 4% from 2016 and up 8% from 2015 
32% live in Victoria – up 2% from 2016 and down 5% from 2015
Western Australia has overtaken Queensland as the third highest place of residence with 13%
PLACE OF RESIDENCE OF ILLUSTRATORS
31% of illustrators entered live in NSW – that’s down 13% from 2016 and the same as 2015
24% live in Victoria – that’s down 15% from 2016 and down 16% from 2015
Queensland came in third with 13% – the same as 2016 and 2015
TOTAL NUMBER OF CONTRIBUTORS: 496 AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS
THEMES
438 different themes were identified in the entries
TOP 10 THEMES
Friendship in 10.16% of entries
Family in 8.13%
Dogs in 3.84%
Animals in 3.61%
Humour in 3.61%
War in 2.93%
Relationships in 2.71%
Australian History in 2.48%
Australia in 2.26%
Survival in 2.26%
Most popular Younger Reader themes were: Family, Friendships, Humour, Relationships and School
Most popular Older Reader themes were: Friendship, Family, Relationships, Survival and Love
Most popular Early Childhood themes were: Friendship, Animals, Humour, Counting and Bedtime
Most popular Picture Book themes were: Friendship, Dogs, Family, Grandparents and Children
Most Popular Eve Pownall (Information Book) themes were: Australia, History, Animals, Life and War
COMPARED TO PREVIOUS YEARS
Friendship continued to be the most popular theme
New to the top 10 were Humour, War (not World Wars), Australian History and Survival