The 2026 Illuminating Australian Children’s Literature program is designed to inspire engagement with quality Australian children’s literature and to directly support the 2026 CBCA Book of the Year Awards and the CBCA Shadow Judging program. The course will run online over 4 weeks using a Canvas learning management system and will include extensive resources.

The course, designed and hosted by Professor Alyson Simpson from the University of Sydney, will highlight the 2026 CBCA shortlist and Award winners. For educators it will provide valuable insight, enjoyment, and professional learning for teaching and student/reader support. It will provide all participants with opportunities to spend time exploring books and sharing ideas. Each week you will have access to a pre-recorded lecture (up to one-hour, broken into chunks), using real-world examples that relate to CBCA Book of the Year Award categories and criteria, plus a 1.4 hour interactive Zoom webinar to discuss weekly topics.  

 

Lectures will be available to view from Fridays 1, 8, 15 and 22 May.  

Zoom webinars will be held on Thursdays 7, 14, 21 and 28 May between 6 pm and 7.30 pm AEST. 

 

Weekly topics for Zoom discussions:  

• Week 1: Reading for pleasure – why personal choice matters 

• Week 2: Engaging the reader – developing aesthetic appreciation of picture books, novels and non-fiction 

• Week 3: Responding to literature – building critical awareness through close reading & paying attention to literary language 

• Week 4: Choosing quality literature – how to find quality literature – why does quality matter? 

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For more information and to register follow this link Illuminating Australian Children's Literature