IBBY Australia

The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) is a non-profit organisation to bring books and children together. In 1966, IBBY Australia was established and Ena Noël OAM became its first president and remained in this role for over 20 years.

In 1986 both Hans Christian Andersen Awards were won by Australians. Patricia Wrightson for writing and Robert Ingpen for illustration.

The IBBY Honour List is a biennial selection of outstanding, recently published books, honoring writers, illustrators and translators from IBBY member countries. The titles are selected by the National Sections of IBBY who are invited to nominate books characteristic of their country and suitable to recommend for publication in different languages. One book can be nominated for each of the three categories: writing, illustration and translation.

Over the years many Australian children's authors and illustrators have been included in the Honour List:

In 1987, Australia hosted International Children’s Book Day.

In 1994, founding president of IBBY Australia, Ena Noël, founded her own biennial prize - the Ena Noel Award - to encourage young emerging writers and illustrators. The name was chosen so that it was apparent to all concerned that someone highly regarded in the field was fostering young Australian authors and illustrators for children. The award is a mounted silver medallion designed by the first winner of the award, the Australian Aboriginal writer/illustrator Arone Raymond Meeks.

From 1994 - 2008 this biennial award was presented during the congress of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). In 2010, the award will be presented at an independent IBBY Australia function.

Only books by Australian creators published in the two years prior to the particular closing date can be nominated by the publishers for the Ena Noël award. Secondly, the nominated creator must be under the age of 35 at the time the title (or titles) for which they are nominated was published. Thirdly, any nominated author or illustrator has to be deemed by the judges to be worthy of encouragement.

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