Discover some of the best Penguin Random House books of 2023 with this list of award-winning and shortlisted titles this year.
Congratulations to all the Penguin Random House authors who have been honoured by awards this year.
Across a wide range of genres, these shortlisted and awarded-winning books are great feats of literature from some of our amazing authors.
Scroll on to see the award winners and be prepared to discover a new favourite on this list.
Editorial Note: This list will be continuously updated throughout 2023 as awards are announced.
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
Abomination
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)
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Cop and Robber
A new nailbiter from the bestselling author of Two Wolves, The Fall and Detention.
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Neverlanders
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!
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The Tree at Number 43
A warm, inspirational story about determination, conservation, the magic of nature . . . and grandads.
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The Vegemite Cookbook
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.
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Seven Days
A fast-paced, action-packed story of how the past catches up to us, from bestselling and award-winning author Fleur Ferris.
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You Choose 6: Alien Invaders from Beyond the Stars
A series of interactive novels for the highly adventurous. Read if you dare! Mistakes will cost you dearly!
Read more
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Recipe
VEGEMITE Breakfast Muffins
Bake a batch of these tasty VEGEMITE muffins to give you and your family a delicious start to the day. These are also great for breakfast on the go or added to a lunchbox.
