Judging the Year K - 2 category, we are delighted to welcome Aura Parker. Aura has written and illustrated five picture books, The Silly Seabed Song, Meerkat Splash, Goodnight Glow Worms, Cocoon and Twig. She has been part of discussion panels for the CBCA, conducted workshops and story times at the Sydney Writers' Festival and State Library of NSW and was the illustrator of the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge artwork for 2019.

Aura is passionate about art, design, children's literature and the environment and her storytelling through both words and pictures inspires imagination, confidence and courage in young readers.

Judging the Year 3 – 4 category, we are thrilled to welcome back Yvette Poshoglian. Yvette is the bestselling author of over 40 books for children, including the popular Ella and Olivia series, the Frankie Fox Spy Girl books, Puppy Diary series and her latest release Dear Greta.

Yvette has previously run the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge, is a regular guest and panel host at writers’ festivals and works with both students and teachers in the area of creative writing, storytelling and literacy.

Judging the Year 5 – 6 category, we are honoured to have Louise Park rejoin us this year. Louise (under her own name and three pseudonym’s) is the author of several best selling series, including Grace’s secrets, D-Bot Squad, Zac Power, Harriet Clare, Bella Dancerella, Boy vs Beast and Star Girl.

As well as publishing books that ignite a love of reading in children, Louise has taught primary school children of all ages, trained teachers in literacy education, and created successful reading resources to help children crack the reading code.

Judging the Year 7 - 8 category is multi award winning cartoonist and illustrator Jules Faber. As well as illustrating over thirty books, including Anh Do's WeirDo series, Jules has published numerous comic strips, worked for various newspapers, in animation on a Disney show, as a live caricaturist and as a TAFE teacher specialising in comic book illustration.

More recently Jules has written and illustrated the highly entertaining The Quest Diaries of Max Crack and Crack Up; about a boy moving to a new town who decides to concrete over his old embarrassments and start afresh, doing all those things he’s always wanted to do.

Judging the Year 9 – 10 category is author and playwright Wendy Blaxland. Wendy has published poetry all over the world and is also an accomplished playwright, having produced over twenty five plays and founded a family theatre company with her daughter, Blaxland and Daughter.

Wendy has published over 100 books, having written picture books, childrens' fiction and non fiction.

Last but certainly not least, judging the Year 11 – 12 category is Pip Harry. In addition to working as an editor and copywriter she writes award winning novels children and young adults. Her YA novels include I'll Tell You Mine, Head of the River, Because of You and Are you There Buddha?

Her book, The Little Wave won the 2020 CBCA Book of the Year for Younger Readers and the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards for eight to 10 years and her newest middle grade book, August & Jones, will be published in June this year.