The Prime Minister’s Literary Awards winners for 2021 were announced today. The Awards are presented in six categories—children’s literature, young adult literature, fiction, poetry, non-fiction and Australian history—with a total prize pool of $600,000. Up to $100,000 is awarded in each category: $80,000 for each winner and $5,000 each for shortlisted entries. All prizes are tax-free.
The winners are:
Fiction
- The Labyrinth, Amanda Lohrey, Text Publishing, see my review
Non-fiction
- The Stranger Artist: Life at the Edge of Kimberley Painting, Quentin Sprague, Hardie Grant Publishing
Australian history
- People of the River: Lost Worlds of Early Australia, Grace Karskens, Allen & Unwin
Poetry
- The Strangest Place, New and Selected Poems, Stephen Edgar, Black Pepper
Children’s literature
- Fly on the Wall, Remy Lai, Walker Books Australia
- How to Make a Bird, Meg McKinlay, illustrated by Matt Ottley, Walker Books Australia
Young adult literature
- Metal Fish, Falling Snow, Cath Moore, Text Publishing
You can read the judge’s comments about the winners and the shortlisted titles here, and for more information about the winning and shortlisted works go to www.arts.gov.au/pmla.
Thanks to Emma Noble from Noble Words Communications and Book Publicity, Melbourne for trusting me with the embargoed press release!
ANZ LitLovers LitBlog 
Lohrey has done well this year hasn’t it, which is nice given her body or quality work. I usually like to report on this, but it’s been party central over the last week. Last one was today.
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By: whisperinggums on December 15, 2021
at 8:22 pm
Such a hectic time of year, and we are so unused to it, it feels even more exhausting than it usually is!
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By: Lisa Hill on December 15, 2021
at 9:03 pm
True … and we are getting older!
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By: whisperinggums on December 15, 2021
at 9:30 pm