Description In the aftermath of World War II and with the United Nations newly established, the Children's Book Council (US) which had sponsored an annual Children's Book Week in America thought that the time was ripe for an International Children's Book Week. The theme would be 'United through Books'. When the idea was broached in September 1945 through the US Information Library in Sydney to a group of like-minded individuals from the Australian Broadcasting Commission, the New South Wales Department of Education, schools, children's libraries and publishers, the idea took flight and in November 1945 International Children's Book Week was celebrated with zest. The poster illustrated by Gertrude Howe showed children of different nationalities reading together under the title 'United through Books.' The timing was right and while there were no banner headlines, the movement for pubic libraries in Australia was stirring along with a move for a School Library Service. The Children's Book Council of New South Wales was formed in 1945 and in South Australia and Tasmania in 1946. Gradually the other states followed.
Each state Council organised an annual Children's Book Week exhibition; initially using the posters produced by the Children's Book Council (US). These featured the work of popular and influential illustrators such as Edgar and Ingri D'Aulaire and Maud and Miska Petersham: themes included 'Books are Bridges', 'United through Books' (again) and 'Books for the World of Tomorrow'.
The various state councils united in 1959 to form the Children's Book Council of Australia. The National Council is rotated through the states, and the organization has continued to grow in prestige with its annual book awards. Today the posters are illustrated by noted Australian illustrators, and based on the year's slogan. A list of these from 1945 can be found on the Children's Book Council of Australia website. The prestigious Australian Book Awards have grown from the initial Australian Children's Book of the Year to awards in many categories including: Picture Book of the Year; Older readers; Younger readers; and Eve Pownall Book of the Year (Information book), The inaugural winner of the Book of the Year in 1946 was The story of Karrawingi the Emu by Leslie Rees. There were several years in the early stages when no award was made because of the lack of a suitable book.
![Books are bridges [poster] : Book Week](/img/placeholder.gif?1735518749 "Books are bridges [poster] : Book Week")
