Dame Annabelle Rankin Award for distinguished services for children's literature in Queensland
The Award
The Dame Annabelle Rankin Award for Distinguished Services to Children’s Literature is a biennial award of the Queensland Branch of the Children’s Book Council of Australia.
The recipient will have made a contribution primarily in Queensland, but services nationally and internationally will be regarded as pluses.
The Award is to take the form of a suitable certificate and a citation.
The citation is to be read at the Award presentation, printed in the newsletter, included on the web site and sent to Reading Time and the CBCA archives.
Only one Award will be presented every two years. The Award will normally be made to an individual; however in special circumstances the judges may make a joint or group award where a joint or group nomination has been deemed more appropriate than an individual one.
The Award is to be administered by a convenor appointed by the Queensland Executive.
Dame Annabelle Rankin
Dame Annabelle Rankin was an Australian stateswoman, born in Brisbane. She became the first Queensland woman to enter federal politics, as a senator for the state in 1946, and the first woman whip in the British Commonwealth, serving as Opposition whip (1947-9) and government whip (1951-66), She was also the first Australian woman of ministerial rank, holding the housing portfolio (1966-71), and Australia’s first woman head of a diplomatic mission, as high commissioner to New Zealand (1971-4). She was created a dame in 1957.
Dame Annabelle Rankin was one of the first to be given Life Member status of the Queensland Branch of Children’s Book Council of Australia in 1977 following her service to the branch as a President for 10 years from 1961-1971 and as a Patron. She became known throughout Queensland from her association with church activities, girl guides, the YWCA and the Red Cross. She was also a member of the CWA, the Victoria League and the Royal Empire Society.
Image sourced from the House of Parliament website: www.aph.gov.au/Senate/pubs/briefs/brief03.htm
Previous Recipients
2004 Lyn Linning
2005 Jill Morris
2006 Kerry Mallan
2007 David Cox
2009 Jenny Stubbs
2011 Robyn Sheahan-Bright
2013 Judith Russell
2016 Leonie Tyle
2018 James Moloney CITATION
2020 Fiona Stager
2022 Michael Gerard Bauer CITATION
2024 Suzy Wilson CITATION and Video presentation (shown at the 2024 Book Week Event on August 25)
Eligibility
The recipient shall be a person who has made a significant contribution to children’s literature in Queensland.
Where a joint or group nomination is more appropriate, a joint or group nomination may be made.
Whilst there is no restriction on the types of contribution made, recipients’ contributions must encompass more than their profession or occupation.
No person may receive the Award more than once.
Candidates need not be members of the CBCA.
Selection and Judging
Copies of nominations should be sent to the judges for perusal and research three weeks prior to judging.
The Selection and Judging Committee
There shall be three judges: The Award convenor, the Queensland Branch president, and a member of the Queensland Management Committee to be chosen annually by the branch.
In the event that one of the judges is nominated for the Award, or is otherwise unable to participate in the judging process, the Queensland executive shall appoint a replacement.
Here is another picture of a selection of Dame Annabelle Rankin winners taken at the Government House reception to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Qld Branch. Pictured from the front – Suzy Wilson (2024), Judith Russell (2013), Jenny Stubbs (2009), Jill Morris (2005), Lyn Linning (2004) and Fiona Stager (2020).
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