UQP wins Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year & Small Publisher of the Year at the 2025 Australian Book Industry Awards

UQP has won the 2025 Small Publisher of the Year at this year's Australian Book Industry Awards. The Awards celebrate the finest talent in the book business and have also awarded middle-grade book Leo and Ralph by Peter Carnavas, the Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year.

Featuring some of the biggest names in the Australian book industry, this year’s shortlists and winners were a showcase of established luminaries and emerging talents. The 25 winners were selected by an experienced cohort of highly respected publishers, booksellers, agents and media and industry representatives, with winning titles presenting a significant contribution to their respective genre or category.

This is the fourth time that UQP has been awarded Small Publisher of the Year (2021, 2022, 2023 & now 2025). It's a testament to the hard work our small team and UQP authors put in every day to deliver the very best.

The judges described UQP’s submission as:

A stand-out [submission], noting high–quality results across all areas of the business. They particularly commended the creativity shown in developing new sales channels and the team’s grassroots involvement in awards, fellowships and internship programs. The judges also recognised UQP’s commitment to author care, inclusion and staff development.

For the Small Publishers’ Children’s Book of the Year category, the judging panel praised:

The thorough editorial process considered design approach, creative engagement, hand-drawn Illustrations, effective promotional effort, and international success of this title. A well-executed publication with an especially notable promotional campaign.

Congratulations to Peter Carnavas on his win, and to all the UQP authors and staff.

Visit the ABIA website to see the full list of winners.