The IBBY Honour List is a biennial selection of outstanding, recently published books, honouring writers, illustrators and translators from IBBY member countries. The titles are selected by the National Sections of IBBY who are invited to nominate books characteristic of their country and suitable to recommend for publication in different languages. One book can be nominated for each of the three categories: writing, illustration and translation.
Over the years many Australian children’s authors and illustrators have been included in the Honour List:
| 1962 | Writer: Nan Chauncy. Tangara, illustrated by Brian Wildsmith. London OUP (Under the entry for Great Britain) |
| 1970 | Writer: Patricia Wrightson I Own the Racecourse. London Hutchinson. 1969 |
| 1972 | Writer: Colin Thiele Blue Fin. Adelaide Rigby 1969 |
| 1974 | Writer: Ivan Southall Josh. A & R 1971 Illustrator: Ted Greenwood Joseph and Lulu and the Prindiville House Pigeons. Sydney A & R 1972 |
| 1976 | Writer: Patricia Wrightson The Nargun and the Stars. Syd. Hutchinson. 1973 Illustrator: Kilmeny & Deborah Niland Mulga Bill’s Bicycle by A.B Paterson Sydney Collins 1973 |
| 1978 | Writer: Eleanor Spence The October Child Melbourne OUP 1976 Illustrator: Robert Ingpen The Runaway Punt Adelaide Rigby |
| 1980 | Writer: Lilith Norman A Dream of Seas. Sydney Collins 1978 Illustrator: Percy Trezise and Dick Roughsey The Quinkins Sydney. William Collins. 1978 |
| 1982 | Writer: Ruth Park Playing Beattie Bow Thomas Nelson 1980 Illustrator: Heather Philpott The Rainforest Children OUP 1980 |
| 1984 | Writer: Joan Phipson The Watcher in the Garden Methuen 1982 Illustrator: Pamela Allen Who Sank the Boat Thomas Nelson 1982 |
| 1986 | Writer: Nadia Wheatley Dancing in the Anzac Deli. Melbourne. OUP 1984 Illustrator: Julie Vivas Possum Magic, text by Mem Fox. Omnibus 1983 |
| 1988 | Writer: Alan Baillie Riverman Thomas Nelson 1986 Illustrator: Bob Graham First there was Frances Lothian 1985 |
| 1990 | Writer: Nadia Wheatley and Donna Rawlins My Place. Melbourne Collins Dove 1987 Illustrator: Jeannie Baker Where the Forest meets the Sea. Julia MacRae 1987 |
| 1992 | Writer: Libby Gleeson Dodger Turton & Chambers. 1990 Illustrator: Rodney McRae Aesop’s Fables Margaret Hamilton 1990 |
| 1994 | Writer: Gary Disher Bamboo Flute. A & R 1992 Illustrator: Patricia Torres Do Not Go Around the Edges, text by Daisy Utemorrah. Magabala Books 1990 |
| 1996 | Writer: Emily Rodda Rowan of Rin. Omnibus 1993 Illustrator: Peter Gouldthorpe First Light, text by Gary Crew Lothian. 1993 |
| 1998 | Writer: Peter Carey The Big Bazoohley. UQP 1995 Illustrator: John Winch The Old Woman Who Loved to Read Scholastic 1996 |
| 2000 | Writer: Margaret Wild First Day Allen & Unwin 1998 Illustrator: Graeme Base The Worst Band in the Universe Viking 1999 |
| 2002 | Writer: David Metzenthen Stony Heart Country Penguin 1999 Illustrator: Ron Brooks Fox, text by Margaret Wild Allen & Unwin 2000 |
| 2004 | Writer: Simon French Where in the World? Little Hare Press 2002 Illustrator: Andrew McLean A Year on Our Farm, text by Penny Matthews Omnibus 2002 |
| 2006 | Writer: Sonya Hartnett The Silver Donkey. Viking 2004 Illustrator: Jan Ormerod Lizzie Nonsense Little Hare Press 2004 |
| 2010 | Writer: Sonya Hartnett The Ghost’s Child. Penguin 2007 Illustrator: Shaun Tan The Arrival Lothian Books/Hachette Livre Australia 2006 |
| 2011 | Writer: Gregory Rogers Hero of Little Street. Allen & Unwin 2010 Illustrator: Glenda Millard A small free kiss in the dark Allen & Unwin 2010 |
