Australian children’s book stalwart Libby Gleeson won the children’s fiction award for Red, a story of a young amnesiac who attempts to piece her life back together after a cyclone hits the eastern suburbs of Sydney.

Judges described it as a ‘‘well-plotted page turner’’.

Ms Gleeson said children’s fiction often resonated with readers.

‘‘I think a lot of people remember very clearly the books they read when they were young, even if they can’t find them anymore,’’ she said.

Winners:

• Fiction: Questions of Travel – Michelle de Kretser
• Non-fiction: The Australian Moment – George Megalogenis
• Poetry: Jam Tree Gully: Poems – John Kinsella
• Young adult fiction: Fog a Dox – Bruce Pascoe
• Children’s fiction: Red – Libby Gleeson
• Prize for Australian History: Farewell, dear people – Ross McMullin

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