Kindergarten to Year 2: Ashleigh Barton

Ashleigh Barton decided, at precisely age six, that she wanted to be a writer.  Several years, a law degree and a couple of full-time jobs later, she has made her six-year-old self immensely proud; and we are thrilled to welcome her as the Judge for our Kindergarten to Year 2 category. 

Ashleigh is a bestselling children’s author of several CBCA shortlisted and notable picture books including (but not limited to!) What Do You Call Your Grandpa?, What Do You Call Your Grandma?, How Do You Say I Love You? And Dinosaur in My Pocket. Her most recent picture book Hedgehog or Echidna? was released in June 2025. 

Ashleigh loves writing stories for children of all ages and has also released popular junior fiction and middle grade novels including the Solomon Macaroni series, Freddie Spector Fact Collector series and How to Sail Somewhere. 

Years 3 to 4: Kristin Darell

As a child Kristin Darell was rarely found without a pen and paper in her hand, making up adventures and writing about the world around her. As an adult she has made this passion her life and we are honoured to have her judging the years 3 to 4 category.  

After working as a broadcast news and sports journalist for more than twenty years, Kristin turned her attention on writing for children and is the author of popular Taronga Presents and Football Fever series. Her most recent release The Break Up is book 1 in her new series It’s a Twin Thing, with book 2 coming out later this year!  

In addition to writing, running around after her children, dogs, pet snake and three-legged pygmy bearded dragon; Kristin works as the Program Director for The Australian Children's Laureate Foundation and is passionate about helping kids find new ways to share their stories. 

Years 5 to 6: Lucie Stevens

We are excited to announce that judging our Year 5 to 6 category is children's author, freelance writer and editor Lucie Stevens. 

 Throughout her career, Lucie has authored and co-authored several non-fiction books for the educational market and co-created outreach programs for UK and European Space Agencies. In June 2025 she released her debut children’s novel, R.I.P. Nanny Tobbins, which was long-listed for the ARA Historical Novel Prize. Its sequel, Nanny Tobbins and the Midnight Plan will be published in May this year!   

Lucie has been the talented recipient of many Mentorships and Fellowships and has recently been awarded a Vaucluse House Creative and Cultural Residency, which provides her with a beautiful space to continue her writing. 

_{Photo credit: Jan Radtke}

Years 7 to 8: Samera Kamaleddine

Judging our Years  7 – 8 Category we are delighted to welcome back Samera Kamaleddine,  who has considered herself a writer since she got her first creative writing certificate in kindergarten. 

For many years Samera worked as a journalist, writing for magazines about everything from friendship dramas and school bullies to body confidence. Now, she's an award-winning author, who sometimes moonlights as a Librarian. 

Samera won the inaugural Matilda Prize in 2021 for Half My Luck, a heartwarming coming-of-age story about growing up in Australia when caught between two cultures. Her middle grade novel The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart was shortlisted for CBCA Book of the Year for Younger Readers in 2024. Her most recent novel, The Clueless Guide to Solving a Mystery, is Book 1 in her new Clueless series for middle grade readers and is set to be released in late April! 

Years 9 to 10: Sarah Brill

We are happy to welcome author and playwright Sarah Brill as our Judge for Years 9-10. 

Sarah grew up in Perth and began writing plays at the age of 15, mostly because she was annoyed with her drama teacher but also because it meant she got to come to Sydney for National Young Playwrights Workshops. 

While initially focused on playwriting, Sarah also wrote for film and radio and then published her first young adult novel, Glory, for young adults in 2002. After having children she completed a masters in sustainability and worked in that field, writing when she could. She released her second (adult) novel Symphony for the Man, 2020. Her most recent YA Novel Catch was released in 2025 and has been longlisted for the 2026 Indie Book Awards (Young Adult Award) and is a CBCA Notable for Book of the Year, Older Readers. 

Years 11 to 12: Gary Lonesborough

Judging years 11-12 we are thrilled to welcome back award-winning Young Adult novelist, Gary Lonesborough. 

A Yuin man, growing up on the Far South Coast of NSW as part of a large and proud Aboriginal family, Gary was always writing as a child and continued his creative journey when he moved to Sydney to study at film school. Gary has experience in youth work, Aboriginal health, child protection, the disability sector (including experience working in the youth justice system) and the film industry. 

Gary has been nominated for and won more writing awards than we can list for his YA novels The Boy from the Mish (2021), We Didn’t Think it Through (2023) and I’m Not Really Here (2024). His fourth novel Good Young Men has just been released in March 2026.