This guide to the best books for children published in Australia in 2001 represents the choice of the judges of the Children's Book Council of Australia. The guide presents a shortlist of books in all award categories except that of Older Readers. It provides discussion points for exploring each book, enabling teachers and learners to focus on significant aspects. The guide points out that children should be encouraged to consider every aspect of the books, beginning with their front covers, and continuing with relevance and originality of theme, style of writing, degree of engagement, and development of setting, plot, and character. It notes that picture books should demonstrate a unity of text and illustration in the telling of the story, with the illustrative style and media being appropriate to the theme, while information books should present facts and ideas effectively in terms of text, illustration and design, with well researched subject matter. Books cited in the guide come under the following categories: Book of the Year: Early Childhood; Picture Book of the Year; Book of the Year: Younger Readers; and Eve Pownall Award for Information Books. (NKA)