Debut novel CryBaby from Albany author Mabel Gibson shortlisted for WA Premier’s Book Award

A deeply personal memoir tracing one young woman’s journey through identity, grief and belonging has earned Albany author Mabel Gibson a place on the shortlist for one of WA’s highest literary honours.

Ms Gibson’s debut book, CryBaby, has been shortlisted in the 2026 WA Premier’s Book Awards, which recognise excellence in writing across six categories and two special prizes.

From richly imagined worlds to deeply personal reflections on place, identity and belonging, the shortlist captures a confident and distinctive voice in contemporary Australian writing.

The collection of micro memoirs follows Ms Gibson’s life from the age of two to 25, spanning Albany, Geraldton and Perth while exploring themes of identity, mental health, love, loss and growing up as a First Nations woman in the 21st century.

The 26-year-old said CryBaby was written as a series of short, chronological memoirs reflecting different stages of her life.

“They’re kind of like short pieces,” she said.

“It’s in chronological order of my life in like a fragmented kind of way.

“It’s about my life growing up in Albany, Perth and Geraldton, so across a few different landscapes in WA and how each of those places affected me and shaped my identity.

“The strongest theme would be identity and exploring what being a First Nations girl looks like in the 21st century.”

Ms Gibson said she first began writing at the age of 18, but many of the memoirs in this book were completed within six months.

“I basically started some of the pieces in 2018, but the majority of it was written in six months because I received a grant to undergo a mentorship,” she said.

“I was really lucky to obviously get a chunk of money that allowed me to sit down for six months and write it all,” she said.

The WA Premier’s Book Awards, presented annually by the State Library of WA, celebrate the State’s best contemporary writing, with this year’s shortlist featuring more than 30 authors.

Ms Gibson said having her work recognised was meaningful because it meant readers had connected with her personal experiences.

“It’s really special that this particular book has been shortlisted because it’s a story about my life and a lot of moments in my life where I felt really alone,” she said.

“The fact that people have related to it and the judges have related to it and have maybe seen themselves on the pages is really important to me as someone who has felt like they were going through these things by themselves.

“It means a lot to me that the relatability of it is being recognised.”