Gaelyn Gordon Award facts for kids
The Gaelyn Gordon Award is a special prize given every year to a much-loved children's book from New Zealand. It celebrates books that have been popular for a long time. The award is given by the Storylines Children's Literature Foundation.
The Story Behind the Award
This award is named after a wonderful writer named Gaelyn Gordon. She was born in Hāwera, New Zealand, in 1939. Gaelyn taught English and Drama at Hamilton Girls' High School.
She started writing children's books in 1989. Gaelyn wrote many books for both kids and adults. Sadly, she passed away from cancer in 1997. Even though her books were very popular, they didn't win any big awards while she was alive.
To remember Gaelyn and her amazing work, the Children's Literature Foundation created this award in 1998. It was first called the Gaelyn Gordon Award for a Much-Loved Book. Her publishers, HarperCollins, Scholastic, and David Ling Publishing, helped set it up. In 2005, the Children's Literature Foundation changed its name. It became the Storylines Children's Literature Foundation. Now, the award is known as the Storylines Gaelyn Gordon Award.
How a Book Wins the Award
The Gaelyn Gordon Award is for fiction books that have been loved for many years. It goes to a children's book that might not have won awards when it first came out. But it has stayed popular and is still available to buy.
- The award is given out every year.
- A special group chosen by Storylines picks the winning book.
- The author of the book must still be alive.
- The book must still be in print. It needs to have been available for at least five years. If it was re-released, it needs to have been in print for at least two years.
- The book might have been a finalist for another New Zealand award. However, it must not have won a major New Zealand award before. It can have won an award from another country.
Books That Have Won
| 1999 | The Runaway Settlers by Elsie Locke |
| 2000 | Grandpa's Slippers by Joy Watson, illustrated by Wendy Hodder |
| 2001 | Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen |
| 2002 | See Ya, Simon by David Hill |
| 2003 | The Little Yellow Digger by Betty Gilderdale and Alan Gilderdale |
| 2004 | Under the Mountain by Maurice Gee |
| 2005 | Night Race to Kawau by Tessa Duder |
| 2006 | The Nickle Nackle Tree by Lynley Dodd |
| 2007 | Slide the Corner by Fleur Beale |
| 2008 | My Brown Bear Barney by Dorothy Butler, illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller |
| 2009 | I Am Not Esther by Fleur Beale |
| 2010 | The Wednesday Wizard by Sherryl Jordan |
| 2011 | Tangaroa's Gift by Mere Whaanga-Schollum |
| 2012 | Uncle Trev by Jack Lasenby |
| 2013 | How Maui Slowed the Sun by Peter Gossage |
| 2014 | Grandma McGarvey by Jenny Hessell, illustrated by Trevor Pye |
| 2015 | Little Kiwi is Scared of the Dark by Bob Darroch |
| 2016 | Cry of the Taniwha by Des Hunt |
| 2017 | Mr McGee by Pamela Allen |
| 2018 | Nicketty Nacketty Noo-Noo-Noo, by Joy Cowley, illustrated by Trace Moroney |
| 2019 | The Christmas caravan by Jennifer Beck, illustrated by Robyn Belton |
| 2020 | The Big Block of Chocolate by Janet Slater, illustrated by Christine Dale |
| 2021 | The Girls in the Kapa Haka by Angie Belcher, illustrated by Debbie Tipuna |
| 2022 | Winter of Fire, by Sherryl Jordan |
| 2023 | A Kiwi Night Before Christmas by Yvonne Morgan, illustrated by Deborah Hinde |
See also
- List of New Zealand literary awards
