New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults |
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The official party of the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults in 2015
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| Presented by | New Zealand Book Awards Trust |
| Date | 1982–present |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Reward | NZ$7,500 for each award |
The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are special awards given every year to celebrate the best books written for kids and teens in New Zealand. These awards started in 1982 and have changed names a few times. Since 2015, they have been known by their current name.
In 2016, these awards joined up with the LIANZA children's book awards. As of August 2025, the New Zealand Book Awards Trust manages them. Winners in each main category receive NZ$7,500.
History of the Awards
The awards began in 1982 as the New Zealand Government Publishing Awards. Back then, there were two main prizes: Children's Book of the Year and Picture Book of the Year. A non-fiction award was added in 1986 but then stopped for a couple of years.
After a break in 1989, Unilever New Zealand (a company that made Aim toothpaste) brought the awards back in 1990. They were called the AIM Children's Book Awards. At first, there were awards for Fiction and Picture Books. Later, they added more categories like Best First Book (for new authors) and Non-Fiction. The top prize, AIM Book of the Year, was introduced in 1995.
In 1997, the awards changed names again to the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards. A new award, the New Zealand Post Children's Choice award, was added, letting kids vote for their favourite books. In 2004, the "Senior Fiction" category for older teens became "Young Adult Fiction."
The awards got their current name, New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, in 2015.
In 2016, the awards officially joined with the Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (LIANZA) Awards. This merger brought new categories, including the LIANZA Russell Clark Award for Illustration and the LIANZA Te Kura Pounamu Award for books written in te reo Māori (the Māori language).
Award Prizes
As of August 2025, the main winners in each category receive NZ$7,500. The book chosen as the New Zealand Post Margaret Mahy Book of the Year gets an extra $7,500!
For Picture Books, the prize money is shared equally between the author and the illustrator. Winners of the Best First Book and New Zealand Post Children's Choice awards each get $2,000. If a book is a finalist and receives an Honour Award, it gets $500.
Award Categories
Children's Book of the Year
This is the top award, now called the New Zealand Post Margaret Mahy Book of the Year. It goes to a book that the judges think is truly outstanding in every way. As of August 2025, the winner receives $7,500, on top of any other category prize money.
This award has had different names over the years, starting as the New Zealand Children's Book of the Year Award in 1982. It stopped for a while but came back in 1995 as the AIM Book of the Year.
| Year | Book | Author(s) | Category | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | The Silent One | Joy Cowley; ill. by Sherryl Jordan | N/A | |
| 1983 | The Halfmen of O | Maurice Gee | ||
| 1984 | Jacky Nobody | Anne de Roo | ||
| 1985 | Visitors | Caroline MacDonald; ill. by Garry Melson | ||
| 1986 | Guardian of the Land | Joanna Orwin | ||
| 1987 | The Keeper | Barry Faville | ||
| 1988 | Alex | Tessa Duder | ||
| 1995 | The Fat Man | Maurice Gee | Junior Fiction | |
| 1996 | Crossroads | Janice Marriott | Senior Fiction | |
| 1997 | The Bantam and the Soldier | Jennifer Beck; ill. by Robyn Belton | Picture Book | |
| 1998 | Dare Truth or Promise | Paula Boock | Senior Fiction | |
| 1999 | A Summery Saturday Morning | Margaret Mahy; ill. by Selina Young | Picture Book | |
| 2000 | The House that Jack Built | Gavin Bishop | Picture Book | |
| 2001 | Voyage with Jason | Ken Catran | Senior Fiction | |
| 2002 | The Plight of the Penguin | Lloyd Spencer Davis | Non Fiction | |
| 2003 | Weaving Earth and Sky: Myths and Legends of Aotearoa | Robert Sullivan; ill. by Gavin Bishop | Non Fiction | |
| 2004 | Bird in the Hand: Keeping New Zealand Wildlife Safe | Janet Hunt | Non Fiction | |
| 2005 | Clubs: A Lolly Leopold Story | Kate De Goldi; ill. by Jacqui Colley | Picture Book | |
| 2006 | Hunter | Joy Cowley | Junior Fiction | |
| 2007 | Illustrated History of the South Pacific | Marcia Stenson | Non Fiction | |
| 2008 | Snake and Lizard | Joy Cowley; ill. by Gavin Bishop | Junior Fiction | |
| 2009 | The 10pm Question | Kate de Goldi | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2010 | Old Hu-Hu Hū Hū Koroheke (Te Reo edition) |
Kyle Mewburn and Rachel Driscoll Te Reo ed. trans. by Kāterina Mataira |
Picture Book | |
| 2011 | The Moon & Farmer McPhee | Margaret Mahy; ill. by David Elliot | Picture Book | |
| 2012 | Nice Day for a War | Matt Elliot; ill. by Chris Sloane | Non Fiction | |
| 2013 | Into the River | Ted Dawe | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2014 | The Boring Book | Vasanti Unka | Picture Book | |
| 2015 | Singing Home the Whale | Mandy Hager | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2016 | Anzac Heroes | Maria Gill; ill. by Marco Ivancic | Non Fiction | |
| 2017 | Snark | David Elliot (after Lewis Carroll) | ||
| 2018 | Aotearoa: The New Zealand Story | Gavin Bishop | Non-Fiction | |
| 2019 | The Bomb | Sacha Cotter, ill. by Josh Morgan | ||
| 2020 | Mophead: How Your Difference Makes a Difference | Selina Tusitala Marsh | Non-Fiction | |
| 2021 | Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea | T. K. Roxborogh, ill. by Phoebe Morris | Fiction | |
| 2022 | Atua: Māori gods and heroes | Gavin Bishop | Fiction | |
| 2023 | Te Wehenga: The Separation of Ranginui and Papatūānuku | Mat Tait | Non-Fiction |
Children's Choice Award
The Children's Choice award is super special because kids get to pick the winners! Until 2014, children voted from a list of finalists chosen by judges. Since 2015, kids have been involved even earlier, helping to choose the finalist list itself.
This award started in 1997. As of August 2025, winners of the Children's Choice award receive $2,000. Interestingly, most winners of this award have been Picture Books.
| Year | Book | Author(s) | Category | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Mechanical Harry | Bob Kerr | Picture Book | |
| 1998 | Alphabet Apartments | Lesley Moyes | Picture Book | |
| 1999 | The Life-Size Inflatable Whale | Gaelyn Gordon; ill. by John Tarlton | Picture Book | |
| 2000 | Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack | Lynley Dodd | Picture Book | |
| 2001 | Oliver in the Garden | Margaret Beames, ill. by Sue Hitchcock | Picture Book | |
| 2002 | Grandpa's Shorts | Joy Watson, ill. by Wendy Hodder | Picture Book | |
| 2003 | Why Do Dogs Sniff Bottoms? | Dawn McMillan & Bert Signal; ill. by Ross Kinnaird | Picture Book | |
| 2004 | Oh Hogwash, Sweet Pea! | Ngāreta Gabel; ill. by Ali Teo & Astrid Jensen | Picture Book | |
| 2005 | The Other Ark | Lynley Dodd | Picture Book | |
| 2006 | Nobody's Dog | Jennifer Beck; ill. by Lindy Fisher | Picture Book | |
| 2007 | Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck! | Kyle Mewburn; ill. by Ali Teo & John O'Reilly | Picture Book | |
| 2008 | The King's Bubbles | Ruth Paul | Picture Book | |
| 2009 | The Were-Nana | Melinda Szymanik & Sarah Nelisiwe Anderson | Picture Book | |
| 2010 | The Wonky Donkey | Craig Smith; ill. by Katz Cowley | Picture Book | |
| 2011 | Baa Baa Smart Sheep | Mark Sommerset; ill. by Rowan Sommerset | Picture Book | |
| 2012 | The Cat's Pyjamas | Catherine Foreman | Picture Book | |
| 2013 | Melu | Kyle Mewburn; ill. by Ali Teo & John O'Reilly. | Picture Book | |
| 2014 | The Three Bears … Sort Of | Yvonne Morrison; ill. by Donovan Bixley | Picture Book | |
| Where categories are bold these books also won the category award. | ||||
| Year | Book | Author(s) | Category | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Dear Alison: A New Zealand Soldier's Story from Stalag 383 | Dudley Muff; ed. by Simon Pollard | Non-fiction | |
| 2010 | Friends: Snake and Lizard | Joy Cowley; ill. by Gavin Bishop | Junior Fiction | |
| 2010 | Brainjack | Brian Falkner | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2011 | Who's Cooking Tonight? | Claire Gourley & Glenda Gourley | Non-fiction | |
| 2011 | Hollie Chips1 | Anna Gowan | Junior Fiction | |
| 2011 | Smiling Jack | Ken Catran | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2012 | New Zealand Hall of Fame: 50 Remarkable Kiwis | Maria Gill; ill. by Bruce Potter | Non-fiction | |
| 2012 | Super Finn1 | Leonie Agnew | Junior Fiction | |
| 2012 | The BridgeH | Jane Higgins | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2013 | Kiwi: The Real Story | Annemarie Florian; ill. by Heather Hunt | Non-fiction | |
| 2013 | My Brother's War | David Hill | Junior Fiction | |
| 2013 | Snakes and Ladders | Mary-anne Scott | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2015 | The Letterbox Cat and other poems | Paula Green;ill. by Myles Lawford | Non-fiction | |
| 2015 | The Anzac Puppy | Peter Millett;ill. by Trish Bowles | Picture Book | |
| 2015 | Monkey Boy | Donovan Bixley | Junior Fiction | |
| 2015 | Night Vision | Ella West | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2016 | First to the Top | David Hill;ill. by Phoebe Morris | Non-fiction | |
| 2016 | Te Hua Tuatahi a Kuwi | Kat Merewether, translated by Pānia Papa | Te Reo Māori | |
| 2016 | The House on the Hill | Kyle Mewburn;ill. by Sarah Davis | Picture Book | |
| 2016 | The Girl Who Rode the Wind | Stacy Gregg | Junior Fiction | |
| 2016 | Stray | Rachael Craw | Young Adult Fiction | |
| Where categories are bold these books also won the category, 1 denotes a Best First Book award, and H denotes an Honour Award. | ||||
Best First Book Award
This award is for authors who are publishing their very first book. It can be in any of the main categories. As of August 2025, winners of the Best First Book award receive $2,000.
This category was first included in 1992. It has been awarded almost every year since then.
| Year | Book | Author(s) | Category | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Out Walked Mel | Paula Boock | Fiction | |
| 1993 | The OptimistH | Bob Kerr | Junior Fiction | |
| 1996 | Laura's Poems | Laura Ranger | Junior Fiction | |
| 1997 | Reliable Friendly Girls | Jane Westaway | Senior Fiction | |
| 1998 | Trapped | Judy Knox | Junior Fiction | |
| 1999 | Footsteps of the Gods | Hana Hiraina Erlbeck; ill. by Manawa-Ote-Rangi | Junior Fiction | |
| 2000 | 2MUCH4U | Vince Ford | Junior Fiction | |
| 2002 | Brodie | Joy Cowley, ill. by Chris Mousdale | Picture Book | |
| 2003 | Buddy | V. M. Jones | Junior Fiction | |
| 2004 | Thunder Road | Ted Dawe | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2005 | Cross Tides | Lorraine Orman | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2006 | The Unknown Zone | Phil Smith | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2007 | The Three Fishing Brothers Gruff | Ben Galbraith | Picture Book | |
| 2008 | Out of the Egg | Tina Matthews | Picture Book | |
| 2009 | Violence 101 | Denis Wright | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2010 | The Bone Tiki | David Hair | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2011 | Hollie ChipsCC | Anna Gowan | Junior Fiction | |
| 2012 | Super FinnCC | Leonie Agnew | Junior Fiction | |
| 2013 | Reach | Hugh Brown | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2014 | A Necklace of Souls | R. L. Stedman | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2015 | Māori Art for Kids | Julie Noanoa and Norm Heke | Non-Fiction | |
| 2016 | Allis the Little Tractor | Sophie Siers; ill. by Helen Kerridge | Picture Book | |
| 2017 | The Discombobulated Life of Summer Rain | Julie Lamb | Junior Fiction | |
| 2018 | My New Zealand Story: Dawn Raid | Pauline (Vaeluaga) Smith | ||
| 2019 | Art-tastic | Sarah Pepperle | Non-Fiction | |
| 2020 | #Tumeke! | Michael Petherick | Junior Fiction | |
| 2021 | Kōwhai and the Giants | Kate Parker | Picture Book | |
| 2022 | Spark Hunter | Sonya Wilson | Fiction | |
| 2023 | The Lighthouse Princess | Susan Wardell ill. by Rose Northey | Picture Book | |
| Where more than one author is listed, the Best First Book award recipient is listed in bold. Where categories are bold these books also won in their category, H denotes an Honour Award, and CC denotes a Children's Choice category winner. |
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Picture Book Category
The Picture Book category is for books where the pictures are just as important as the words, or even more so! The illustrations must be original and make up at least half of the book. These books can be for younger children or even young adults. As of August 2025, the author and illustrator of the winning Picture Book share a prize of $7,500.
This is the only category that has been part of the awards since the very beginning in 1982.
| Year | Book | Writer(s) | Illustrator(s) | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | The Kuia and the Spider | Patricia Grace | Robyn Kahukiwa | |
| 1983 | Mr Fox | Gavin Bishop (retold by) | Gavin Bishop | |
| 1984 | Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy | Lynley Dodd | Lynley Dodd | |
| 1985 | The Fish of Our Fathers | Ron Bacon | R. H. G. Jahnke | |
| 1986 | Hairy Maclary Scattercat | Lynley Dodd | Lynley Dodd | |
| 1987 | Taniwha | Robyn Kahukiwa | Robyn Kahukiwa | |
| 1988 | Hairy Maclary's Caterwaul Caper | Lynley Dodd | Lynley Dodd | |
| 1990 | Annie and Moon | Miriam Smith | Lesley Moyes | |
| 1991 | My Cat Maisie | Pamela Allen | Pamela Allen | |
| 1992 | Hairy Maclary's Showbusiness | Lynley Dodd | Lynley Dodd | |
| 1993 | Lily and the Present | Christine Ross | Christine Ross | |
| 1994 | Hinepau | Gavin Bishop | Gavin Bishop | |
| 1995 | The Best-Loved Bear | Diana Noonan | Elizabeth Fuller | |
| 1996 | The Cheese Trap | Joy Cowley | Linda McClelland | |
| 1997 | The Bantam and the Soldier | Jennifer Beck | Robyn Belton | |
| 1998 | Alphabet ApartmentsC | Lesley Moyes | Lesley Moyes | |
| 1999 | A Summery Saturday Morning | Margaret Mahy | Selina Young | |
| 2000 | The House that Jack Built | Gavin Bishop | Gavin Bishop | |
| 2001 | Oliver in the GardenC | Margaret Beames | Sue Hitchcock | |
| 2002 | Brodie1 | Joy Cowley | Chris Mousdale | |
| 2003 | Pigtails the Pirate | David Elliot | David Elliot | |
| 2004 | Cuthbert's Babies | Pamela Allen | Pamela Allen | |
| 2005 | Clubs: A Lolly Leopold Story | Kate De Goldi | Jacqui Colley | |
| 2006 | A Booming in the Night | Benjamin Brown | Helen Taylor | |
| 2007 | Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck!C | Kyle Mewburn | Ali Teo & John O'Reilly | |
| 2008 | Tahi – One Lucky Kiwi | Melanie Drewery | John O'Reilly & Ali Teo | |
| 2009 | Roadworks | Sally Sutton | Brian Lovelock | |
| 2010 | Old Hu-Hu Hū Hū Koroheke (Te Reo edition) |
Kyle Mewburn Te Reo ed. trans. by Kāterina Mataira |
Rachel Driscoll | |
| 2011 | The Moon & Farmer McPhee | Margaret Mahy | David Elliot | |
| 2012 | Rāhui | Chris Szekely Te Reo ed. trans. by Brian Morris |
Malcolm Ross | |
| 2013 | Mister Whistler | Margaret Mahy | Gavin Bishop | |
| 2014 | The Boring Book | Vasanti Unka | ||
| 2015 | Jim's Letters | Glyn Harper | Jenny Cooper | |
| 2016 | The Little Kiwi's Matariki | Nikki Slade Robinson | Nikki Slade Robinson | |
| 2017 | That's Not a Hippopotamus! | Juliette MacIver | Sarah Davis | |
| 2018 | I am Jellyfish | Ruth Paul | Ruth Paul | |
| 2019 | The Bomb | Sacha Cotter | Josh Morgan | |
| 2020 | Abigail and the Birth of the Sun | Matthew Cunningham | Sarah Wilkins | |
| 2021 | Kōwhai and the Giants | Kate Parker | Kate Parker | |
| 2022 | Lion Guards the Cake | Ruth Paul | Ruth Paul | |
| 2023 | Duck Goes Meow | Juliette MacIver | Carla Martell | |
| Titles in bold also won the Children's Book of the Year award, C denotes a Children's Choice award, and 1 denotes a Best First Book award. Full list of finalists at AIM Children's Book Awards – Picture Book & New Zealand Post Picture Book on the Christchurch City Libraries website. |
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Non-fiction Category
The Non-fiction category is for books that share true information and facts. These books can be for children or young adults. They are judged on how well they present information in an interesting and imaginative way. Textbooks, poetry, or retellings of myths and legends are not included in this category. As of August 2025, winners receive $7,500.
This category was first added in 1986. In 2016, it merged with the Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction and is now called the Elsie Locke Non-Fiction Award.
| Year | Book | Author(s) | Reference(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | The Story of New Zealand | Judith Bassett, Keith Sinclair and Marcia Stensen | ||
| 1993 | Picture Magic | Chris Gaskin | ||
| 1994 | Old Blue: The Rarest Bird in the World | Mary Taylor | ||
| 1995 | Which Native Forest Plant? | Andrew Crowe | ||
| 1996 | Aya's Story | Jenny Scown, photography by Trish Gribben | ||
| 1997 | Picture Book Magic | Chris Gaskin, photography by Denis Page | ||
| 1998 | The Know, Sow & Grow Kids' Book of Plants | Diana Noonan & Keith Olsen | ||
| 1999 | The Natural World of New Zealand | Gerard Hutching | ||
| 2000 | Te Wao Nui a Tāne | Hirini Melbourne; ill. by Te Maari Gardiner | ||
| 2001 | The Zoo: Meet the Locals | Colin Hogg | ||
| 2002 | The Plight of the Penguin | Lloyd Spencer Davis | ||
| 2003 | Weaving Earth and Sky: Myths and Legends of Aotearoa | Robert Sullivan; ill. by Gavin Bishop | ||
| 2004 | A Bird in the Hand | Janet Hunt | ||
| 2005 | Welcome to the South Seas | Gregory O'Brien | ||
| 2006 | Scarecrow Army: The Anzacs at Gallipoli | Leon Davidson | ||
| 2007 | Illustrated History of the South Pacific | Marcia Stenson | ||
| 2008 | Which New Zealand Spider? | Andrew Crowe | ||
| 2009 | Back & Beyond: New Zealand Painting for the Young & Curious | Gregory O'Brien | ||
| 2010 | E3 Call Home | Janet Hunt | ||
| 2011 | Zero Hour: The Anzacs on the Western Front | Leon Davidson | ||
| 2012 | Nice Day for a War | Matt Elliot; ill. by Chris Sloane | ||
| 2013 | 100 Amazing Tales from Aotearoa | Simon Morton & Riria Hotere | ||
| 2014 | The Beginner's Guide to Hunting and Fishing in New Zealand | Paula Adamson | ||
| 2015 | Mōtītī Blue and the Oil Spill | Debbie McCauley | ||
| 2016 | Anzac Heroes | Maria Gill; ill. by Marco Ivancic | ||
| 2017 | Jack and Charlie: Boys of the Bush | Jack Marcotte and Josh James Marcotte | ||
| 2018 | Aotearoa: The New Zealand Story | Gavin Bishop | ||
| 2019 | Art-tastic | Sarah Pepperle | ||
| 2020 | Mophead | Selina Tusitala Marsh | ||
| 2021 | Egg and Spoon: An illustrated cookbook | Alexandra Tylee, ill. by Giselle Clarkson | ||
| 2022 | Atua: Māori gods and heroes | Gavin Bishop | ||
| 2023 | Te Wehenga: The Separation of Ranginui and Papatūānuku | Mat Tait | ||
| Titles in bold also won the Children's Book of the Year award. Full list of finalists at AIM Children's Book Awards – Non-Fiction & New Zealand Post Non-Fiction on the Christchurch City Libraries website. |
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Fiction Categories
The Fiction category is for creative stories where the words are the most important part. This category was added in 1990. In 1993, it was split into two groups: Junior Fiction and Senior Fiction. The Senior Fiction category later changed its name to Young Adult Fiction in 2004.
As of August 2025, winners in either Fiction category receive $7,500.
| Year | Book | Author | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Alex in Winter | Tessa Duder | ||
| 1991 | Rocco | Sherryl Jordan | ||
| 1992 | Bow Down Shadrach | Joy Cowley | ||
| Full list of finalists at AIM Children's Book Awards – Fiction on the Christchurch City Libraries website. |
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Junior Fiction Award
This award, created in 1993, is for fiction books aimed at students in Years 1–8 (primary and intermediate school) in New Zealand.
| Year | Book | Author(s) | Reference(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Underrunners | Margaret Mahy | ||
| 1994 | A Dolphin in the Bay | Diana Noonan | ||
| 1995 | The Fat Man | Maurice Gee | ||
| 1996 | The Waterfall | Jack Lasenby | ||
| 1997 | The Battle of Pook Island | Jack Lasenby | ||
| 1998 | Ticket to the Sky Dance | Joy Cowley | ||
| 1999 | Starbright and the Dream Eater | Joy Cowley | ||
| 2000 | 2MUCH4U1 | Vince Ford | ||
| 2001 | Shadrach Girl | Joy Cowley | ||
| 2002 | Recycled | Sandy McKay | ||
| 2003 | Buddy1 | V. M. Jones | ||
| 2004 | Juggling with Mandarins | V. M. Jones | ||
| 2005 | Aunt Effie and the Island that Sank | Jack Lasenby | ||
| 2006 | Hunter | Joy Cowley | ||
| 2007 | Thor's Tale: Endurance and Adventure in the Southern Ocean | Janice Marriott | ||
| 2008 | Snake and Lizard | Joy Cowley, ill. by Gavin Bishop | ||
| 2009 | Old Drumble | Jack Lasenby | ||
| 2010 | The Loblolly Boy | James Norcliffe | ||
| 2011 | Finnigan & the Pirates | Sherryl Jordan | ||
| 2012 | Super Finn1CC | Leonie Agnew | ||
| 2013 | My Brother's WarCC | David Hill | ||
| 2014 | Dunger | Joy Cowley | ||
| 2015 | Monkey Boy | Donovan Bixley | ||
| 2016 | From the Cutting Room of Barney Kettle | Kate De Goldi | ||
| 2017 | My New Zealand Story: Bastion Point | Tania Roxborogh | ||
| 2018 | How to Bee | Bren MacDibble | ||
| 2019 | The Dog Runner | Bren MacDibble | ||
| 2020 | Lizard's Tale | Weng Wai Chan | ||
| 2021 | Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea | T. K. Roxborogh | ||
| 2022 | The Memory Thief | Leonie Agnew | ||
| 2023 | Below | David Hill | ||
| Titles in bold also won the Children's Book of the Year award, 1 denotes a Best First Book award, and CC denotes a Children's Choice category winner. Full list of finalists at AIM Children's Book Awards – Fiction & New Zealand Post Junior Fiction on the Christchurch City Libraries website. |
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Young Adult Fiction Award
This award is for fiction books written for older teens, usually those in Years 9–13 (secondary school). It was created in 1993 and was called Senior Fiction until 2004.
| Year | Book | Author | Reference(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Songs for Alex | Tessa Duder | ||
| 1994 | The Value of X | Pat Quinn | ||
| 1995 | The Blue Lawn | William Taylor | ||
| 1996 | Crossroads | Janice Marriott | ||
| 1997 | Sanctuary | Kate De Goldi | ||
| 1998 | Dare Truth or Promise | Paula Boock | ||
| 1999 | Taur | Jack Lasenby | ||
| 2000 | The Tiggie Tompson Show | Tessa Duder | ||
| 2001 | Voyage with Jason | Ken Catran | ||
| 2002 | Owl | Joanna Orwin | ||
| 2003 | Alchemy | Margaret Mahy | ||
| 2004 | Thunder Road1 | Ted Dawe | ||
| 2005 | Malcolm and Juliet | Bernard Beckett | ||
| 2006 | With Lots of Love from Georgia | Brigid Lowry | ||
| 2007 | Genesis | Bernard Beckett | ||
| 2008 | Salt | Maurice Gee | ||
| 2009 | The 10pm Question | Kate De Goldi | ||
| 2010 | Blood of the Lamb: The Crossing | Mandy Hager | ||
| 2011 | Fierce September | Fleur Beale | ||
| 2012 | Calling the Gods | Jack Lasenby | ||
| 2013 | Into the River | Ted Dawe | ||
| 2014 | Mortal Fire | Elizabeth Knox | ||
| 2015 | Singing Home the Whale | Mandy Hager | ||
| 2016 | Battlesaurus: Rampage at Waterloo | Brian Falkner | ||
| 2017 | The Severed Land | Maurice Gee | ||
| 2018 | In the Dark Spaces | Cally Black | ||
| 2019 | Legacy | Whiti Hereaka | ||
| 2020 | Aspiring | Damien Wilkins | ||
| 2021 | The Pōrangi Boy | Shilo Kino | ||
| 2022 | Learning to Love Blue | Saradha Koirala | ||
| 2023 | Iris and Me | Philippa Werry | ||
| Titles in bold also won the Children's Book of the Year award, and 1 denotes a Best First Book award. Full list of finalists at AIM Children's Book Awards – Fiction & New Zealand Post Young Adult Fiction on the Christchurch City Libraries website. Finalist entries missing at the above sites are available at the awards' official website: http://www.booksellers.co.nz/awards/new-zealand-post-childrens-book-awards. |
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Illustration Award
This award celebrates amazing artwork in children's and young adult books. It was added in 2016 when the awards joined with the LIANZA Awards. It's named the Russell Clark Award, after a famous New Zealand illustrator.
| Year | Book | Author | Illustrator | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Much Ado About Shakespeare | Donovan Bixley | Donovan Bixley | |
| 2017 | Snark | David Elliott | David Elliott | |
| 2018 | Giants, Trolls, Witches, Beasts | Craig Phillips | Craig Phillips | |
| 2019 | Puffin the Architect | Kimberley Andrews | Kimberley Andrews | |
| 2020 | The Adventures of Tupaia | Courtney Sina Meredith | Mat Tait | |
| 2021 | Hare & Ruru: A Quiet Moment | Laura Shallcrass | Laura Shallcrass | |
| 2022 | Atua: Māori Gods and Heroes | Gavin Bishop | Gavin Bishop | |
| 2023 | A Portrait of Leonardo | Donovan Bixley | Donovan Bixley | |
| Full list of finalists at New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults – Russell Clark Award for Illustration and (for awards pre-2016) LIANZA Russell Clark Award on the Christchurch City Libraries website. |
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Te Reo Māori Award
This award is called the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award. It's given to books written completely in, or translated completely into, te reo Māori (the Māori language). This award was introduced in 2016 and is judged by a special group called Te Rōpū Whakahau.
| Year | Book | Author | Illustrator | Translator | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Whiti te Ra! | Patricia Grace | Andrew Burdan | Kawata Teepa | |
| 2017 | Te Kaihanga Māpere | Sacha Cotter | Josh Morgan | Kawata Teepa | |
| 2018 | Tu Meke Tūī! | Malcolm Clarke | Hayley King | Evelyn Tobin | |
| 2019 | Te Haka a Tānerore | Reina Kahukiwa | Robyn Kahukiwa | Kiwa Hammond | |
| 2021 | Ngake me Whātaitai | Ben Ngaia | Laya Mutton-Rogers | ||
| 2022 | I Waho, i te Moana | Yvonne Morrison | Jenny Cooper | Pānia Papa | |
| 2023 | Kua Whetūrangitia a Koro | Brianne Te Paa | Story Hemi-Morehouse | ||
| Full list of finalists at New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults – Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for Te Reo Māori and (for awards pre-2016) LIANZA Te Kura Pounamu Award on the Christchurch City Libraries website. |
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Honour Awards and Runners-Up
Sometimes, a book is so good that even if it doesn't win its category, the judges want to give it special recognition. These books receive an Honour Award. As of August 2025, finalists who get an Honour Award receive $500.
Honour Awards started in 1993. Before that, from 1990 to 1992, books that didn't win but were still highly praised were given second and third prizes.
| Year | Book | Author(s) | Category | Reference(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | The Champion | Maurice Gee | Fiction | |
| 1990 | The Story of the Kakapo, Parrot of the Night | Philip Temple; ill. by Chris Gaskin | Picture Book | |
| 1991 | Secrets | Ruth Corrin | Fiction | |
| 1991 | Lily and the Bears | Christine Ross | Picture Book | |
| 1992 | The Juniper Game | Sherryl Jordan | Fiction | |
| 1992 | My Aunt Mary Went Shopping | Roger Hall; ill. by Trevor Pye | Picture Book | |
| 1993 | The Optimist1 | Bob Kerr | Junior Fiction | |
| 1993 | The Conjuror | Jack Lasenby | Senior Fiction | |
| 1993 | Grandma McGarvey Paints the Shed | Jenny Hessell; ill. by Trevor Pye | Picture Book | |
| 1994 | The Ace of Diamonds Gang | Owen Marshall | Senior Fiction | |
| 1994 | Stretch, Bend and Boggle | Brian Stokes; ill. by Carolyn Smith | Non Fiction | |
| 1995 | The Emerald Encyclopedia | James Norcliffe | Senior Fiction | |
| 1995 | The Life Cycle of the Praying Mantis | Betty Brownlie | Non Fiction | |
| 1995 | Kotuku: The Flight of the White Heron | Philip Temple; ill. by Chris Gaskin | Picture Book | |
| 1996 | Take it Easy | David Hill | Junior Fiction | |
| 1996 | Joe's Ruby | Elsie Locke; ill. by Gary Hebley | Non Fiction | |
| 1996 | Tom's Story | Mandy Hager; ill. by Ruth Paul | Picture Book | |
| 1998 | Because We Were the Travellers | Jack Lasenby | Senior Fiction | |
| 1999 | Killer Moves | Denis Edwards | Junior Fiction | |
| 1999 | I Am Not Esther | Fleur Beale | Senior Fiction | |
| 1999 | Slinky Malinki Catflaps | Lynley Dodd | Picture Book | |
| 2000 | A Villain's Night Out | Margaret Mahy; ill. by Harry Horse | Junior Fiction | |
| 2000 | Closed, Stranger | Kate De Goldi | Senior Fiction | |
| 2000 | Sydney and the Sea Monster | David Elliot | Picture Book | |
| 2001 | The Lies of Harry Wakatipu | Jack Lasenby | Junior Fiction | |
| 2001 | 24 Hours | Margaret Mahy | Senior Fiction | |
| 2001 | Dragor, Or, How a Dragon Suffering from Prickly Heat Saved the World from Perpetual Winter and Established a Well-known Weed |
Pat Quinn; ill. by Philip Webb | Picture Book | |
| 2004 | Napoleon and the Chicken Farmer | Lloyd Jones; ill. by Graeme Gash | Picture Book | |
| 2006 | Sil | Jill Harris | Junior Fiction | |
| 2006 | Kaitangata Twitch | Margaret Mahy | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2006 | Blue New Zealand | Glenys Stace | Non Fiction | |
| 2006 | Haere – Farewell, Jack, Farewell | Tim Tipene; ill. by Huhana Smith | Picture Book | |
| 2007 | A Present from the Past | Jennifer Beck; ill. by Lindy Fisher | Picture Book | |
| 2008 | The Sea-wreck Stranger | Anna Mackenzie | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2008 | Reaching the Summit | Alexa Johnston & David Larsen | Non-fiction | |
| 2008 | To the Harbour | Stanley Palmer | Picture Book | |
| 2009 | Piggity-Wiggity Jiggity Jig | Diana Neild; ill. by Philip Webb | Picture Book | |
| 2010 | The Word Witch | Margaret Mahy; ill. by David Elliot; ed. by Tessa Duder |
Picture Book | |
| 2012 | The Travelling Restaurant | Barbara Else | Junior Fiction | |
| 2012 | The Bridge | Jane Higgins | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 2012 | Digging Up The Past: Archaeology for the Young & Curious |
David Veart | Non-fiction | |
| 2012 | Shaolin Burning | Ant Sang | Picture Book | |
| 2013 | The Queen and the Nobody Boy: A Tale of Fontania |
Barbara Else | Junior Fiction | |
| 2014 | Bugs | Whiti Hereaka | Young Adult Fiction | |
| 1 denotes a Best First Book award. Third Prize winners (1990–2) can be found at AIM Children's Book Awards 1990 – 1996 on the Christchurch City Libraries website. |
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See also
- Ockham New Zealand Book Awards
- Esther Glen Award
- Margaret Mahy Award
- Joy Cowley Award
- List of New Zealand literary awards
