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 out every year. They celebrate the best books written for kids and teens in New Zealand. These awards started in 1982. Over the years, their name has changed a few times. The current name was first used in 2015.
In 2016, these awards joined up with the LIANZA children's book awards. As of 2023, the New Zealand Book Awards Trust manages them. Each winning book in a category gets NZ$7,500!
Contents
History of the Awards
The awards began in 1982. They were first called the New Zealand Government Publishing Awards. Back then, there were only two main awards: "Children's Book of the Year" and "Picture Book of the Year". A non-fiction award was added in 1986, but it didn't last long.
There were no awards given in 1989. But in 1990, a company called Unilever New Zealand stepped in. They restarted the awards, calling them the AIM Children's Book Awards. At this time, there were awards for Fiction and Picture Books.
Over time, more awards were added. A "Best First Book" award started in 1992. In 1993, the Fiction award was split into "Senior Fiction" and "Junior Fiction". A "Non-Fiction" award also returned that year. By 1995, there was also an "AIM Book of the Year" award.
In 1997, the awards changed names again to the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards. A new award was created called the "New Zealand Post Children's Choice award". This award let kids vote for their favourite book! In 2004, the "Senior Fiction" category was renamed "Young Adult Fiction". The awards then became the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
In 2015, the awards got their current name: the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. At this time, a group called Booksellers New Zealand ran the awards. They were given out at the end of a 10-day festival each May.
A big change happened in 2016. The awards joined forces with the Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (LIANZA) Awards. The New Zealand Book Awards Trust took over running them. Because of this merger, some categories combined. For example, the Junior Fiction award joined with the LIANZA Esther Glen Award. The Non-Fiction award joined with the LIANZA Elsie Locke Award.
Also, two new awards were introduced. These were the LIANZA Russell Clark Award for Illustration and the LIANZA Te Kura Pounamu Award. The Te Kura Pounamu Award is for books written in te reo Māori (the Māori language).
Prizes for Winners
As of 2023, the winners of each main award 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 the Picture Book award, the prize money is shared. It's split 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", its creators get $500.
Award Categories
Children's Book of the Year
This top award is now called the New Zealand Post Margaret Mahy Book of the Year. Judges give it to a book that shows "outstanding excellence" in every way. As of 2013, winners receive $7,500. This is in addition to the $7,500 they get for winning their specific category.
This award has had different names. It was first called the New Zealand Children's Book of the Year Award from 1982 to 1988. After a break, it returned in 1995 as the AIM Book of the Year. Since 1997, it has been known as the New Zealand Post Children's Book of the Year award.
| 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
This award is special because kids get to choose the winners! In 2015, for the first time, students even helped pick the list of finalists. About 6,000 students voted for 149 books. Then, nearly 16,000 students voted for the final winners.
Until 2014, school-aged children voted for their favourite book from all the finalists. This award is considered one of the highest honours. As of 2013, winners of the Children's Choice award receive $2,000.
The Children's Choice award started in 1997. Even though books from all categories can win, most winners have been Picture Books. Since 2010, winners for each specific category (like Junior Fiction or Non-fiction) have also been announced.
| 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
The "Best First Book" award is for authors who are publishing their very first book. They can be entered in any of the other categories. As of 2012, winners of this award receive $2,000.
This award was first part of the AIM Children's Book Awards in 1992. It wasn't given out in 1994 or 1995. Since then, it has been presented every year except 2001.
| 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
The "Picture Book" award is for books where the pictures are super important. They help tell the story along with the words. These books can be for younger kids or teens. The illustrations must make up at least half of the book and be original. As of 2012, the author and illustrator of the winning book share a $7,500 prize.
This is the only award category that has been part of every awards ceremony since the beginning in 1982. It was first called "Picture Book of the Year". After no awards in 1989, it came back in 1990 as "Picture Book" and has kept that name ever since.
| 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
The "Non-fiction" award is for books that share real facts and information. Judges look for books that present information in an interesting and clear way. These books can be for kids or teens. However, textbooks, poetry, or retellings of myths and legends are not included. As of 2012, winners in this category receive $7,500.
This category was first added in 1986 but was removed in 1987. It came back in 1993 as part of the AIM Children's Book Awards. Since 2008, the category name has been written with a hyphen: "Non-fiction".
In 2016, when the awards joined with the LIANZA Awards, this category merged with the Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction. It 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
The "Fiction" award is for creative stories where the words are the most important part. This category was added in 1990. In 1993, it was split into "Junior Fiction" and "Senior Fiction". The "Senior Fiction" category later changed its name to "Young Adult Fiction" in 2004.
As of 2012, winners in either the Junior Fiction or Young Adult Fiction categories 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
This award started in 1993. It's for fiction books aimed at students in Years 1–8 (primary and intermediate school).
| 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
This award also started in 1993. Before 2004, it was called "Senior Fiction". It's for fiction books written for older students, usually in Years 9–13 (secondary school).
| 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
The "Illustration" award was added in 2016. This happened when the awards joined with the LIANZA Awards. It's named the "Russell Clark award" to honour 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
This award is currently called the "Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award". It's given to a book written entirely in, or translated entirely into, te reo Māori (the Māori language). This award was also introduced in 2016. It 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 | |
| 2020 | Tio Tiamu | Kurahau | Laya Mutton-Rogers | ||
| 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 Award and Runners-up
"Honour Awards" are special mentions given by the judges. They go to excellent finalist books that didn't win their category. As of 2012, finalists who receive an Honour Award get $500.
These awards started in 1993. Before that, from 1990 to 1992, books that came in second or third place received prizes instead.
| 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
