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Book For Bird Lovers Judges Best Designed In Aotearoa

 A book created to encourage a love of ornithology in children has been judged the best designed in Aotearoa at the 2026 PANZ Book Design Awards. 

It was an easy decision for the judges who unanimously declared Omnibird by Giselle Clarkson (Gecko Press) designed by Vida Kelly with Giselle Clarkson, the overall winner at a ceremony held in Auckland this evening. The win marks just the third time a children’s title has taken out the supreme award, the Gerard Reid Award for Best Book sponsored by NielsenIQ BookData. 

“The overall book was a fairly quick and unanimous decision. It was the only book to score perfect 10s and it is just a brilliant book all round,” said Convening Judge Erica Harrison. 

The judges praised Omnibird, which also won the Scholastic New Zealand Award for Best Children’s Book, for its beautifully resolved and cohesive design, finding every element to be thoughtfully considered. 

“The handwritten typography, earthy yet vibrant colour palette, and journal-inspired approach make scientific content feel approachable, engaging, and full of curiosity. The integration of annotations, illustrations, and supporting details create the feeling of exploring personal field notes, while the tactile uncoated stock enhances the warmth and character of the design. A truly immersive and inviting book that makes learning about its subject a joy.” 

The book was selected from a particularly strong field of candidates vying for this year’s awards. In an unusual move, two titles were awarded the Penguin Random House New Zealand Award for Best Illustrated Book – Atlas of the New Zealand Wars: Volume One 1834–1864, Early Engagements to the Second Taranaki War by Derek Leask (Auckland University Press), designed by Alan Deare (Area Design) and Mr Ward’s Map: Victorian Wellington street by street by Elizabeth Cox (Massey University Press), designed by Jo Bailey. 

“This was the toughest category to judge,” says Erica. “The Atlas of New Zealand Wars and Mr Ward’s Map are both exceptional books, and both happen to have wrap around maps! It was impossible to separate them, and we felt both books deserve the acknowledgement.” 

These are just a few of the eleven awards announced on the night, with categories celebrating cover design, typography, educational publishing and emerging design talent. 

A moving segment of the evening was the presentation of the inaugural Keely O’Shannessey People’s Choice Award, in honour of the talented book designer and friend of many in book publishing who passed away in June this year. Event attendees had the opportunity to vote for their pick of the finalists, recognising the design of Shaun Naufahu & Giordano Zatta (Alt Group) on Sio fakaTonga ‘ae ‘Aati fakaTonga: Tongan Views of Tongan Arts by Professor Hūfanga He-Ako-Moe-Lotu, Dr ‘Ōkusitino Māhina, Professor Māui-Tāvā-He-Ako Dr Tēvita O. Ka‘ili, Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai MNZM (Kula-ʻUli Publishing) as the winner. This title also won the Te Papa Press Award for Best Typography. 

The PANZ Book Design Awards were established by the Publishers Association of New Zealand Te Rau o Tākupu (PANZ) to promote excellence in, and provide recognition for, the best book design in New Zealand. 

The 2026 PANZ Book Design Award winners are:

Gerard Reid Award for Best Book sponsored by NielsenIQ BookData 

• Omnibird: An Avian Investigator’s Handbook by Giselle Clarkson (Gecko Press). Designed by Vida Kelly with Giselle Clarkson 

Penguin Random House New Zealand Award for Best Illustrated Book 

• Atlas of the New Zealand Wars: Volume One 1834–1864, Early Engagements to the Second Taranaki War by Derek Leask (Auckland University Press). Designed by Alan Deare & Dave McDonald (Area Design) 

AND 

• Mr Ward’s Map: Victorian Wellington street by street by Elizabeth Cox (Massey University Press). Designed by Jo Bailey 

Best Non-Illustrated Book 

• Tony Fomison: Life of the Artist by Mark Forman (Auckland University Press). Designed by Arch and Jane MacDonnell (Inhouse) 

Scholastic New Zealand Award for Best Children’s Book 

• Omnibird: An Avian Investigator’s Handbook by Giselle Clarkson (Gecko Press). Designed by Vida Kelly with Giselle Clarkson 

PANZ Award for Best Education Book or Series — Primary 

• My First Ikura by Qiane Matata-Sipu, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (QIANE+co). Designed by Chloē Reweti 

PANZ Award for Best Education Book or Series — Secondary/Tertiary 

• Toitū te Whenua by Lauren Keenan (Penguin Random House). Designed by Cat Taylor 

Award for Best Cookbook or Lifestyle Book 

• Family Cooking by Di McHardy (Di McHardy, Mama’s Meals Limited). Cover designed by Logan Smith (Sunday Best) and interior designed by Georgia Yates (Sunday Best) 

Allen & Unwin Award for Best General Cover 

• Three Wee Bookshops at the End of the World by Ruth Shaw (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand). Design by Katrina Duncan, illustration by Sophie Watson 

HarperCollins Publishers Award for Best Cover 

• Whenua edited by Chloe Cull, Felicity Milburn & Melanie Oliver (Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū). Designed by Aaron Beehre 

Te Papa Press Award for Best Typography 

• Sio fakaTonga ‘ae ‘Aati fakaTonga: Tongan Views of Tongan Arts by Professor Hūfanga He-Ako-Moe-Lotu Dr ‘Ōkusitino Māhina, Professor Māui-Tāvā-He-Ako Dr Tēvita O. Ka‘ili, Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai MNZM (Kula-ʻUli Publishing). Designed by Shaun Naufahu & Giordano Zatta (Alt Group) 

Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand Emerging Designer 

Victoria Wigzell 

• The Floral Dream by Olivia McCord (Potton & Burton) 

Keely O’Shannessey People’s Choice Award 

• Sio fakaTonga ‘ae ‘Aati fakaTonga: Tongan Views of Tongan Arts by Professor Hūfanga He-Ako-Moe-Lotu Dr ‘Ōkusitino Māhina, Professor Māui-Tāvā-He-Ako Dr Tēvita O. Ka‘ili, Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai MNZM. (Kula-ʻUli Publishing). Designed by Shaun Naufahu & Giordano Zatta (Alt Group) 

 

ENDS 

Click the images below to explore the winning titles on the PANZ Book Design Awards website

Picture Book duo claim top prize at Children’s Book Awards for second time

Popular picture book author and illustrator team Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata) have claimed the top prize at the 2026 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults for the second time in their careers.

Their vibrantly illustrated A Guide to Rocks, which deals with difficult feelings and was described by the judges as “storytelling at its finest” received the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year Award at the culmination of a joyful ceremony celebrating the very best of children’s literature in Aotearoa held last night at Wellington’s Pipitea Marae. The duo won the same accolade for The Bomb in 2019.

A Guide to Rocks also won the BookHub Picture Book Award, while its te reo Māori edition, He Taonga te Toka, translated by Kawata Teepa (Tūhoe, Te Whakatōhea), received the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for a Book Translated into Te Reo Māori.

Judges praised the book for its quintessentially New Zealand text and painterly illustrations, describing it as a book that “teaches, entertains and empowers”. They said the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year Award recognises a category winner that achieves outstanding overall excellence – a sincere, standout work that offers exceptional writing, illustration and design, and has the lasting quality to endure in Aotearoa beyond the awards.

The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults also recognised excellence across a further six categories on the night.

The Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction went to Dreamslinger by Graci Kim. “Meticulous world‑building and characterisation are expertly combined with a humming plot,” said the judges, admiring how its inclusive cast ensures “all readers feel seen and represented”.

The odyssey The Lost Saint won the Wheelers Books Award for Young Adult Fiction. “Rachael Craw has built a world full of sensory detail and unpredictable peril,” the judges noted, combining “sharp dialogue and well‑crafted character arcs that grip the reader right from its explosive start.”

Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu) received the Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction for Whenua: Māori Pūrākau of Aotearoa. Judges described the book as “an instant classic”, praising its masterful, dynamic illustrations and text that brings the people and stories of pūrākau vividly to life in ways that feel familiar and relatable.

The Russell Clark Award for Illustration went to Kupe and the Great Octopus of Muturangi by Mat Tait, which retells the pūrākau of Kupe and his people chasing the great octopus of Muturangi across the ocean to Aotearoa. The judges praised Tait’s illustrations, saying they “maximise the use of vibrant colour and illustration to make the story pop off each and every page”.

Mat Tait’s te reo Māori version, Kupe me te Wheke nui a Muturangi, won the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for a Book Originally Written in Te Reo Māori, with judges noting it as “an outstanding contribution to Māori children’s literature and a worthy recipient of recognition”.

The translation of He Taonga te Toka by Kawata Teepa (Tūhoe, Te Whakatōhea) received the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for a Book Translated into Te Reo Māori. Judges praised the translation for its fluency, naturalness and accessibility, saying it made the book “a truly memorable and deserving winner”.

The NZSA Best First Book Award was awarded to Te Onehaumako, a young adult novella written in te reo Māori by Zeb Tamihana Nicklin (Pāhauwera, Ruapani, Tūhoe, Tāmanuhiri). In a shortlist brimming with accomplished and self‑assured debuts, the judges described it as “an important book that will spark meaningful conversations about sustainability and our shared environmental responsibilities”.

The full list of winners at the 2026 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults is below. A total of $70,500 in prize money was awarded.

 

The Margaret Mahy Book of the Year $8500

A Guide to Rocks, Sacha Cotter, illustrated by Josh Morgan (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata)
(Huia Publishers)

 

BookHub Picture Book Award $8500

A Guide to Rocks, Sacha Cotter, illustrated by Josh Morgan (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata)
(Huia Publishers)

 

Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction $8500
Dreamslinger, Graci Kim (Penguin Random House New Zealand)

 

Wheelers Books Award for Young Adult Fiction $8500

The Lost Saint, Rachael Craw (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand)

 

Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction $8500

Whenua: Māori Pūrākau of Aotearoa, Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu) (Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand)

 

Russell Clark Award for Illustration $8500
Kupe and the Great Octopus of Muturangi, Mat Tait (Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Kuia, Rangitāne o Wairau) (Allen and Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand)

 

Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for a Book Originally Written in Te Reo Māori $8500
Kupe me te Wheke nui a Muturangi, Mat Tait (Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Kuia, Rangitāne o Wairau) (Allen and Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand)

 

Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for a Book Translated into Te Reo Māori $8500
He Taonga te Toka, Sacha Cotter, illustrated by Josh Morgan (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata), translated by Kawata Teepa (Tūhoe, Te Whakatōhea ) (Huia Publishers)

NZSA Best First Book Award $2500
Te Onehaumako, Zeb Tamihana Nicklin (Pāhauwera, Ruapani, Tūhoe, Tāmanuhiri) (Huia Publishers)

 

The influence of the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults goes beyond a celebration of outstanding books. Through initiatives including Books Alive and the HELL Reading Challenge, the awards also encourage a lifelong love of reading among the country’s tamariki and rangatahi.

This year’s Books Alive programme brought the magic of the shortlisted titles to life, connecting finalist authors and illustrators with hundreds of school children through large-scale, immersive events. In partnership with WORD Christchurch, the programme ran over two days in the week preceding the awards ceremony in Ōtautahi, while in Pōneke, Wellington City Libraries hosted a range of booked out events at Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui on the day of the ceremony.

The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults also administer the hugely popular HELL Reading Challenge, now in its second decade. So far this year around 800 schools and libraries have signed up for the HELL Reading Challenge, and approximately 300,000 pizza wheels have been distributed – representing an estimated 2.1 million books read.

The 2026 awards ceremony and Books Alive events are at the heart of the inaugural New Zealand Children’s Book Week (15-21 August), a nationwide celebration that has seen schools, libraries, bookshops and communities across Aotearoa come together for storytimes, author events, workshops, the country’s first National Read Along and other activities, culminating in Book Parade Day on Friday 21 August. 

Selecting this year’s winners was the responsibility of two highly credentialled judging panels, bringing together experts in children’s literature, education, libraries and te reo Māori.

English and bilingual entries were assessed by a panel convened by Simie Simpson (Te Āti Awa), Programmes Manager for Read NZ Te Pou Muramura in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington and a returning judge from 2019. She was joined by award-winning author, editor, and mentor Cassie Hart (Kāi Tahu, Pākehā); Tāmaki Makaurau-based Head of English Chris Reed (Ngāti Porou, Pākehā); Mosgiel school librarian and SLANZA representative Lauryn Urquhart; and experienced Pōneke public and school librarian Lucy Black.

Te reo Māori submissions were assessed by a specialist panel convened by Te Wairere Puāwaitanga O Te Whakaaro Ngaia (Waikato-Maniapoto, Taranaki Tūturu, Te Ātiawa, Ngāruahinerangi, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue), a Rotorua-based te reo Māori kaiako and qualified translator. The panel also includes Eva Mahara (Waikato, Ngāti Te Wehi), Content Editor for te reo Māori at the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, and Hona Black (Tūhoe, Te Whānau a Apanui, Tūwharetoa), a Māori language academic, writer, educator who is the recently appointed first Professor of te reo Māori at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. 

The New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults and their associated programmes are made possible through the generosity, commitment and vision of funders and partners: Creative New Zealand, HELL Pizza, the Wright Family Foundation, LIANZA Te Rau Herenga o Aotearoa, Wellington City Council and Libraries, BookHub presented by Booksellers Aotearoa New Zealand, Wheelers Books, New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa, the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, and NielsenIQ BookData. The Awards are administered by the New Zealand Book Awards Trust Te Ohu Tiaki i Te Rau Hiringa.

ENDS

 

The most beautifully designed books in Aotearoa are recognised today with the announcement of the finalists for the 2026 PANZ Book Design Awards.

The most beautifully designed books in Aotearoa are recognised today with the announcement of the finalists for the 2026 PANZ Book Design Awards.The Publishers Association of New Zealand Te Rau o Tākupu (PANZ) established the awards to promote excellence in, and provide recognition for, the best book design in Aotearoa New Zealand.

“The standard of entries this year was incredibly high and some difficult decisions had to be made to reach a shortlist,” said Convening Judge Erica Harrison.

There were more than 130 entries across all categories and the judges were particularly pleased to see a significant increase in numbers of Emerging Designer entries, indicating the wealth of developing talent in the industry.

Erica, who is a designer, illustrator and co-founder of Messy Press, was joined by Carly Yates of Auckland based design Studio Seven, Dr George Hajian a designer, artist, and Senior Lecturer at Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau, Auckland University of Technology and Courtney Smith, co-owner Lamplight Books, an independent bookstore that champions beautiful books.

The judges found the job of selecting the shortlist for the Penguin Random House New Zealand Award for Best Illustrated Book particularly tricky, as the design, typography, and production value of the books in this category were exceptional.

“We spent a lot of time on this category because there were so many beautifully-crafted books. They had to be really special to make it onto the shortlist.”

They also noted that this year, simple design is doing the heavy lifting as many of the shortlisted books are smaller formats and don’t have the same high specs often seen amongst finalists.

The trend towards more neutral tones, observed last year, has continued with the colour palette leaning more towards sombre, earthy shades contrasted with pops of red and moody blues. The judges were pleased to see a good spread of Māori and Pasifika titles represented this year and observed strong design principles rooted in te ao Māori and Pasifika-centric values.

The judges must now select the winners of the nine categories and choose the recipient of the main prize, the Gerard Reid Award for Best Book sponsored by NielsenIQ BookData. The winners will be announced at a special ceremony in Auckland on Thursday 24 September. At the event attendees will also be able to vote for the People’s Choice Award, which this year will be renamed the Keely O’Shannessy People’s Choice Award, a fitting tribute to a talented book designer and friend of many in book publishing who passed away in June of this year.

The industry’s design talent will assemble the next day for the PANZ Book Design Workshop which provides the opportunity to dissect the awards, enjoy panel sessions led by leading book designers and network with peers.

 

The 2026 PANZ Book Design Awards finalists are:

Penguin Random House New Zealand Award for Best Illustrated Book

• Atlas of the New Zealand Wars: Volume One 1834–1864, Early Engagements to the Second Taranaki War by Derek Leask (Auckland University Press). Designed by Alan Deare & Dave McDonald (Area Design)
• He Puāwai: A Natural History of New Zealand Flowers by Philip Garnock-Jones (Auckland University Press). Designed by Duncan Munro (Lucky Stairs Studio)
• The Len Lye Centre edited by Zara Stanhope and Antony Rhodes (Govett-Brewster Art Gallery / Len Lye Centre). Designed by Tana Mitchell (Tana Mitchell Design)
• Mr Ward’s Map: Victorian Wellington street by street by Elizabeth Cox (Massey University Press). Designed by Jo Bailey
• New Zealand Photography Collected: 175 Years of Photography in Aotearoa by Athol McCredie (Te Papa Press). Designed by Alan Deare and Dave McDonald (Area Design)
• Sio fakaTonga ‘ae ‘Aati fakaTonga: Tongan Views of Tongan Arts by Professor Hūfanga He-Ako-Moe-Lotu Dr ‘Ōkusitino Māhina, Associate Professor Māui-Tava-He-Ako Dr Tēvita Ka‘ili, Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai MNZM. (Kula-ʻUli Publishing). Designed by Shaun Naufahu & Giordano Zatta (Alt Group)

  Award for Best Non-Illustrated Book

• Black Sugarcane by Nafanua Purcell Kersel (Te Herenga Waka University Press). Cover designed by Momoe i manu ae ala atea‘e Tasker, interiors designed Ashleigh Young
• Capital Trees: The arboreal legacy of Te Upoko-o-te-Ika the Wellington region by Susette Goldsmith (Te Papa Press). Designed by Megan van Staden
• Kim, A Journey Between Worlds by Kim Rangiaonui Logan (Ugly Hill Press). Designed by Alan Deare and Dave McDonald (Area Design)
• Ngā Oro me Ngā Iere a Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti – Sweet Harmonies in Song by Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti by Te Kahautu Maxwell (Huia Publishers). Designed by Te Kani Price
• The Origins of an Experimental Society: New Zealand, 1769–1860 by Erik Olssen (Auckland University Press). Designed by Arch and Jane MacDonnell (Inhouse)
• Tony Fomison: Life of the Artist by Mark Forman (Auckland University Press). Designed by Arch and Jane MacDonnell (Inhouse)

Scholastic New Zealand Award for Best Children’s Book

• A Guide to Rocks / He Taonga te Toka by Sacha Cotter, illustrated by Josh Morgan (Huia Publishers). Designed by Te Kani Price, Tahlia Conrad-Hinga & Sophie Hooper
• My First Ikura by Qiane Matata-Sipu, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (QIANE+co). Designed by Chloē Reweti Design
• Omnibird by Giselle Clarkson (Gecko Press). Designed by Vida Kelly with Giselle Clarkson
• Pūkeko Who-keko? by Toby Morris (Penguin Random House New Zealand). Designed by Vida Kelly (Vida and Luke Kelly Design) with Toby Morris
• Rākau: The Ancient Forests of Aotearoa by Ned Barraud (Te Papa Press). Designed by Kate Barraclough (Kate Frances Design)
• Twigs and Stones by Joy Cowley, illustrated by Gavin Bishop (Gecko Press). Designed by Vida Kelly with Gavin Bishop

 PANZ Award for Best Education Book or Series — Primary

• The Living Tree: A New Zealand Habitat by Dave Gunson (Bateman Books). Designed by Alice Bell and Dave Gunson
• My First Ikura by Qiane Matata-Sipu, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (QIANE+co). Designed by Chloē Reweti Design
• Start Right My Topic Research Workbook by Lucy Pritchard (LearnWell). Designed by Lucy Pritchard, Barnaby McBryde & Pietro Lubich

 PANZ Award for Best Education Book or Series — Secondary/Tertiary

• Mana Moana: Ngā Urungi o Te Ohu Kaimoana Toitū mō Anamata / Navigators of Sustainable Fisheries for the Future by Carla Houkamau and Robert Pouwhare (Auckland University Press). Cover designed by Neil Pardington Design, interiors designed by Amy Tansell
• Toitu te Whenua by Lauren Keenan (Penguin Random House). Designed by Cat Taylor
• Walker Maths — Phase 4: Foundation & Walker Maths — Phase 4: Elevation by Victoria and Charlotte Walker (Cengage Learning Australia Pty Limited). Designed by Cheryl Smith (Macarn Design)

 Award for Best Cookbook or Lifestyle Book

• Eat Wild by Sophie Merkens (Penguin Random House). Designed by Megan van Staden
• Family Cooking by Di McHardy (Di McHardy, Mama’s Meals Limited). Cover designed by Logan Smith (Sunday Best) and interior designed by Georgia Yates (Sunday Best)
• The Hungry Cook by Olivia Galletly (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand). Designed by Megan van Staden
• Māori Ora by Hira Nathan, illustrated by Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand). Designed by Megan van Staden, illustrations by Huriana Kopeke-Te Aho

Allen & Unwin Award for Best General Cover

• The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press). Designed by Todd Atticus
• The Last Living Cannibal by Airana Ngarewa (Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand). Designed by Megan van Staden
• Three Wee Bookshops at the End of the World by Ruth Shaw (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand). Design by Katrina Duncan, illustration by Sophie Watson

HarperCollins Publishers Award for Best Cover

• All Her Lives by Ingrid Horrocks (Te Herenga Waka University Press). Designed by Sarah Wilkins
• Black Sugarcane by Nafanua Purcell Kersel (Te Herenga Waka University Press). Cover designed by Momoe i manu ae ala atea‘e Tasker, interiors designed Ashleigh Young
• The Collector: Thomas Cheeseman and the making of the Auckland Museum by Andrew McKay and Richard Wolfe (Massey University Press). Designed by Carly Yates & Gideon Keith (Seven)
• Mr Ward’s Map: Victorian Wellington street by street by Elizabeth Cox (Massey University Press). Designed by Jo Bailey
• There is a Horse in the Art Gallery! by Sarah Pepperle (Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū). Designed by Aaron Beehre
• Whenua edited by Chloe Cull, Felicity Milburn & Melanie Oliver (Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū). Designed by Aaron Beehre

 Te Papa Press Award for Best Typography

• Atlas of the New Zealand Wars: Volume One 1834–1864, Early Engagements to the Second Taranaki War by Derek Leask (Auckland University Press). Designed by Alan Deare & Dave McDonald (Area Design)
• Black Sugarcane by Nafanua Purcell Kersel (Te Herenga Waka University Press). Cover designed by Momoe i manu ae ala atea‘e Tasker, interiors designed Ashleigh Young
• Chris Knox: Not Given Lightly by Craig Robertson (Auckland University Press). Designed by Alan Deare & Dave McDonald (Area Design)
• The Len Lye Centre edited by Zara Stanhope and Antony Rhodes (Govett-Brewster Art Gallery / Len Lye Centre). Designed by Tana Mitchell (Tana Mitchell Design)
• Mr Ward’s Map: Victorian Wellington street by street by Elizabeth Cox (Massey University Press). Designed by Jo Bailey
• Sio fakaTonga ‘ae ‘Aati fakaTonga: Tongan Views of Tongan Arts by Professor Hūfanga He-Ako-Moe-Lotu Dr ‘Ōkusitino Māhina, Associate Professor Māui-Tava-He-Ako Dr Tēvita Ka‘ili, Kolokesa Uafā Māhina-Tuai MNZM. (Kula-ʻUli Publishing). Designed by Shaun Naufahu & Giordano Zatta (Alt Group)

Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand Emerging Designer

Thomas Cumming

• What Is It, If It Is Not This? by Thomas Cumming (self-published)
• SYZYGY by Thomas Cumming (self-published)
• 978-0-473-74052-8 [This Number is a Sentence] by Thomas Cumming & Krista Barnaby (self-published)

Victoria Wigzell

• The Floral Dream by Olivia McCord (Potton & Burton)

ENDS

For more info and book images please visit: www.bookdesignawards.co.nz

High-res images and spreads are available here

FOR INTERVIEWS OR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Gemma Finlay on behalf of PANZ, gemma@notablepr.co.nz

THE JUDGING PANEL:

Erica Harrison (Convenor) is an illustrator and children’s book designer based in Auckland. She is the co-founder of new children’s publishing studio, Messy Press, which recently won Best Children’s Publisher of the Year for Oceania at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. With over 20 years of experience in the publishing industry, she has designed activity books, board books, and illustrated non-fiction for some of the world’s best children’s publishers. Her graphic novel for young readers, Detective Stanley and the Mystery at the Museum, is a finalist at this year’s New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.

Carly Yates is a designer at Seven with over 11 years’ experience across a range of design disciplines, with editorial design holding a special place for her. She enjoys solving the puzzle of organising complex content into engaging, considered reading experiences, creating tangible pieces that reflect the care and craftsmanship behind them. A few of her notable book projects include Making Space, The Collector and Edith Collier. Having spent much of her career preparing and entering work for design awards, she is excited to be on the other side of the judging process. She looks forward to celebrating the craft, creativity and collaboration behind exceptional book design in Aotearoa.

Dr George Hajian is a designer, artist, and Senior Lecturer at Te Wānanga Aronui o Tāmaki Makau Rau, Auckland University of Technology. His design practice focuses on publication design, printmaking, and self-publishing, with a strong emphasis on analogue processes and material experimentation. Originally from Beirut, Lebanon, George has worked across the design and publishing industries in Aotearoa New Zealand and abroad. His art practice brings together collage, screen-printing, and mark-making, with a particular interest in printed matter, paper, and the tactile qualities of the handmade.

Courtney Smith is the co-owner and book buyer for Lamplight Books, an independent bookstore that champions beautiful books. Lamplight was awarded Bookshop of the Year in 2023 and serves a lively community of artists, architects, and designers.

PANZ employs a strict conflict of interest policy and no judge is permitted to judge any category in which they have book design work entered. Where a judge has a perceived conflict of interest with a book, publisher or designer they will recuse themselves from judging the relevant category. This process is closely monitored by PANZ.

     

Schrödinger’s Books in Petone has won the NielsenIQ BookData Bookshop of the Year at the 2026 Aotearoa New Zealand Book Industry Awards for its skilful curation of books catering to diverse community interests and excellence in showcasing local and international authors in a year-long series of in-store events.

The award was presented to the store’s owner manager Mary Fawcett at a cocktail ceremony emceed by popular comedian and children’s book author Sam Smith held at Rydges Auckland.

The prize was among 15 honours presented to booksellers, publishers, authors and book trade stalwarts for excellence, success and innovation in work carried out in the industry between April 2025 and March 2026.

In a closely fought category, judges highlighted Schrödinger’s Books’ strong sense of reciprocity with its community, whose support helped fund a shop redesign that now allows it to host even more events.

‘Schrödinger’s is an exceptional bookstore that has increased its community reach through creative programmes conducted with a clear sense of purpose. The store’s submission demonstrated the huge effort and hard work put in by the team, led by a passionate owner.’

It is the second time Schrödinger’s Books has won Bookshop of the Year. The first was in in 2021.

A special achievement award was presented to Nigel Latta in memoriam for his contribution to the book industry.

The award was accepted by Latta’s wife, Dr Natalie Flynn.

Whitcoulls’ Book Manager Joan Mackenzie says Nigel Latta has been a mainstay of both the publishing and bookselling industries, with his books being go-to recommendations for parents looking for help and support.

‘Readers came back again and again, knowing that his expert guidance could make their lives a little easier, and it made us proud to be the go-between. From our observation, an entire generation of children must have grown up beneath his wisdom and the world was a better place for it,’ says Ms Mackenzie.

More than 250,000 copies of Latta’s books have sold since his first book was published in 2000. They include Politically Incorrect Parenting, Mothers Raising Sons, Fathers Raising Daughters and his most recent, Lessons on Living, which was published on 30 September 2025 – the day he died.

Allen & Unwin has won the NZ Publisher of the Year.

The judges praised the publisher for its small, tightly focused team that continues to punch above its weight.

‘Allen & Unwin New Zealand is a publisher committed to amplifying untold stories alongside bigger titles and investing genuinely in its authors and communities,’ say the judges.

A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern published by Penguin Random House has taken out the NielsenIQ BookData NZ Award for the bestselling New Zealand title in the 2025 calendar year.

The former New Zealand Prime Minister’s memoir has sold more than 70,000 copies since publication.

Penguin Random House NZ won Marketing & Publicity Strategy of the Year for A Different Kind of Power’s launch campaign.  

The judges said the campaign was backed by an experienced team and a strong marketing budget, using multiple platforms to carry its title beyond the political-memoir category and into the wider national conversation.

The Sales Professional of the Year Award was won by Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand’s sales team.

‘We found it hard not to score this team highly across every measure after a standout year of results,’ say the judges, who dubbed the team ‘The Formidables’.

The Book of Guilt by acclaimed author Catherine Chidgey published by Te Herenga Waka University Press has won the Booksellers’ Choice Adult Award.

Celebrated chef Al Brown’s practical, colourful and recipe-filled book Hooked: Learning to Fish, Illustrated by Hope McConnell and published by Allen & Unwin, NZ was awarded the Booksellers Choice Children’s Award.

The two titles were decided in a vote by the booksellers of Aotearoa as the books they’ll always keep on the shelf, that are considered modern classics and are loved by customers and booksellers.

The Publishing Trailblazer of the Year Award went to Alison Shucksmith, publisher at Little Moa (Hachette, Aotearoa New Zealand).

Judges pointed to Shucksmith’s commitment to developing Māori authors and championing inclusion and diversity, the establishment of the Margaret Mahy Illustrators Prize, the securing of multiple international publishing rights, and her work getting young readers to the Auckland Writers Festival — all in service of readers often under-represented in print.

Anastasia George of online retailer The Grimoire has won the Titlepage Bookselling Trailblazer of the year.

‘Anastasia won this award for building a genuinely innovative, greenfields bookselling business,’ say the judges. ‘In establishing The Grimoire as an outlet offering limited edition books, Anastasia has carved out a real niche, and she is steadily growing its New Zealand audience.’

Celebrated broadcaster Mike McRoberts’ memoir Speaking My Language (HarperCollins, New Zealand) has won the Libro.fm Audiobook of the Year Award. The judges described the audiobook, which McRoberts narrated himself, as exhibiting excellence in all of the necessary elements that make the experience memorable for the reader.

‘Mike McRoberts’ superb narration of his journey to reconnect with his whakapapa, paired with a flawless sound production by Audiobooks New Zealand, was the overall star of the show,’ say the judges.

Kevin Chapman has been honoured with the Publishers Association of NZ Lifetime Achievement Award.

Kevin is a publishing business leader who has worked in the industry for more than 30 years across New Zealand, the UK, Canada, the US and Australia. Before starting his own publishing company, Upstart Press, in 2013, he was managing director of Hachette NZ and Anne Geddes Publishing. He has also served as the president of the Publishers Association of New Zealand (PANZ). Kevin’s publishing distribution warehouse based in Penrose, Auckland is a cornerstone of the local book industry.

Reviewer, event chair and books champion Carole Beu of The Women’s Bookshop in Ponsonby, Wendy Tighe-Umbers – former owner of Time Out in Mt Eden and David Cameron who has owned Scorpio Books in Christchurch for half a century were each presented with Booksellers Association of Aotearoa New Zealand Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Carole Beu opened The Women’s Bookshop in 1989 after being persuaded to take over a Dominion Road lease from feminist magazine Broadsheet. Over more than 35 years, Beu has built the store, now situated in Ponsonby, into a much-loved community institution. She is a tireless champion of women’s writing, presents the annual Ladies’ Litera-Tea festival, and helped found the Auckland Writers Festival, serving as a trustee for 17 years. In 2019, Beu was awarded an MNZM for services to the literary industry and the LGBTQIA+ community.

A former science teacher and deputy principal, Wendy Tighe-Umbers bought Time Out Bookstore in Mt Eden in 2002 and ran it for almost 24 years, growing it into one of Auckland’s most-loved independent bookshops before passing the reins to long-serving manager Jenna Todd earlier this year.

David Cameron began bookselling at 16 at University Bookshop Otago, bought Christchurch’s Pisces Books in 1975 and renamed it Scorpio Books in 1979. With Dave’s trademark generosity, passion for books of all genres and focus on excellent customer service, Scorpio has grown to be Christchurch’s largest independent bookshop. Beloved by customers, the store, which weathered the Christchurch earthquakes, continues to extend its reach, and celebrates 50 years this year.

Booksellers Aotearoa New Zealand (BSANZ) manager Renee Rowland says booksellers continue to punch above their weight in an increasingly difficult market

‘Rising costs and changing reading habits have made the last few years some of the toughest the industry has faced, but our booksellers continue to adapt and innovate, and knowing the power that books have to change lives, they will continue to show up for their communities.

 

‘These awards are a chance to recognise booksellers and publishers who demonstrate an unswerving commitment to excellence and a determination to explore every opportunity to champion local books and authors.’

 

The 2026 Aotearoa New Zealand Book Industry Awards were judged by broadcaster and memoirist Susie Ferguson, NZ Society of Authors director Jenny Nagle, Australian Booksellers Association president and co-owner of Matilda Bookshop, Gavin Williams, and owner-manager of Bookstore of the Year 2025 The Martinborough Books & Post, Brenda Channer.

BSANZ sincerely thanks this year’s award sponsors and funders for their generous support.

The Aotearoa New Zealand Book Industry Awards have been recognising the best New Zealand publishers, booksellers and industry stalwarts connecting Aotearoa books and readers for more than 20 years.

ENDS