Skip to main content
Category

Media Releases

Aug 27 2026
Love0

“Surprising, delightful, and completely refreshing” winner of 2026 Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize announced

By Media Releases

“Surprising, delightful, and completely refreshing” winner of 2026 Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize announced

Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand, Little Moa, and the Margaret Mahy Estate are thrilled to announce Scarlett Robinson-Kean as the winner of the 2026 Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize for her reimagining of the bewitching classic Aunt Nasty.

The judges praised Scarlett’s fearless approach in experimenting with original layouts and characterisation, as well as “the consideration of humour and attention to detail to make every character in the story unique — especially Aunt Nasty.”

“Scarlett’s interpretation of Aunt Nasty completely grabbed our attention. There were original attributes in her costume and an array of attitudes that made her feel accessible for a young audience. The storyboard was clearly and cleverly constructed, filled with action and drama.

Little Moa Children’s Publisher, Alison Shucksmith applauded Robinson-Kean’s strong and engaging visual storytelling “Her creative use of point-of-view angles and a brilliant use of colour set her work apart. We felt very confident in Scarlett ‘knowing’ and understanding her Aunt Nasty. We can’t wait to see her on shelves.”

Hachette Aotearoa NZ Managing Director Mel Winder says “Aunt Nasty is one of my favourite aunties; who doesn’t have their very own Aunt Nasty! The opportunity to reimagine this classic story is incredibly exciting, and I look forward to seeing Scarlett Robinson-Kean’s interpretation of this much-loved classic.”

About Scarlett

Scarlett is a freelance writer and illustrator based in Tāmaki Makaurau. In 2025 she completed her Master of Creative Practice at Unitec, receiving first-class honours for her research titled Wilding: The role of the bizarre in illustrated narratives. Her accompanying graphic novel, To seed, to sprout, to seed, a strange and twisting story about a girl with a plant growing in her chest, received a Bronze Pin at the 2025 Best Design Awards. In 2026 she received the Springboard Award for Illustration from The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi, under the mentorship of 2023 Laureate Giselle Clarkson.

Drawing on the wild and curious imaginations of tamariki, Scarlett’s practice seeks to capture a bit of that childish joy through illustration and storytelling. She is passionate about community, and believes in the accessibility of illustration – a deceptively simple craft with communication at its core.

Scarlett wins a $2000 cash prize, $500 worth of Hachette books, and the opportunity to develop her submission into a published work.

Previous Winners

Launched in 2019, the Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize is one of New Zealand’s leading illustration awards, attracting over two thousand registrations with all winners going on to illustrate Margaret Mahy’s books.

Winner 2019 – Sarah Greig for The Boy with Two Shadows

Winner 2020 – Lily Emo for The Boy Who Made Things Up

Winner 2021 – Minrui Yang for There’s a King in the Cupboard

Winner 2022 – Jessica Twohill for The Witch in the Cherry Tree

Winner 2023 – Alba Gil Celdran for 17 Kings and 42 Elephants

Winner 2024 – Herb MacDonald for The Great White Man-Eating Shark

Winner 2025 – Emma Collicott for The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate

For more information www.themargaretmahyillustrationprize.co.nz/past-winners/

ENDS

 

Aug 20 2026
Love0

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

By Media Releases, News

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

 

Aug 07 2026
Love0

Global Recognition for Māori Storytelling: Six Huia Titles Join the Inaugural IBBY-UNESCO Collection

By Media Releases

Global Recognition for Māori Storytelling: Six Huia Titles Join the Inaugural IBBY-UNESCO Collection

Six Māori-language children’s books from Huia Publishers have been selected for the inaugural IBBY–UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books for Young Readers in Indigenous and Endangered Languages, to be officially presented on 6 August 2026 at the 40th IBBY World Congress in Ottawa, Canada. ‘HUIA’s books are among the finest examples of Indigenous children’s literature being published anywhere in the world,’ Dr Michelle H Martin (Beverley Cleary Professor for Children & Youth Services, University of Washington) said following the announcement.

The six selected titles are:

Kua Whetūrangitia a Koro
Mokopuna Matatini
Te Pohū
Hineraukatauri me te Ara Pūoro
Tiare Tangaroa me te Taipō Moana
Ngā Ngeru

The IBBY–UNESCO Collection has been established to recognise outstanding children’s books published in Indigenous and endangered languages and to support the global goals of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. The selected books will become part of the permanent collection housed at UNESCO headquarters in Paris and will feature in international exhibitions, including Frankfurt Book Fair and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

The nominations were submitted by the University of Waikato, whose children’s literature research continues to highlight the importance of Indigenous language publishing and multilingual literature. Professor Nicola Daly, University of Waikato, said, ‘Children’s literature has an important role in strengthening language, identity and belonging. Seeing six HUIA titles recognised by IBBY and UNESCO demonstrates the quality of Māori-language publishing and its contribution to linguistic diversity internationally. These books not only enrich children’s reading experiences but also contribute to the revitalisation and visibility of te reo Māori on the global stage.’

This year, NeilsonIQ BookData reported a third consecutive year of growth in Māori-language publishing in Aotearoa. Reading and literacy are fundamental to a healthy democracy, and IBBY has long championed every child’s right to see their language and identity reflected in books. For 35 years, Huia Publishers has shared that commitment, publishing stories that strengthen te reo Māori and celebrate Māori story sovereignty. ‘This is recognition of the talented writers, illustrators and translators who entrust us with their stories. Our tamariki [children] see themselves, read their language and know that their stories stand alongside the world’s finest children’s books,’ said Eboni Waitere, Director of Huia Publishers. Melena Cole-Manolis, Editor at Magabala Books, Australia’s leading First Nations publishing house, echoed this, saying, ‘Six titles in the inaugural IBBY–UNESCO Collection is not simply an achievement for one publisher—it is a testament to what becomes possible when Indigenous communities invest in their own languages, stories and creators.’

Researchers from the University of Waikato Children’s and Young Adult Literature programme and representatives of HUIA will be in Ottawa to celebrate the official launch of the IBBY–UNESCO Collection.

ENDS

 

Aug 07 2026
Love0

Major international recognition announced for Māori children’s authors and illustrators

By Media Releases

IBBY-UNESCO collection honours bilingual picture books written in te reo Māori and published by Oratia Books

.

Two picture books written in te reo Māori have been honoured by inclusion in the IBBY-UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books for Young Readers in Indigenous and Endangered Languages.

Rere Atu Taku Poi!/Let My Poi Fly! and Tōku Whānau Rerehua/My Beautiful Family, both published by Oratia Books, were selected from a worldwide field of titles in indigenous and endangered languages.

The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) joined with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to create this collection, which was revealed overnight at the IBBY World Congress in Ottawa, Canada.

Rere Atu Taku Poi!, written by Tāmaki-Makaurau author and academic Tangaroa Paul and illustrated by Ōtautahi artist Rebecca Gibbs, tells of a boy named Rangi who dreams of joining the girls in the poi section of his school’s kapa haka performance. Co-published with Auckland Council Libraries, Rere Atu Taku Poi! has been made into a stage play by Taki Rua Productions, and received a 2024 Storylines Notable Book Award.

Tōku Whānau Rerehua, by Waikato-based teacher Rauhina Cooper with illustrations by awardwinning Wellington artist Isobel Te Aho-White, relates how young Huia overcomes her shyness about having two mums when she has to present at the school’s family day.

‘We are delighted by the honour for these books, which promote indigenous languages as well as values of diversity and inclusion,’ commented Carolyn Lagahetau, Oratia Books’ editorial director.

‘Ngā mihi nunui ki a Tangaroa, Rebecca, Rauhina rātou ko Isobel.’

Rere Atu Taku Poi! | ISBN: 9781990042486
Tōku Whānau Rerehua | ISBN: 9781990042386

Both books are paperback, 270 x 210 mm portrait, 32 pages, colour | RRP $22.99

About the honoured authors and illustrators


Tangaroa Paul (Te Whare Tawhito o Muriwhenua), a poi exponent who identifies as gender fluid, is the associate dean academic and a senior lecturer in Te Ara Poutama at Auckland University of Technology, His children’s books draw on Tangaroa’s journey performing poi, celebrating diverse expressions of Māori identity.

Rebecca Gibbs (Rongowhakaata) has been a primary school teacher and gained a Bachelor of Design (VisCom) in 2015, since when she has worked in illustration and publishing. She lives in Diamond Harbour, near Ōtautahi/Christchurch.

Rauhina Cooper (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu) is a teacher and facilitator in kura supporting teachers in te reo Māori. She is passionate about the survival and use of te reo Māori. Rauhina lives in Ōhaupō. She was inspired to write Tōku Whānau Rerehua/My Beautiful Family, her first book, by her own ‘blended’ whānau.

Isobel Te Aho-White (Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu, UK, Denmark) has won numerous awards for her illustration of children’s books, and authored her own first book in 2025. In October Oratia will publish her stunning illustrations in the picture book Mauri by Merryn Jones. Isobel lives in Te Whanganui-a Tara/Wellington.

About Oratia Books
Based in West Auckland, Oratia Books is an independent publisher that produces around 15 new books a year, with a focus on children’s, Māori and general non-fiction titles. Oratia’s publishing has a multicultural, multilingual and inclusive outlook, with a growing number of children’s books bilingual in Māori and other Pacific languages.

About the IBBY-UNESCO Collection of Remarkable Books for Young Readers in Indigenous and Endangered Languages
This joint initiative of IBBY and UNESCO highlights books for children and young people published between 2018 and 2025 in an indigenous or endangered language, that present high standards of text and/or illustration, and that relate to the Global Action Plan of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.

ENDS

 

Jul 30 2026
Love0

Poetry Community Powers National Poetry Day 2026

By Media Releases

The National Poetry Day 2026 Calendar of Events is officially live today, with poets, publishers, librarians, and community organisers across Aotearoa answering the call to celebrate poetry and keep this annual celebration thriving.

Now in its 29th year, National Poetry Day will light up Friday 28 August with readings, performances, workshops and competitions, taking poetry into libraries, schools, bookshops and community spaces from Te Tai Tokerau to Murihiku.

“When we announced National Poetry Day would continue in a streamlined format this year, we knew we’d be relying on the passion and creativity of the poetry community,” says Richard Pamatatau, spokesperson for the New Zealand Book Awards Trust Te Ohu Tiaki i Te Rau Hiringa, that administers and promotes the event.

“The response has been incredibly heartening. Organisers right across Aotearoa have embraced the opportunity to create events that celebrate poetry in their own communities, proving once again that National Poetry Day has always belonged to the people who make it happen.”

This year’s programme is rich with inventive, welcoming events across the country.

“If there’s one thing that stands out this year, it’s the incredible enthusiasm from our libraries,” says National Poetry Day Coordinator Gill Hughes. “Library teams across Aotearoa have stepped up in extraordinary ways, creating opportunities for people of every age to read, write, perform and discover poetry together.”

From Waimate’s poetry morning with prolific local poet John Russell Hodges to Devonport’s posse of poets and Kohukohu’s community competition, libraries are turning familiar spaces into stages for local voices. Waimakariri pairs a poetry competition with a book launch, Westland and East Coast Bays throw open the mic, and Wānaka offers a free verse class followed by a slam. In Gisborne, HB Williams Memorial Library hosts a creative writing session, Takapuna welcomes poets from across the North Shore, Te Atatū Peninsula runs a rangatahi spoken word workshop and pizza-fuelled lock in, and Alexandra’s Take a Poem, Leave a Poem and blackout poetry projects invite visitors to swap, upcycle and create new work all week.

Beyond libraries, the programme is packed with events that showcase poetry in unexpected and engaging ways. Kumeū Arts becomes a living, breathing poem with Words in Windows, while Poets Mō Te Pōti brings poetry and politics together to help communities in Wellington get ready to vote in the 2026 General Election. In Featherston, Poetry Under the Dark Sky invites participants on a gentle full-moon walk, while Napier’s Lifecycle of a Poem explores the journey from seed to page through a literary exhibition and visual archive. In Auckland, God Mothers brings together four acclaimed poets for an evening of poetry, sisterhood and revelry, and Te Puna Creative Hub celebrates cultural bridges through poetry and music.

National Poetry Day also encourages poetry lovers across Aotearoa to pick up the pen through a wide range of competitions and creative challenges. Cornwall Park’s tamariki poetry competition invites 5–12 year olds to celebrate 125 years of the park in verse, Make Poetry from History: 40 Years of Homosexual Law Reform uses blackout poetry to revisit a pivotal moment in Aotearoa’s history, while Poets XYZ returns with its popular competition for adults writing poetry for children, this year exploring the theme Around the World.

While Phantom Billstickers concluded its decade as principal sponsor this year, it continues its long-standing commitment to New Zealand poetry through its nationwide street poem poster campaign. Throughout August, jumbo posters featuring the poems of 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards poetry winner Nafanua Purcell Kersel and finalists Erik Kennedy, Anna Jackson and Sophie van Waardenberg will appear on Phantom’s iconic sites around the country.

National Coordinator Gill Hughes is calling on poetry lovers across to the motu to get involved in the celebrations on
Friday 28 August.

“Poetry can be loud on street corners and billboards, or quiet in notebooks and living rooms. Whether someone is scribbling, performing or simply taking a moment to read, National Poetry Day is a chance for poetry to shine and for everyone to celebrate it in their own way.”

The full programme of National Poetry Day events can be found on the website.

ENDS

Jul 29 2026
Love0

Shortlist celebrates the most beautifully designed books in Aotearoa

By Media Releases, News

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.

Jul 28 2026
Love0

Aotearoa New Zealand Book Industry Awards 2026 Winners’ Announcement

By Media Releases, News

     

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

Jul 23 2026
Love0

Votes surge for local authors and new books in Top 100 List

By Media Releases

     

Whitcoulls announce their most voted for Top 100 Books List today (Thursday, July 23, 2026, 5:00am) and are delighted to reveal that 26 writers are from Aotearoa New Zealand.

Whitcoulls Book Manager Joan Mackenzie says, ‘This year, we not only received a record number of votes, but the popularity of local authors is at an all-time high compared to previous years.’ She puts this down to our appetite for voices and stories which we can relate to.

Mackenzie has also never known so many newcomers to make it into the Top 100, saying, ‘this major refresh suggests readers’ dynamic engagement with books and reading.’

Rebecca Yarros’s Empyrean series of novels received the most votes for the second year in a row. Fantasy writer Sarah J. Maas claimed the number two and three spots with novels, A Court of Thorns & Roses and Throne of Glass series,’ respectively. Dr Lucy Hone got the most votes of any New Zealand author, with her bestselling book, How Will I Ever Get Through This?, claiming sixth place.

Significant placings by new, local books voted into the Top 100 include Just a Mum’s Kitchen by Anna Cameron (number 7); Māori Ora (number 13); Habits of High Performers by James Laughlin (number 23); Surviving White Island by Kelsey Waghorn (number 28); and The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (number 50).

High-profile New Zealanders to appear in the Top 100 are Nigel Latta with Lessons on Living (number 19); Dame Jacinda Ardern with A Different Kind of Power (number 60); Barbara Dreaver with Be Brave (number 90); and Charlotte Glennie with Every Second Counts (number 97).

Fiction dominates the List with a total of 78 titles and of those, 30 are books in a series. Another notable aspect of the Top 100 is the popularity of the fantasy genre with Kiwi readers – 26 books find favour with them, including three novels by Sarah J. Maas. Romance, classics, inspiring stories, self-help and motivational titles also feature strongly.

Joan Mackenzie believes our love of books and reading is enduring, saying, ‘The 2026 Whitcoulls Top 100 Books List is an opportunity to celebrate homegrown talent, books which encourage, inform and capture our imaginations.’

Whitcoulls have been asking readers to vote for their favourite books for nearly 30 years, and the 2026 Top 100 Books List is a barometer of the nation’s reading habits. Whitcoulls are proud to showcase Aotearoa New Zealand’s favourite books instore nationwide and online at www.whitcoulls.co.nz from Thursday, July 23, 2026.

ENDS

Jul 20 2026
Love0

 Aotearoa unites for first-ever national New Zealand Children’s Book Week 

By Media Releases

 Aotearoa unites for first-ever national New Zealand Children’s Book Week 

For one week this August, Aotearoa will come together to raise readers. 

From 15–21 August, New Zealand Children’s Book Week: Reading Around Aotearoa will bring together children, whānau, schools, libraries, bookshops and communities in a nationwide celebration of stories. Led by Read NZ Te Pou Muramura, and made possible by our whānau of sponsors including Mātātuhi Foundation and Spotlight, the inaugural week is an invitation to celebrate reading—and the stories, people and places that help young readers thrive. 

In a busy world, New Zealand Children’s Book Week is a reminder that reading doesn’t have to be another thing on the to-do list. Whether it’s five minutes before bed, a visit to the local library, discovering a new favourite at the local bookshop or sharing a well-loved book on the couch, every reading moment helps raise readers. It’s also the perfect opportunity to discover one of this year’s New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults finalist books. 

Read NZ Te Pou Muramura Chief Executive Juliet Blyth says Book Week is about creating a nationwide celebration that everyone can be part of. 

“Every reader starts somewhere, and usually someone is there, opening that first book with them. That’s what New Zealand Children’s Book Week is about. It’s an invitation for all of us—parents, grandparents, teachers, librarians, booksellers, neighbours and friends—to help create those moments that can spark a lifelong love of reading.” 

And that’s exactly what Book Week will look like. 

Children will meet the authors and illustrators behind the books they love. They’ll climb aboard a storytelling train, discover new favourite stories and parade through school dressed as beloved book characters. Across Aotearoa, stories will spill out of books and into communities, reminding us that reading is something to celebrate together. 

Across the week, every day brings something different. Bookshops around the country will launch Book Week with special events and celebrations. In Wellington, Read NZ and the Greater Wellington Regional Council/Metlink will partner to present Books on Board, a unique storytelling journey on the Wellington–Kāpiti line for preschoolers, while children in Christchurch have already helped kick things off by creating costumes with Fifi Colston and Spotlight NZ. 

Libraries throughout Aotearoa will host storytimes, panel discussions, workshops and creative events, including a children’s reading panel at the National Library in Wellington, events at Dunedin Public Libraries, Treasury Tales at Tauranga City Libraries and Book Week activities at Puke Ariki in New Plymouth. Hundreds of students will meet finalist 

authors and illustrators at Books Alive in Christchurch and Wellington before the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are presented on 19 August. Schools will round out the week with colourful Book Parade Day celebrations, while online audiences can enjoy book recommendations, play book bingo and download colouring competitions, and enter Sonya Wilson’s nationwide writing competition inspired by a book that changed their life. 

One of the week’s shared experiences will be the inaugural National Read Along, inviting tamariki in homes, early learning centres, schools, libraries and bookshops across Aotearoa to share Dazzlehands / Ringakoreko at 11am on Monday 17 August. Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador Kate De Goldi will join author Sacha Cotter, illustrator Josh Morgan and translator Kawata Teepa to bring the story to life. 

Juliet Blyth hopes Book Week will leave something behind long after the final event has finished. 

“Our invitation is simple: make a little space for stories. Borrow a book from the library. Wander into your local bookshop. Read together before bed. Join an event in your community. However you choose to take part, we hope Book Week inspires more moments of curiosity, imagination and connection—because those are the moments children often carry with them long after the story has ended.” 

For the full programme of events and resources, visit the Read NZ Te Pou Muramura website. 

Sign up for the National Read Along

ENDS

 

Feb 09 2026
Love0

Ockham New Zealand Book Awards 2026 Longlist Announcement

By Media Releases

Ockham Book Awards logoAuthors’ creativity, intellect and determination recognised

 

Authors who are unafraid to tackle the pressing moments of our past, present and future dominate the 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards longlist announced today.

Among the 44 powerful, page-turning books are jaw-dropping true stories, fascinating histories, best-selling novels and incisive poetry collections.

They were selected from 178 entries and are represented by a record 23 different publishers. There are nine first time authors in this year’s longlist, three in each of the Poetry, Illustrated Non-Fiction and General Non-Fiction categories. Experienced writers vie for the coveted Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction. One, Catherine Chidgey, has won the award twice before.

New Zealand Book Awards Trust Te Ohu Tiaki i Te Rau Hiringa chair Nicola Legat says this year’s longlist reflects the extraordinary creativity and intellect of both established and emerging writers, and the determination of their publishers to see the books succeed.

‘This is such an exciting list,’ she says. ‘In a difficult year for the economy and the nation, these authors and their publishers held their nerve and kept the faith, bringing brilliant books and important stories to life.’

‘It is an entertaining, engrossing and enlightening selection. With the 2026 lineup, our judges have gifted the perfect reading-list to booklovers. They now have the challenging task ahead of them of determining the shortlists and the eventual winners,’ she says.

The 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards longlisted books are:

*represents debut authors

 

Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction

1985 by Dominic Hoey (Penguin, Penguin Random House)

All Her Lives by Ingrid Horrocks (Te Herenga Waka University Press)

Before the Winter Ends by Khadro Mohamed (Tender Press)

Empathy by Bryan Walpert (Mākaro Press)

Hoods Landing by Laura Vincent (Ngāti Māhanga, Ngāpuhi) (Āporo Press)

How to Paint a Nude by Sam Mahon (Ugly Hill Press)

Star Gazers by Duncan Sarkies (Te Herenga Waka University Press)

The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press)

The Last Living Cannibal by Airana Ngarewa (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Rauru, Ngāruahine) (Moa Press)

Wonderland by Tracy Farr (The Cuba Press)

 

Mary and Peter Biggs Award for Poetry

Black Sugarcane by Nafanua Purcell Kersel (Satupa‘itea, Faleālupo, Aleipata, Tuaefu) (Te Herenga Waka University Press)*

Clay Eaters by Gregory Kan (Auckland University Press)

E kō, nō hea koe by Matariki Bennett (Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Hinerangi) (Dead Bird Books)*

Giving Birth to my Father by Tusiata Avia (Te Herenga Waka University Press)

If We Knew How to We Would by Emma Barnes (Auckland University Press)

Joss: A History by Grace Yee (Giramondo Publishing)

No Good by Sophie van Waardenberg (Auckland University Press)*

Sick Power Trip by Erik Kennedy (Te Herenga Waka University Press)

Standing on my Shadow by Serie Barford (Anahera Press)

Terrier, Worrier: A Poem in Five Parts by Anna Jackson (Auckland University Press)

 

BookHub Award for Illustrated Non-Fiction

Atlas of the New Zealand Wars: Volume One 1834-1864, Early Engagements to the Second Taranaki War by Derek Leask (Auckland University Press)*

Books of Mana: 180 Māori-Authored Books of Significance edited by Jacinta Ruru (Raukawa, Ngāti Ranginui), Angela Walhalla (Kāi Tahu) and Jeanette Wikaira (Ngāti Pukenga, Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāpuhi) (Otago University Press)

Garrison World: Redcoat Soldiers in New Zealand and Across the British Empire by Charlotte Macdonald (Bridget Williams Books)

Groundwork: The Art and Writing of Emily Cumming Harris by Michele Leggott and Catherine Field-Dodgson (Rongowhakaata, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Te Aitanga a Mahaki) (Te Papa Press)

He Puāwai: A Natural History of New Zealand Flowers by Philip Garnock-Jones (Auckland University Press)*

Mark Adams: A Survey – He Kohinga Whakaahua by Sarah Farrar (Massey University Press and Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki)

Mr Ward’s Map: Victorian Wellington Street by Street by Elizabeth Cox (Massey University Press)

Takoto ai te Marino: Selected Works 2018-2025 by Raukura Turei (Ngā Rauru Kītahi, Taranaki, Ngāti Pāoa, Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki), Greta van der Star, Vanessa Green and Katie Kerr (Raukura Turei)*

The Collector: Thomas Cheeseman and the Making of the Auckland Museum by Andrew McKay and Richard Wolfe (Massey University Press)

Whenua edited by Felicity Milburn, Chloe Cull (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāi te Ruahikihiki) and Melanie Oliver (Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū)

 

General Non-Fiction Award

50 Years of the Waitangi Tribunal: Whakamana i te Tiriti edited by Carwyn Jones (Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki) and Maria Bargh (Te Arawa, Ngāti Awa) (Huia Publishers)

A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern (Penguin, Penguin Random House)*

An Uncommon Land: From an Ancestral Past of Enclosure Towards a Regenerative Future by Catherine Knight (Totara Press)

Everything But the Medicine: A Doctor’s Tale by Lucy O’Hagan (Massey University Press)*

Hardship and Hope: Stories of Resistance in the Fight Against Poverty in Aotearoa by Rebecca Macfie (Bridget Williams Books)

Northbound: Four Seasons of Solitude on Te Araroa by Naomi Arnold (HarperCollins Aotearoa New Zealand)

Polkinghorne: Inside the Trial of the Century by Steve Braunias (Allen & Unwin)

Ruth Dallas: A Writer’s Life by Diana Morrow (Otago University Press)

The Covid Response: A Scientist’s Account of New Zealand’s Pandemic and What Comes Next by Shaun Hendy (Bridget Williams Books)

The Hollow Boys: A Story of Three Brothers & the Fiordland Deer Recovery Era by Peta Carey (Potton & Burton)

The Middle of Nowhere: Stories of Working on the Manapōuri Hydro Project by Rosemary Baird (Canterbury University Press)*

The Welcome of Strangers: A History of Southern Māori by Atholl Anderson (Bridget Williams Books and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu)

This Compulsion in Us by Tina Makereti (Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Rangatahi-Matakore, Pākehā) (Te Herenga Waka University Press)

Tony Fomison: Life of the Artist by Mark Forman (Auckland University Press)

This year the General Non-Fiction judges have longlisted 14 titles, a discretionary allowance that reflects the number of entries and range of genres in this category.

The 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards shortlist of 16 titles (four books in each category) will be announced on 4 March 2026. The finalists, winners and the four Mātātuhi Foundation Best First Book Award recipients will be celebrated on 13 May 2026 at a public ceremony held as part of the Auckland Writers Festival Waituhi o Tāmaki.

The winner of the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction will receive $65,000 and each of the other main category winners will receive $12,000. Each of The Mātātuhi Foundation Best First Book winners (for fiction, poetry, general non-fiction and illustrated non-fiction) will be awarded $3000.

The Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction is judged by novelist, short story writer and reviewer Craig Cliff (convenor); novelist, poet and Arts Foundation Te Tumi Toi Laureate Alison Wong; and bookseller, writer and reviewer Melissa Oliver (Ngāti Porou).

Judging the Mary and Peter Biggs Award for Poetry are poet, musician and multi-disciplinary artist Daren Kamali (convenor); poet, writer, performer and editor Jordan Hamel; and writer, musician and translator Claudia Jardine.

The General Non-Fiction Award judges are journalist, author and reviewer Philip Matthews (convenor); academic and writer Georgina Stewart (Ngāpuhi-nui-tonu, Pare Hauraki); and screen director, producer, and author Dan Salmon.

The BookHub Award for Illustrated Non-Fiction is judged by art historian and curator Lauren Gutsell (convenor); photographer, moving-image artist, writer and academic Natalie Robertson (Ngāti Porou, Clann Dhonnchaidh); and non-fiction writer and former magazine editor Rebekah White.

The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are supported by Ockham Residential, Creative New Zealand, the late Jann Medlicott and the Acorn Foundation, Mary and Peter Biggs CNZM, BookHub, The Mātātuhi Foundation and the Auckland Writers Festival Waituhi o Tāmaki.