New Zealand’s flourishing children’s book market is in the spotlight with the release of the finalists for the 2019 PANZ Book Design Awards.
Innovative design combined with impeccable production standards made the task of whittling down a shortlist challenging for this year’s judging panel and in the end a record nine books were selected as finalists in the children’s category alone.
As well as demonstrating an impressive pool of talent in children’s books, the shortlist reflects excellence in design across all eight categories, confirming that New Zealand book design is in very good heart.
Convening judge David Coventon said: “Our four judges, from varied fields enjoyed a day of discussions and deliberation over this year’s entries. Competition categories were familiar, yet judges agreed it’s good to see a number of new names appear across the colophons and categories. Some beautiful design solutions were both discovered and discussed – with the children’s category in particular full of strong entries – the design community is clearly nurturing a support of, and strength in, the publishing industry.”
David led a four strong team of judges who represented diverse facets of the publishing and bookselling industry. Together they spent a day pouring over beautiful books to create a shortlist of 33 finalist titles.
The winners will be announced at a special ceremony in Auckland on Thursday 25 July when the Gerard Reid Award for Best Book sponsored by Nielsen Book will also be revealed.
The industry’s design talent will assemble the next day for the PANZ Book Design Workshop sponsored by Hachette New Zealand, which provides the opportunity to dissect the awards, enjoy panel sessions led by leading book designers and network with peers.
The PANZ Book Design Awards were established by the Publishers Association of New Zealand (PANZ) to promote excellence in, and provide recognition for, the best book design in New Zealand.
The 2019 PANZ Book Design Awards Finalists are:
Penguin Random House New Zealand Award for Best Illustrated Book
As You Will: Carnegie Libraries of the South Pacific by Mickey Smith (Te Tuhi), designed by Kalee Jackson, Studio Kalee Jackson
Fiona Clark: Living With Aids 1988 by Fiona Clark (Michael Lett), designed by Arch MacDonnell & Alexandra Turner, Inhouse Design
Tatau: A History of Sāmoan Tattooing by Sean Mallon and Sébastien Galliot (Te Papa Press), designed by Arch MacDonnell, Inhouse Design
Theo Schoon: A Biography by Damian Skinner (Massey University Press), designed by Aaron McKirdy; typesetting by Kate Barraclough
Us v Them: Tony de Lautour (collector’s edition) by Peter Vangioni with Giovanni Intra, Peter Robinson, Zarah Stanhope, Lara Strongman and Alice Tappenden (Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū), designed by Aaron Beehre
Wanted: The search for the modernist murals of E. Mervyn Taylor by Bronwyn Holloway-Smith (Massey University Press), designed by Anna Brown
Upstart Press Award for Best Non-Illustrated Book
Bonsai: Best small stories from Aotearoa New Zealand edited by Michelle Elvy, Frankie McMillan and James Norcliffe (Canterbury University Press), designed by Aaron Beehre
Pasture and Flock: New and Selected Poems by Anna Jackson (Auckland University Press), cover designed by Keely O’Shannessy, interior designed by Katrina Duncan
Sport and the New Zealanders: A History by Greg Ryan and Geoff Watson (Auckland University Press), cover designed by Spencer Levine, interior designed by Katrina Duncan
That Derrida Whom I Derided Died: Poems 2013–2017 by C.K Stead (Auckland University Press), cover designed by Greg Simpson, interior designed by Katrina Duncan
Wild Journeys by Bruce Ansley (HarperCollins New Zealand), designed by Julia Murray
Women, Equality, Power by Helen Clark (Allen & Unwin NZ), designed by Kate Barraclough
Scholastic New Zealand Award for Best Children’s Book
ART-TASTIC by Sarah Pepperle (Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū), cover designed by Aaron Beehre, interior designed by Aaron Beehre with Raquel Joseph, Emma Kevern and Ryan Patrick
The Bomb by Sacha Cotter (Huia Publishers), designed by Te Kani Price, illustrated by Josh Morgan
Cook’s Cook: The Cook who Cooked for Captain Cook by Gavin Bishop (Gecko Press), designed by Vida Kelly
Dear Donald Trump by Sophie Siers (Millwood Press), designed by Vida Kelly
I Am Jellyfish by Ruth Paul (Penguin Random House), designed by Rachel Clark with Ruth Paul
Jillion: By New Zealand’s Young Writers and Artists edited by Charlotte Gibbs, designed by Kelvin Soh and Sam Wieck, DDMMYY and Grace McFarlane and Cait Kneller, Toitoi
Kia Ora, You Can Be a Kiwi Too by June Pitman-Hayes (Scholastic NZ), designed by Minky Stapleton
Oink by David Elliot (Gecko Press) designed by Vida Kelly
Secret World of Butterflies by Courtney Sina Meredith & Giselle Clarkson (Allen & Unwin NZ), designed by Kate Barraclough, Kate Frances Design
Edify Award for Best Educational Book
Anzac Animals: 20 Animal Friends from WW1 and WW2 by Maria Gill (Scholastic NZ), designed by Vida and Luke Kelly Design
ART-TASTIC by Sarah Pepperle (Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū), cover designed by Aaron Beehre, interior designed by Aaron Beehre with Raquel Joseph, Emma Kevern and Ryan Patrick
Te Kōparapara: An Introduction to the Māori World edited by Michael Reilly, Suzanne Duncan, Gianna Leoni, Lachy Paterson, Lyn Carter, Matiu Rātima and Poia Rewi (Auckland University Press), cover designed by Neil Pardington Design, interior designed by Katrina Duncan
Why is That Lake So Blue?: A Children’s Guide to New Zealand’s Natural World by Simon Pollard (Te Papa Press), designed by Kate Barraclough, Kate Frances Design
1010 Printing Award for Best Cookbook
Always Delicious Favourite recipes from the New Zealand Listener by Lauraine Jacobs (Potton & Burton), designed by Floor van Lierop, This is Them
Cuba Street: a cookbook by Liane McGee, Niki Chu and Anna Vibrandt (Fortyfive Design Limited), designed by Liane McGee, Anna Vibrandt and Niki Chu, Fortyfive Design
My Indian Kitchen by Ashia Ismail-Singer (Potton & Burton), designed by Floor van Lierop, This is Them
HarperCollins Publishers Award for Best Cover
Feverish by Gigi Fenster (Victoria University Press), designed by Keely O’Shannessy
People from the Pit Stand Up by Sam Duckor-Jones (Victoria University Press), designed by Sam Duckor-Jones
The New Ships by Kate Duignan (Victoria University Press), designed by Keely O’Shannessy
Pasture and Flock: New and Selected Poems by Anna Jackson (Auckland University Press), cover designed by Keely O’Shannessy
The Bomb by Sacha Cotter (Huia Publishers), designed by Te Kani Price, illustrated by Josh Morgan
Whatever It Takes: Pacific Films and John O’Shea 1948-2000 by John Reid (Victoria University Press), designed by Keely O’Shannessy
Wanted: The search for the modernist murals of E. Mervyn Taylor by Bronwyn Holloway-Smith (Massey University Press), designed by Anna Brown
A Tale of Three Cities by Arlette Mizrahi (RUN), designed by Laura Cibilich
Mary Egan Publishing Award for Best Typography
ART-TASTIC by Sarah Pepperle (Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū), cover designed by Aaron Beehre, interior designed by Aaron Beehre with Raquel Joseph, Emma Kevern and Ryan Patrick
Tatau: A History of Sāmoan Tattooing by Sean Mallon and Sébastien Galliot (Te Papa Press), designed by Arch MacDonnell, Inhouse Design
Theo Schoon: A Biography by Damian Skinner (Massey University Press), designed by Aaron McKirdy; typesetting by Kate Barraclough
Us v Them: Tony de Lautour by Peter Vangioni with Giovanni Intra, Peter Robinson, Zarah Stanhope, Lara Strongman and Alice Tappenden (Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū), designed by Aaron Beehre
Wanted: The search for the modernist murals of E. Mervyn Taylor by Bronwyn Holloway-Smith (Massey University Press), designed by Anna Brown
Swim A year of swimming outdoors in New Zealand by Annette Lees (Potton & Burton), designed by Floor van Lierop
Allen & Unwin Young Designer of the Year 2019 Shortlist
Katie Kerr for Big Ideas for Curious Minds: An Introduction to Philosophy by School of Life (Alain de Botton), Sportsman of the Year: A Suburban Philosophy by Jan Hellriegal, Make Every Day by Rebecca Commisaris, Bee Curious by Kantar & the School of Life, Dirt by Gemma Walsh & Katie Kerr.
Te Kani Price for Mataatua Wharenui by Hirini Mead, Pouroto Ngaropo, Te Onehou Phillis, Layne Harvey (Huia Publishers), Ngāti Kahu: Portrait of a Sovereign Nation by Margaret Mutu (Huia Publishers), Treasures of Tāne by Rob Tipa (Huia Publishers), Legacy by Whiti Hereaka (Huia Publishers), The Bomb/Te Pohū by Sacha Cotter (Huia Publishers)
ENDS
For more info and book images please visit: www.bookdesignawards.co.nz
High-res images are available here
FOR INTERVIEWS OR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Gemma Finlay on behalf of PANZ, gemma@notablepr.co.nz
THE JUDGING PANEL
A graduate of the Masters in Graphic Design at Central Saint Martins, David Coventon has over twenty-five years’ experience in London and Auckland. Co-founder of two:design London, he later went on to be course leader of the Bachelor in Graphic Design at Camberwell College. Whilst in that role he was a key member of the staff and student team that re-started the Camberwell Press. After migrating to Aotearoa in 2011, David worked as graphic designer at Auckland Museum in the Brand and Customer Engagement team for four years. But it was his ‘calling’ that saw him return to tertiary teaching in March 2018, when he took a Senior Lecturer position teaching graphic design on the Bachelor of Design — Communication Design at AUT School of Art & Design.
A freelancer based in Auckland, Jess Gommers has designed publications & exhibitions for clients throughout Australasia. She’s worked as in-house designer at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, National Gallery of Victoria, Auckland Arts Festival and Auckland Museum. Publisher of three titles (comma dot dogma, of gorse of course & process), her design work can also be seen in two recently built & award-winning museums: Te Kōngahu – Museum of Waitangi & Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom. Most recently her work has been seen within Auckland Museum’s Volume: Making music in Aotearoa, Are we there yet?: Women and equality in New Zealand & Carried away: bags unpacked.
Kiran Dass is the book buyer for Time Out Bookstore in Mt Eden, Auckland and has thirteen years of experience in the book trade. A writer and reviewer, Kiran has covered books and music for the NZ Herald, NZ Listener, RNZ, Sunday magazine, Sunday Star-Times, Landfall, Metro, The Spinoff, Pantograph Punch and The Wire (UK), and regularly reviews books on RNZ’s Nine to Noon and Auckland’s 95bFM. Kiran is co-producer and co-host of the literary podcast Papercuts, and has chaired sessions at Auckland Writers Festival, WORD Christchurch, LitCrawl, and Hamilton Book Month.
Simon Waterfield is a designer at Lift Education, with expertise in educational and literacy design and children’s publishing. He works on the School Journal, Ready to Read, and Connected. These series allow him to collaborate with an expansive range of writers, illustrators, and photographers. Simon holds a Bachelor of Design from Wellington Polytechnic/Victoria University and has previously worked at Wellington Media Collective, Base2, and Learning Media. He’s chaired sessions with children’s book creators Oliver Jeffers and Leo Timmers and twice judged The Arts Foundation’s Mallinson Rendel Illustrators Award (2015 and 2017). He’s passionate about comics, children’s publishing, and the use of design to explain the world to young, curious minds.
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