Teachers, librarians, authors, reviewers, former booksellers and passionate advocates for reading and te reo Māori make up the two experienced panels announced today by the New Zealand Book Awards Trust Te Ohu Tiaki i Te Rau Hiringa as judges of the 2026 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
The English and bilingual panel will be convened by Simie Simpson (Te Ᾱti Awa), a former bookseller and publishing sales manager who is now programmes manager for Read NZ Te Pou Muramura. She is joined by author, editor and public librarian Cassie Hart (Kāi Tahu, Pākehā), high school teacher, writer and reviewer Chris Reed (Ngāti Porou, Pākehā), experienced school and public librarian Lauryn Urquhart, and writer, reviewer and school librarian Lucy Black.
Simie, who was a judge of the 2019 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, says she is honoured and excited to work with fellow judges who bring such a wealth of knowledge and experience to an extremely important kaupapa. “This is a group of people who are thoughtful and passionate about children’s books and cognisant of the importance they play in the wider literary landscape. It is a huge privilege to spend time reading, discussing and celebrating these magical portals that open worlds, reflect ourselves, and encourage tamariki in Aotearoa to believe that their stories matter,” she says.
Convening the panel judging the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Awards for books written in, or translated into, te reo Māori will be kaiako and translator Te Wairere Puāwaitanga O Te Whakaaro Ngaia (Waikato-Maniapoto, Taranaki Tūturu, Te Ātiawa, Ngāruahinerangi, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue). She is joined by content editor – te reo Māori at the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa Eva Mahara (Waikato, Ngāti Te Wehi), and Māori language academic, author and educator Hona Black (Tūhoe, Te Whānau a Apanui, Tūwharetoa).
Te Wairere, who was a judge of the 2023 awards, says she is deeply honoured to join Te Kura Pounamu panel again, this time as convenor alongside two passionate advocates for te reo Māori. “Te Kura Pounamu is special as it celebrates the best of Māori literature for our rangatahi, and acknowledges the depth of expertise and skill of our people,” she says. “He mea hirahira hei whakaawe i te tangata, ahakoa ko wai. There is inspiration for everyone.”
The 2026 judges will read, appraise and deliberate on the more than 150 anticipated entries in six categories: Picture Book, Junior Fiction (the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award), Young Adult Fiction, Non-Fiction (the Elsie Locke Award), Illustration (the Russell Clark Award) and te reo Māori (the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Awards). They will select up to five finalists in each category, as well as up to five finalists for the NZSA Best First Book Award, and then winners in each category. The supreme winner, the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year, will be decided by both panels from the main category winners.
Submissions for the 2026 awards are open for books published between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026. The first deadline, for books published up to 30 November 2025, is Friday 12 December 2025. Entries for books published between 1 December 2025 and 31 March 2026 will be accepted from Monday 15 December. More details about how to enter can be found here: http://www.nzbookawards.nz/new-zealand-book-awards-for-children-and-young-adults/how-to-enter/
The judges will reveal their 2026 shortlist on 10 June 2026 and winners will be announced at an awards ceremony hosted in Wellington on 19 August 2026.
The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are governed by the New Zealand Book Awards Trust Te Ohu Tiaki i Te Rau Hiringa. They are made possible through the generosity, commitment and vision of funders and sponsors Creative New Zealand, HELL Pizza, Wright Family Foundation, LIANZA Te Rau Herenga o Aotearoa, Wellington City Council and City Libraries, The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa, and NielsenIQ BookData.
For more information about the 2026 judges, see below or go here: http://www.nzbookawards.nz/new-zealand-book-awards-for-children-and-young-adults/2026-awards/judges/
Any queries about the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults should be directed to Awards Administrator Joy Sellen at childrensawards@nzbookawards.org.nz.
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Released on behalf of the New Zealand Book Awards Trust Te Ohu Tiaki i Te Rau Hiringa by:
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2026 JUDGES
Photos can be found here.
Convenor of judges Simie Simpson (Te Ᾱti Awa) is the programmes manager for Read NZ Te Pou Muramura, based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington. She has wide ranging experience as a bookseller, publishing sales manager, public librarian, and book reviewer. Simie has been chair of the Samesame but Different Literary Festival, and was a judge for the 2019 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. She believes in the transformative power of books, and the importance of tamariki seeing themselves reflected in the books they read.
Cassie Hart (Kāi Tahu, Pākehā) is an award-winning author, editor and mentor living in New Plymouth under the watchful gaze of Taranaki Maunga. While Cassie writes primarily adult fiction and personal essays, she loves and reads stories for all ages. This year she has begun working as a librarian – and her to-be-read list has grown exponentially with the suggestions of the rangatahi who frequent Puke Ariki library.
Chris Reed (Ngāti Porou, Pākehā) is a Tāmaki Makaurau-based high school teacher, who is head of the English faculty at one of the country’s largest schools. In 2026 he is taking a study sabbatical to engage in an immersion te reo Māori course. Chris is also a published writer and a book reviewer, who is passionate about promoting reading for the benefit of young people throughout New Zealand.
Lauryn Urquhart is a school librarian in Mosgiel, who takes joy in supporting students on their literary and reading journeys. She has over 20 years of experience in school and public libraries, which has given her a good understanding of what attracts a reader to a story. Lauryn is a dedicated advocate for school libraries and librarians, and currently serves as the Otago representative on the SLANZA National Executive.
Lucy Black has a background in education and 20 years of experience working in libraries and bookshops, and is currently librarian for an inner city Pōneke school. She is also a prolific reader, a writer and a literary reviewer. For Lucy, reading is a way to comprehend society, and she likes to delve deep into any text she reads to pinpoint the core messages and purpose.
Convenor of Te Kura Pounamu panel for 2026, Te Wairere Puāwaitanga O Te Whakaaro Ngaia (Waikato-Maniapoto, Taranaki Tūturu, Te Ātiawa, Ngāruahinerangi, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue) is a Waikato-based kaiako of te reo Māori and a qualified translator. Her dedication to te reo Māori and Tikanga Māori was nurtured though her own total-immersion education. Te Wairere has degrees in Communications and Māori Performing Arts, and a Masters of Management Studies. She has nurtured a love of literature and the arts from a young age, but what drives her most is her passion for her people and her culture. She previously judged Te Kura Pounamu category in 2023.
Eva Mahara (Waikato, Ngāti Te Wehi) is content editor – te reo Māori at the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, a role that involves connecting communities, schools and ākonga to the collections through language. She has over 20 years’ experience in translation, interpreting, content editing and publishing, including leadership roles at Whakaata Māori. Eva is committed to promoting great Māori literature for tamariki and rangatahi, and has a passion for stories that celebrate te reo Māori and inspire young readers to tell their own stories.
Hona Black (Tūhoe, Te Whānau a Apanui, Tūwharetoa) is a Māori language academic, writer, and educator, who is Associate Professor at Te Pūtahi a Toi, Massey University in Palmerston North. He is known for his contributions to reo revitalisation and resource development, and is the author of three bestselling books on aspects of Māori language. Hona has worked extensively across kura, wānanga and universities, and continues to teach, write, and develop resources that strengthen advanced reo proficiency and Māori knowledge creation.
