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Thank you to all of you who have managed to select a special title from your 2022 lists — we know it is a tough ask to pick just one or two.  Below you will find many amazing and varied books demonstrating the health and breadth of publishing in Aotearoa. I for one have found that my Christmas gift list and summer reading pile has just got a lot longer…

And congratulations go to Allen & Unwin for once again being the publisher who inspired the most envy amongst their peers — impeccable timing capturing the mood of the nation as it got behind the Black Ferns at the Rugby World Cup with the excellent Straight Up by Ruby Tui. 

Holly Hunter Commissioning Editor, HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand

I can’t look past Blue Blood by Andrea Vance, which became my first ever #1 bestseller. Piecing together the inside story of the National Party’s chaotic and embarrassing recent years in opposition, this book made me gasp and cackle. To echo John Key, ‘at the end of the day’ it’s just a bloody good read.

It’s also been a privilege to publish Naomi Toilalo’s debut baking book, WhānauKai. With luscious recipes in te reo Māori and in English, and mouthwatering photography throughout, this book is packed with sweet treats to whip up for friends and whānau this summer. The best thing about publishing a cookbook is seeing people on Instagram make the recipes at home.

I’m looking on in awe and a touch of envy at Straight Up by Ruby Tui (A&U). It’s amazing to see the book reach beyond typical nonfiction buyers in the wake of the Ferns’ RWC win – to see kids at the game waving their signed copies to the camera. Great story, great packaging, great timing.

Nicola Legat, Publishers Massey University Press and Te Papa Press

Massey University Press pick

Sylvia and the Birds by Johanna Emeney and Sarah Laing.

MUP doesn’t publish many children’s books so when we do they have to be pretty special, as this one is. Important, engaging, amusing and information-packed, we think it’s a bit of a triumph by Jo and Sarah.

Te Papa Press pick:

Robin White Something Is Happening Here, edited by Sarah Farrar, Nina Tonga and Jill Trevelyan

It was a privilege to work with the Auckland Art Gallery to co publish this survey of the career and work of the remarkable Dame Robin White and to then see visitors to the major exhibitions at Te Papa and AAG respond so warmly to her work. Sarah, Nina and Jill brought together a crack team of guest writers and was a pleasure to work with them all.

From other publishers:

Straight Up by Ruby Tui.  A&U strikes again and correctly picks the zeitgeist. Who wouldn’t want all that turnover?

Deborah Coddington, Ugly Hill Press

My book of the year is The Axeman’s Carnival by Catherine Chidgey. It was so original and clever. I admire the imagination of a writer who can think of using a magpie as the narrator. The story was dark, yes, but also very funny. And the husband was not a total monster which would have been too easy, and too lazy. And what a piece of work the sister was. OMG. I also learned a lot about magpies. Great cover too, excellent cover.

When I finished the book I gave it to my (conservative) husband and at first he thought, “what have you gotten me into, woman?” but he loved it too. Thought it was an excellent, accomplished, and very smart novel.

I am from Hawke’s Bay so I could be biased toward magpies.

The Otago University Press team

In terms of OUP’s Publishing Picks for 2022, we’re extremely proud of all our publications and would love to pick each one for various reasons. But to select two, we’d love to highlight Notes on Womanhood by Sarah Jane Barnett and Fossil Treasures of Foulden Maar: A window into Miocene Zealandia by Daphne Lee, Uwe Kaulfuss and John Conran. We’ve picked Notes on Womanhood as it’s such a beautifully-written and powerful memoir / coming-of-middle-age story, where Sarah starts an open conversation about what the concept of womanhood means to her. It’s also the first book in our new KA HAEA TE ATA series (KA HAEA TE ATA: books that cast light on issues of importance in Aotearoa today). We pick Fossil Treasures of Foulden Maar because of it’s amazing local, national and international significance and because of its beautiful illustrations. This book is a fantastic tribute to years of focused research at the Foulden Maar paleontological site and tells an amazing story of discovery and preservation. I’ve attached the cover image files for both if you’d like to use.

A book we admired from another publisher is By the Green of the Spring by Paddy Richardson, published by Quentin Wilson Publishing. We love how immersive the writing is and how it makes you feel like you’re really there while reading it. A gripping read!

Craig Gamble, Publishing Manager Te Herenga Waka University Press 

We loved publishing all our diverse, original and popular books this year but it was really satisfying seeing Gaylene Preston’s wonderful memoir Gaylene’s Take receive such a warm response, a welcome that was echoed for John Martin’s huge ang comprehensive history of early Wellington – Empire City. The book we would have most liked to publish was definitely Grand – Becoming My Mother’s Daughter by Noelle McCarthy. We look forward to welcoming Noelle to Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington next year as the IIML writer in residence. 

Peter Dowling, Publisher, Oratia Books 

Among the Oratia offspring this year, one that really deserves recognition is Richard Wolfe’s Footprints on the Land: How Humans Changed New Zealand. As we increasingly experience the impacts of climate change and environmental depredation, it’s instructive to explore what got us to this point. Richard does this in a brilliant summary that’s enlivened by his curatorial selection of artwork. 

If we published fiction and had been free to sign up Monty Soutar, I’d have loved to publish his novel Kāwai. How good to see a Māori historical novel, one actually written by an historian, head to the top of the bestseller lists. Bateman has put together a fine editorial and marketing combo to back Monty’s work.

Claire Murdoch, Head of Publishing, Penguin Random House NZ

There was a LOT to be admiring of in 2023 from all NZ publishers and, for the sake of readers (if not our gnashing teeth), long may that be the case!

Top of my team’s green-eyed little list are Ruby Tui: Straight Up from A&U, Rooms by Jane Ussher from MUP and Kāwai by Monty Soutar from Bateman.

We’re impressed with Ariana Tikao’s Mokorua – ngā kōrero mō tōku moko kauae – my story of moko kauae which is a multi-layered poem of a book, published by AUP. Ka rawe!

And from our own stable? Anyone (left) who hasn’t yet read Hinemoa ‘Aroha’ Elder’s next-level wonder Wawata, Noelle McCarthy’s Grand, Jenny Pattrick’s Harbouring or Coco Solid’s How to Loiter in a Turf War will not be disappointed — and none could regret bathing in Juliet Nicholas and Rosemary Barraclough’s New Zealand Gardens to Visit.

For the kids, we think every book the team at Huia puts out is beyond amazing and [heart emoji] Potton and Burton’s books by Ned Barraud. Among Puffins, there are three little words for one big book we love.: Roar, Squeak, Purr – Paula Green’s epic anthology of animal poems adorably illustrated by Jenny Cooper. Little Tales of Hedgehog and Goat is gentle, poetic and characterful, with each chapter a perfect bite of story to read at bedtime – and Have You Seen Tomorrow just makes you smile. Kyle’s spare, careful writing at its best, complemented by Laura Bee’s delicately delightful illustrations.

Happy holidays. 

Louise Russell, Publisher, Bateman Books 

We’ve been absolutely delighted at the response to Monty Soutar’s debut novel, the first in a trilogy: Kāwai – For such a time as this. Number one on the NZ fiction bestseller list for 12 weeks straight and counting, its success indicates a clear appetite for Māori stories written by Māori writers.

Speaking of Māori writers, though a completely different genre this time, we’re also pretty chuffed with Christall Lowe’s exquisite and unintimidating cookbook, and homage to whanau and the power of food memories, Kai. In terms of other publishers’ successes, that’s a tough one as the standard of local publishing this year has been so high across the board, but like many of the other publishers no doubt, I’d probably have to go with the phenomenal Ruby Tui’s memoir Straight Up. Well done, A&U. 

Jenny Hellen, Publishing Director, Allen & Unwin

The biggest highlight of my year has to be publishing Ruby Tui’s memoir Straight Up. As everyone now knows, Ruby is an absolutely extraordinary person – on and off the rugby field – and the response to her book has also been nothing short of extraordinary. I’ve never seen anything like it before. People have taken her story and her messages to heart and the book inspires people of all kinds. The book has sold out numerous times since the Black Ferns won the Rugby World Cup and we have been reprinting constantly in New Zealand to try and keep up with demand. It’s exceptional. I’m so delighted for Ruby and for the fact that the memoir of a woman sports star can sell so strongly here. It feels like just the beginning of a new way for books to be in this country.

A book I very much admire from another publisher is Empire City by John Martin, published by THWUP. It’s a non-fiction account of Wellington from early contact between Māori and Pākehā in 1839 until the 1870s. I’m obsessed by prehistory and also NZ’s early history so this is a must-read for me.

Michelle Hurley, Publisher, Allen & Unwin NZ 

The book that tugged on my heartstrings this year is I Am Autistic, by a fantastic young writer and illustrator, Chanelle Moriah. The book has sold incredibly well, including selling U.S. rights to it. I also had a great time publishing Chris Finlayson’s memoir, Yes, Minister. He’s a very funny man.

The book I wish I had published is The Axeman’s Carnival by Catherine Chidgey. Honestly, who wouldn’t? But also for the lolz of @tamamagpie’s Twitter account throwing shade on just about everyone in publishing.

Mel Winder, Managing Director, Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand

Hard to narrow it down to just two highlights from 2022; Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez is the story of a feisty whip smart young Puerto Rican woman and her emotionally and politically complicated family and was a revelation from start to finish. I love everything Maggie O’Farrell writes, and The Marriage Portrait was no exception; she is absolutely at the top of her game and this beautifully written page turning novel about Lucrezia de Medici is on all the 2022 Must Read lists with good reason.

I inhale books about clothes and fashion and have spent many happy hours dipping in and out of Dressed by Claire Regnault (Te Papa Press) – a gorgeous looking book with vivid descriptions that bring the clothes and their wearers alive.

Dahlia Malaeulu Author / Publisher / Director Mila’s Books

The top picks for 2022 from Mila’s Books are:

A New Dawn by Emeli Sione (Mila’s Books) and The Greatest Kapa Haka Festival on Earth by Pania Tahau-Hodges (Huia).

Author Pania Tahau-Hodges is pictured here with both Mila’s Books’ top picks for 2022

A New Dawn by Emeli Sione (Mila’s Books).  Pictured here along with Polynesian Panthers members Tigilau Ness and Alec Toleafoa.

Quentin Wilson, Publisher, Quentin Wilson Publishing

Favourite titles from QWP:

A Runner’s Guide to Rakiura: A Novel by Jessica Howland Kany

The Lovelock Version meets Moby Dick meets Treasure Island
Playful, funny and romantic, this delightful debut novel is braided with stories of love and war, treasure maps, bobbing buoys, floating libraries, island lore, and the joys of running. “A festival of plot, story and wonderful writing… A worthy successor to Maurice Shadbolt” – Prof Patrick Evans, author of The Penguin History of New Zealand Literature

The Crate: A Ghost Story by James Norcliffe

A riveting supernatural tale with a bittersweet ending as unexpected as it is satisfying. “The Crate will be an outstanding addition to the literature for children in Aotearoa.” – Gavin Bishop

A Month at the Back of My Brain: A third memoir by Kevin Ireland

This unpredictable experiment allows the ordinary and everyday to take a rightful place among the souvenirs of Ireland’s life. It’s all here: childhood shoplifting challenges and trips to the murder house, ruminations on reputable poets and disreputable poseurs, encounters with many a picturesque character, madcap adventures in London, stories behind several of Kevin’s poems, a tall tale or two about fishing, and much more…

From another publisher:

Bushline: A Memoir by Robbie Burton

I am really enjoying Robbie’s memoir. Highly recommended…

Interns 2023 – Damien Levi (Te Ātihaunui-a-Pāpārangi), Ruby Leonard and Callum Knight (Te Hika o Pāpāuma)

PANZ is very pleased to announce the successful recipients of the 2023 Creative New Zealand National Publishing Internships Initiative (colloquially know as the Intern Programme).  In the new year Ruby Leonard will intern with Te Herenga Waka University Press, Callum Knight with HUIA while Damien Levi will take his place at Penguin Random House in Auckland.

The Intern Programme, administered by PANZ, provides paid internship opportunities each year for three new graduates of the Whitireia New Zealand publishing course to enter the industry and is highly coveted by both students and publishers alike.

Craig Gamble, Publishing Manager of Te Herenga Waka University Press was thrilled to be one of the successful publishers. “We at THWUP are delighted to have Ruby joining us as an intern in 2023. We value the energy and freshness that an intern brings to our workplace, just as much as we appreciate the extra capacity they give us. Ruby came to us for her work placement this year and impressed us with her obvious ability and hard work, we can’t wait to see what she will accomplish next year.”

The programme has produced some impressive results in past years with many publishers choosing to offer the interns full-time positions at the end of the programme, and a number of former interns now hold senior positions in publishing companies.

Odessa Owens, Senior Tutor, Publishing at Whitireia says “It’s hugely rewarding to see deserving students go into their dream jobs through these internships.”

Congratulations to all the successful students and publishers.

For more details on the Creative New Zealand National Publishing Internships Initiative click here.

L-R: Dame Wendy Pye, Jenny Oliver, Chris Shaw, Catriona Ferguson, Kevin Chapman, Peter Dowling & Alessandra Zecchini

Association Director Catriona Ferguson reports:

It was a joy for PANZ to be back at the Frankfurt Book Fair last week. For obvious reasons we haven’t been able to host a collective stand since 2019 but this year we made our presence felt with a vibrant, stunning stand which provided a beautiful backdrop for some very fine books from Aotearoa New Zealand.

Our small but perfectly formed team of publishers on the ground, (Kevin Chapman – Upstart Press, Peter Dowling and Alessandra Zecchini – Oratia, Julia Marshall – Gecko Press and Dame Wendy Pye and Jenny Oliver – Sunshine Books) have all reported positive meetings with promising things to come.

There was also a lot of interest in books and resources from publishers who had a virtual presence and had books and materials displayed on the stand (Beatnik, Biozone, Black Chook Books, EduMaxi, Essential Resources, Global Ed, HUIA, Koa Press, OneTree House) – New Zealand was definitely back with a bang this year.

We received a very warm welcome from the book fair team and were thrilled to be gifted a certificate and some delicious bubbles and chocolates to acknowledge 25 years of the PANZ collective stand at Frankfurt. We’d also like to give a shout out to our trailblazing colleague, Dame Wendy Pye who led the way and has been attending Frankfurt with Sunshine Books for 40 years.

It was also a delight to reconnect with old friends – particularly Joy Reifgens and Christiane and Ann-Sophie Geipert-Arheilger our amazing stand helpers, and to make some new friends including Head of Mission at the NZ Embassy in Germany, Craig Hawke and Marina Wilmerstadt from Education NZ who both came along to our stand party. And on the party, thanks go to the NZ Embassy team for their support in providing some much enjoyed NZ wine and special thanks to Cornelia Loser who helped to ensure that it reached the stand at just the right time.

And now it’s onto the work of following up on all of those meetings and dropped off business cards which will undoubtedly keep our participating publishers busy for some time.

As ever we’d like to acknowledge our supporters, Creative New Zealand, Education New Zealand, Book Systems International and Multi Freight Ltd.

A book referred to as a “cabinet of wonder” has been judged the most beautiful in Aotearoa at the 2022 PANZ Book Design Awards ceremony held in Auckland this evening.

Conversātiō – In the company of bees, by Anne Noble with Zara Stanhope and Anna Brown, was described by the judges as a “ravishing blend of science, art, and book design in a volume devoted to the honeybee”.

As well as receiving the supreme award, the Gerard Reid Award for Best Book sponsored by Nielsen BookData, it was also awarded the Penguin Random House New Zealand Award for Best Illustrated Book.

The book’s cover was designed by Anna Brown of Massey University’s College of Creative Arts and Matt Law.  Anna also designed the interior.

Normally a designer becomes involved towards the end of a project, but uniquely with this book Anna Brown was part of the team from the outset, contributing to its conceptual development and credited as a co-author on the book’s cover. This deep involvement did not go unnoticed by the judges, and they lauded the title’s “confident playfulness, made possible by the designer’s understanding of the book’s theme and content”.

“The reference to old style bookbinding shown in the bindery style expresses such a wonderful and collaborative love of bookmaking in its widest sense, by all involved – publisher, authors, and designer,” continued the judging comments. “A special book.”

Turning to the other categories, it was the extra design touches, font choices and beautiful photography that saw Homecooked: Seasonal recipes for every day by Lucy Corry, designed by Cat Taylor with original cover art by Evie Kemp, take out the coveted 1010 Printing Award for Best Cookbook.

The Allen & Unwin Award for Best Commercial Book for Adults was awarded to Ockham New Zealand Book Award winner Kurangaituku by Whiti Hereaka, designed by Te Kani Price and Camilla Lau. Te Kani was also named 2022 Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand Emerging Designer, with the judges praising his creative vision and experimental work.

The Scholastic New Zealand Award for Best Children’s Book went to multi-talented publishing novice Emily Joe, who was the designer, author and illustrator of My Cat Can See Ghosts.

On the education front, the Lift Education Award for Best Education Book or Series — Primary was awarded to Inside New Zealand Wildlife by Dave Gunson, designed by Dave Gunson and Alice Bell.

Finally, the night’s attendees clearly agreed with the judges and Conversātiō – In the company of bees, also won the Booksellers Aotearoa New Zealand People’s Choice Award, which is decided during the ceremony by attendee vote.

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 2022 PANZ Book Design Awards winners are:

Gerard Reid Award for Best Book sponsored by Nielsen BookData

• Conversātiō — In the company of bees by Anne Noble with Zara Stanhope and Anna Brown (Massey University Press). Cover designed by Anna Brown & Matt Law.  Interior designed by Anna Brown

 Penguin Random House New Zealand Award for Best Illustrated Book

• Conversātiō — In the company of bees by Anne Noble with Zara Stanhope and Anna Brown (Massey University Press). Cover designed by Anna Brown & Matt Law.  Interior designed by Anna Brown

Upstart Press Award for Best Non-Illustrated Book

• A Clear Dawn: New Asian Voices from Aotearoa New Zealand edited by Paula Morris and Alison Wong (Auckland University Press). Cover designed by Keely O’Shannessy. Interior designed by Keely O’Shannessy with typesetting by Tina Delceg

 Scholastic New Zealand Award for Best Children’s Book

• My Cat Can See Ghosts by Emily Joe (Beatnik). Designed by Emily Joe

Lift Education Award for Best Education Book or Series — Primary

• Inside New Zealand Wildlife by Dave Gunson (Bateman Books). Cover design by Dave Gunson & Alice Bell. Interior designed by Alice Bell

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

• No winner but special commendation to Social Policy Practice and Processes in Aotearoa New Zealand edited by Graham Hassall and Girol Karacaoglu (Massey University Press). Cover designed by Tim Denee. Interior designed by Megan van Staden

1010 Printing Award for Best Cookbook

• Homecooked: Seasonal recipes for every day by Lucy Corry (Penguin Random House NZ).
  Cover designed by Cat Taylor with original cover art by Evie Kemp. Interior designed by Cat Taylor

Allen & Unwin Award for Best Commercial Book for Adults

• Kurangaituku by Whiti Hereaka (HUIA Publishers). Designed by Te Kani Price and Camilla Lau

 HarperCollins Publishers Award for Best Cover

• Rangikura by Tayi Tibble (Te Herenga Waka University Press). Designed by Xoë Hall

Te Herenga Waka University Press Award for Best Typography

• He Ringatoi O Ngā Tūpuna by Hilary and John Mitchell (Potton & Burton). Designed by Floor van Lierop, This is Them

 2022 Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand Emerging Designer

• Te Kani Price (HUIA Publishers)

Booksellers Aotearoa New Zealand People’s Choice Award

• Conversātiō — In the company of bees by Anne Noble with Zara Stanhope and Anna Brown (Massey University Press). Cover designed by Anna Brown & Matt Law.  Interior designed by Anna Brown

The Publishers Association of NZ / Te Rau o Tākupu (PANZ) launched the Book Industry Market Size Report 2021 at their conference this week. The report highlights key findings from survey results and looks at the shape of Aotearoa New Zealand Publishing.

The good news is that the book market remains buoyant — Trade publishing has grown 6.7% on the pre-pandemic level — and Te Reo Māori publishing is on the rise with over 40% growth in sales year on year from 2019.

The rest of the book market has remained constant with similar data emerging from last year. The market grew 3% in 2020 and held steady across 2021 with a further 0.7% growth and New Zealand educational content sold domestically grew by 6% reflecting the increased importance of New Zealand curriculum content to educators across the second year of the pandemic.

Book lovers will be delighted to hear that physical books show no signs of disappearing anytime soon. Over 90% of New Zealand’s book market value is in print formats, and both digital and print formats have seen nearly 10% growth on 2019’s values.

‘The New Zealand publishing industry once again proved to be resilient in the face of the many pandemic-related challenges,’ says Nevena Nikolic, Territory Manager, Nielsen BookData New Zealand. ‘On top of which were added, inflationary pressures, paper shortages, and further supply-chain issues. Many of these issues affected publishers globally so were not unique to New Zealand but were exacerbated by our geographic location and further distance from the main supply warehouses based in Australia.’

Post-pandemic PANZ has been focused on rebuilding export markets, which provide vital income for New Zealand authors and publishers alike. The export market saw a 1% growth in exported titles. Australia continues to be the dominant export market for the book trade, showing 10% value growth. In education exports, China just edged out the United States as the key export market holding 33% of all export revenue for the first time.

‘PANZ has a vision for a thriving, sustainable and inclusive publishing industry for local and global readers,’ says Graeme Cosslett, President, Publishers Association of New Zealand / Te Rau o Tākupu.

‘Whilst the global pandemic continues to present challenges, the New Zealand publishing industry has held steady when compared with 2020. This report is a testament to our vision at PANZ and the enduring appeal of books. It shows our industry remains resilient, sustainable, and in reasonably strong heart.’

– ENDS –

VIEW THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT HERE

For more information please contact Rebecca Simpson at Fantail Communications

on rebeccca@fantailcommunications.co.nz or 021 955 942.

About PANZ

PANZ actively represents publishers’ interests to industry and government. The PANZ advocacy team works to inform the relevant government departments and industry bodies of key issues facing book publishers and how we can work effectively together.

Copyright Licensing New Zealand Cultural Fund

PANZ is indebted to Copyright Licensing New Zealand (CLNZ) and their Cultural Fund for enabling the development of this report.

About the report

The data in this report is taken from a Market Size Survey conducted by Nielsen BookData with PANZ members. Together with Nielson who use A survey tool which aggregates your sales data

By matching the same dataset each year we can calculate %change and apply this to the previous year.

It is based on a nationally representative sample of 25 publishers during this period, and makes comparisons to book publishing in the equivalent period in 2020 with a like-for-like comparison.

Key Takeaways:

Print vs digital: Print dominates with a 92.5% revenue share

Te Reo Māori titles: Unique opportunities and double-digit growth year on year

Trade: Pandemic drives growth in print & digital formats across all sectors

Educational: domestic content increased across the pandemic vs export opportunities decline

Export: Australia is the key market for Trade publishers with 50% of exports to Australia. China is the key market for Education, with 33% of Education exports to China.

Left-Right: Nicola Faisandier, Nevena Nikolic (Nielsen), Claire Murdoch and Becky Innes celebrate Penguin Random House New Zealand’s Nielsen BookData 2022 Publisher of the Year award. Photo: Rebecca McMillan

Penguin Random House New Zealand have won the prestigious Nielsen BookData Publisher of the Year Award at the Aotearoa Book Trade Industry Awards last night in Auckland.

Organised jointly by Booksellers Aotearoa NZ and the Publishers Association of NZ Te Rau o Tākapu, the ceremony was the first time the awards had been presented in person since 2019.

In her citation, awards judge Anne de Latour, said: “Applications in this category needed to display all round excellence so the judges looked at how each applicant viewed their own performance and how they are viewed externally.”

Penguin Random House New Zealand is the New Zealand home of many of the world’s best-known publishing brands and imprints, from international blockbusters like Lee Child and Diary of a Wimpy Kid to local superstars Hairy Maclary, Chelsea Winter and Witi Ihimaera.

As Anne de Latour put it in her citation:

“Aspects we considered included the success and impact of the publishing lists in the trade, support for local writers, marketing and publicity campaigns to attract new readers, communication with booksellers, commitment to diversity and inclusion, team culture and new initiatives that are being implemented to assist with distribution and delivery and environmental issues.”

Director of Penguin Random House New Zealand, Becky Innes said: “I am thrilled for my colleagues to have received this award. It is a joy for them to be recognised for their hard work, passion and tenacity. We all love being part of the book ecosystem of Aotearoa, from authors to booksellers and readers.”

Other awards presented on the night were:

• Emerging NZ Publisher of the Year: Michelle Hurley, Allen & Unwin
• Emerging NZ Bookseller of the Year: Lisa Adler, Vic Books
• NZ Bestseller Award (best-selling NZ published title between April 2021 and
  March 2022): Lost and Found: My story of heartbreak and hope, Toni Street (Allen &
  Unwin)
• International Bestseller Award (best-selling international title in NZ between
  April 2021 and March 2022): Better Off Dead: Jack Reacher 26, Lee Child and Andrew
  Child (Penguin Random House)
• Marketing and Publicity Strategy of the Year: Courtney Smith and Abba Renshaw,
  Allen & Unwin, for Salad, Two Raw Sisters
• Aotearoa Booksellers’ Choice Award: Greta and Valdin, Rebecca K Reilly (Te Herenga
  Waka University Press)
• Sales Professional of the Year: Inna Carson, HarperCollins
• Mana Māori Award: Kupu Ngā Ringa Tuhituhi Māori Writers Festival
• Nielsen BookData NZ Bookshop of the Year: Unity Books (Welllington)
• Lifetime Achievement Award: David and Jenny Hedley (Hedley’s Books, Masterton)

JUDGES

Meryl Halls
Meryl has been Managing Director of the Booksellers Association of the UK & Ireland since April 2018, having helped to drive all key BA initiatives of the last two decades. A Trustee of World Book Day, Board Member of the European & International Booksellers Federation, the British Retail Consortium, the Independent Retailers Confederation and of Bookshop.org, she was awarded the FutureBook Person of the Year Award 2020 in recognition of the work done by the BA Group on behalf of booksellers during the COVID crisis.

Ben Brown
Ben Brown was born one week before the Rolling Stones played their first gig in 1962. Ruby Tuesday is one of his favourite songs and he may tell you why if you ask him. He’s an author, poet and performer. In 2021 he was appointed New Zealand’s inaugural Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador. He is also the father of two, which he considers his best work to date.

Jill Rawnsley
Jill Rawnsley has worked in the book industry In Aotearoa in various roles in publishing, festivals, at Creative New Zealand, as a judge in the fiction category for the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards, and most recently as the inaugural Manager of the Coalition for Books and Kete.

Anne de Latour
Anne is the Executive Officer of Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable Trust and was previously Director of the Publishers Association of NZ Te Rau o Tākupu. Anne has also worked in various roles in the publishing industry and has a huge amount of knowledge and experience in the national and international book sector.

Special Advisor (Mana Māori): Iona Winter
Iona Winter’s hybrid work is widely published and anthologised in literary publications internationally. She creates work to be performed, relishing cross-modality collaboration, and holds a Master of Creative Writing. Iona has authored three collections, Gaps in the Light (2021), Te Hau Kāika (2019) and then the wind came (2018). Skilled at giving voice to difficult topics, she often draws on her deep connection to land, place and whenua. Iona lives on the East Otago Coast, Aotearoa New Zealand.