Book awards single out best of the bunch
Anyone looking for a top book to share with their favourite young reader need look no further than the finalists of the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
It’s a strong list, featuring longtime favourites such as Fleur Beale, David Hill, and Kate De Goldi as well as new talents including Jane Bloomfield and Kaeli Baker.
This year there two new awards, for illustration and te reo. Fiona Mackie, convenor of the judges, says there are some diverse and ‘‘amazingly imaginative works’’ among the finalists.
‘‘Smaller, niche publishers also submitted quality books, matching the well-established publishing houses in terms of presentation and the quality of production.’’
NZ Book Awards for children and young adults finalists
Young Adult Fiction
Battlesaurus: Rampage at Waterloo, Brian Falkner, Pan Macmillan Australia
Being Magdalene, Fleur Beale, Penguin Random House
Hucking Cody, Aaron Topp, Mary Egan Publishing
Lullaby, Bernard Beckett, Text Publishing
Sylvie the Second, Kaeli Baker, Ma¯karo Press
Junior Fiction
Enemy Camp, David Hill, Penguin Random House
From the Cutting Room of Barney Kettle, Kate De Goldi, Penguin Random House
Lily Max – Satin, Scissors, Frock, Jane Bloomfield, Luncheon Sausage Books
The Bold Ship Phenomenal, Sarah Johnson, Flat Bed Press
The Girl Who Rode the Wind, Stacy Gregg, Harper Collins
Non-Fiction
ANZAC Heroes, Maria Gill, illustrated by Marco Ivancic, Scholastic NZ
Changing Times: The story of a New Zealand town and its newspaper, Bob Kerr, Potton & Burton
See What I Can See, Gregory O’Brien, Auckland University Press
The Beginner’s Guide to Adventure Sport in New Zealand, Steve Gurney, Penguin Random House
Whose Beak Is This? Gillian Candler, illustrated by Fraser Williamson, Potton & Burton
Picture Book
Allis The Little Tractor, Sophie Siers, illustrated by Helen Kerridge, Millwood-Heritage Productions
Finding Monkey Moon, Elizabeth Pulford, illustrated by Kate Wilkinson, Walker Books
Haka, Patricia Grace, illustrated by Andrew Burdan, Huia Publishers
The House on the Hill, Kyle Mewburn, illustrated by Sarah Davis, Scholastic NZ
The Little Kiwi’s Matariki, Nikki Slade Robinson, David Ling Publishing
Illustration
Changing Times: The story of a New Zealand town and its newspaper, Bob Kerr, Potton & Burton
Finding Monkey Moon, illustrated by Kate Wilkinson, written by Elizabeth Pulford, Walker Books
Hush: A Kiwi Lullaby, illustrated by Andrew Burdan, written by Joy Cowley, translated by Ngaere Roberts, Scholastic NZ
Much Ado About Shakespeare, Donovan Bixley, Upstart Press
The House on the Hill, illustrated by Sarah Davis, written by Kyle Mewburn, Scholastic NZ
Te reo Maori
Tamanui te Ko¯ kako Mo¯ rehu o Taranaki, Rebecca Beyer and Linley Wellington, illustrated by Andrew Burdan, translated by Kawata Teepa, Huia Publishers
Te Hua Tuatahi a Kuwi, Kat Merewether, translated by Pa¯nia Papa, Illustrated Publishing
Whiti te Ra¯ ! Patricia Grace, illustrated by Andrew Burdan, translated by Kawata Teepa, Huia Publishers
Children’s choice finalists: Young Adult Fiction
Being Magdalene, Fleur Beale, Penguin Random House
Stray, Rachel Craw, Walker Books
Sylvie the Second, Kaeli Baker, Ma¯karo Press
Junior Fiction
Cool Nukes, Des Hunt, Scholastic NZ
Enemy Camp, David Hill, Penguin Random House
The Girl Who Rode the Wind, Stacy Gregg, Harper Collins
Non-Fiction
ANZAC Heroes, Maria Gill, illustrated by Marco Ivancic, Scholastic NZ
First to the Top, David Hill, illustrated by Phoebe Morris, Penguin Random House
Wildboy, Brando Yelavich, Penguin Random House
Picture Book
Kuwi’s Huhu Hunt, Kat Merewether, Illustrated Publishing
Stripes! No, Spots! Vasanti Unka, Penguin Random House
The House on the Hill, Kyle Mewburn, illustrated by Sarah Davis, Scholastic NZ
Te reo Maori
Tamanui te Ko¯ kako Mo¯ rehu o Taranaki, Rebecca Beyer and Linley Wellington, illustrated by Andrew Burdan, translated by Kawata Teepa, Huia
Te Hua Tuatahi a Kuwi, Kat Merewether, translated by Pa¯nia Papa, Illustrated Publishing
Whiti te Ra¯ ! Patricia Grace, illustrated by Andrew Burdan, translated by Kawata Teepa, Huia