The finalists for the 2018 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults have been announced.

"From sharks and dawn raids to earthquakes, kidnap plots, Jean Batten and the familiar chaos that is kids at breakfast time, their range is diverse. But they all share the magical ability to transport, inform and delight, says convenor of judges, Jeannie Skinner. “These books, fiction and non-fiction, help us try on different lives, see the world through another’s eyes, and be inspired by stories of our past, present, and possible futures.”

The judges say the real strength of the shortlist is the range of vividly drawn and memorable characters who encounter challenges, both physical and mental. They were also delighted by the richly authentic voices, which reflect the unique New Zealand landscape, vernacular and humour, with convincingly drawn family and peer dynamics. Powerful settings of imagined futures, whether dystopian, inter-planetary or steampunk, add variety and wild imagination to the vibrant mix. (Read the judges' full comments).

The awards are administered by the New Zealand Book Awards Trust and the final award winners will be announced Wednesday 8 August 2018.

A special congratulations to Canterbury finalists Gavin Bishop for Non-Fiction and Jenny Cooper (Amberley) for Illustration.

Finalists

Picture Book Award Finalists

• Granny McFlitter the Champion Knitter Heather Haylock, illustrated by Lael Chisholm (Penguin Random House)
• I am Jellyfish Ruth Paul (Penguin Random House)
• That's Not the Monster We Ordered Richard Fairgray & Terry Jones (Penguin Random House)
• The Gift Horse Sophie Siers, illustrated by Katharine White (Millwood Press)
• The Longest Breakfast Jenny Bornholdt, illustrated by Sarah Wilkins (Gecko Press)

Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction Finalists

The authentic voices of young New Zealanders are heard loud and clear in the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Junior Fiction shortlist. Whether in the past or present, drama or comedy, the judges found the characters to be warm and vividly real, as they face challenges and negotiate relationships.

• How Not to Stop a Kidnap Plot Suzanne Main (Scholastic NZ)
• How to Bee Bren MacDibble (Allen & Unwin)
• Lyla: Through My Eyes - Natural Disaster Zones Fleur Beale, edited by Lyn White (Allen & Unwin)
• My New Zealand Story: Dawn Raid Pauline (Vaeluaga) Smith (Scholastic NZ)
• The Thunderbolt Pony Stacy Gregg (HarperCollins Publishers)

Read Christchurch City Library's interview with Stacy Gregg about The Thunderbolt Pony and keep an eye out for her following book The Fire Stallion (due out late September 2018).

Copyright Licensing NZ Award for Young Adult Fiction Finalists

The Copyright Licensing NZ Award for Young Adult Fiction was another exceptionally strong field this year, with themes of survival against the odds, challenges and mental health issues. Most importantly, the judges say, the authors in this category all nailed the voice of their young adult characters “in these well-written and deftly plotted books”.

• Because Everything Is Right but Everything Is Wrong Erin Donohue (Escalator Press)
• Catch Me When You Fall Eileen Merriman (Penguin Random House)
• In the Dark Spaces Cally Black (Hardie Grant Egmont)
• Sticking with Pigs Mary-anne Scott (OneTree House)
• The Traitor and the Thief Gareth Ward (Walker Books Australia)

Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction Finalists

The judges were excited to see such a bountiful number of high calibre nominations for the Elsie Locke Non-Fiction Award and they say the finalists shine with the authors’ expertise and passion for their subjects. “These non-fiction books take sometimes complex subjects and distil the essence, clearly and honestly, for their young audience to show what makes our world so interesting, wonderful, and various.”

• Aotearoa: The New Zealand Story Gavin Bishop (Penguin Random House)
• Explore! Aotearoa Bronwen Wall, illustrated by Kimberly Andrews (Kennett Brothers)
• New Zealand's Great White Sharks Alison Ballance (Potton & Burton)
• Sky High: Jean Batten's Incredible Flying Adventures David Hill, illustrated by Phoebe Morris (Penguin Random House)
• The New Zealand Wars Philippa Werry (New Holland)

Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for Te Reo Māori Finalists

The entries in the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for books written entirely in te reo Māori were described as ‘Ahakoa he iti he pounamu’ ...they were “precious like greenstone”, and the judges praised both the content and the quality of the language used.

• Hineahuone, Xoë Hall, translated by Sian Montgomery-Neutze (TeacherTalk)
• Te Tamaiti me te Aihe Robyn Kahukiwa, translated by Kiwa Hammond (Little Island Press Ltd)
• Tu Meke Tūī! Malcolm Clarke, illustrated by Hayley King (AKA Flox), translated by Evelyn Tobin (Mary Egan Publishing)

Russell Clark Award for Illustration Finalists

• Abel Tasman: Mapping the Southern Lands illustrated by Marco Ivančić, written by Maria Gill (Scholastic NZ)
• Bobby, the Littlest War Hero illustrated by Jenny Cooper, written by Glyn Harper (Penguin Random House)
• Giants, Trolls, Witches, Beasts, written and illustrated by Craig Phillips (Allen & Unwin)
• I am Jellyfish written and illustrated by Ruth Paul (Penguin Random House)
• Sky High: Jean Batten's Incredible Flying Adventures illustrated by Phoebe Morris, written by David Hill (Penguin Random House)

Best First Book Award

• Because Everything Is Right but Everything Is Wrong Erin Donohue (Escalator Press)
• My New Zealand Story: Dawn Raid Pauline (Vaeluaga) Smith (Scholastic NZ)
• Pieces of You Eileen Merriman (Penguin Random House)
• The Traitor and the Thief Gareth Ward (Walker Books Australia)
• Into the White Joanna Grochowicz (Allen & Unwin)

Christchurch City Libraries was pleased to host a session with author Joanna Grochowicz in the 2017 school holidays based on her book about Scott's Antarctic Odyssey, Into the White.

More information about the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults:

• Judges for the 2018 awards
• Previous winners of the NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults
• Read about the 2017 Finalists schools presentation in Christchurch 

An integral part of the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults is the HELL Reading Challenge, now in its fifth year. It has been hugely successful in getting kids reading and enjoying the pleasure of stories (and pizza). Kids can pick up their reading challenge cards at Christchurch City Libraries (open until December 2018).