Christchurch City Libraries lists literary prize winners and links to catalogue searches, but we may not hold copies of all titles mentioned.
The Elsie Locke Non-Fiction Award was established in 1986 to encourage the development of excellence in New Zealand non-fiction for young people. Originally the LIANZA Young People’s Non-Fiction Award, it was renamed the Elsie Locke Medal in 2002. This Award is given to the book that is considered to be the most distinguished contribution to non-fiction for young adults. The prize is awarded by the Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa.
In 2016, the award merged with the NZ Post Award for Children's Non-fiction (later part of the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults) and is now known as the Non-fiction Elsie Locke Award.
See more New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults and other kids' literary prize winners.
2015
- Winner: Māori art for kids Norm Heke and Julie Noanoa
- New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame Maria Gill and Marco Ivancic
- Mōtītī Blue and the oil spill: a story from the Rena disaster Debbie McCauley
- The book of Hat Harriet Rowland
- A New Zealand nature journal Sandra Morris
2014
- Winner: Wearable wonders Fifi Colston
- Flight of the honey bee Raymond Huber; illustrated by Brian Lovelock
- The beginner’s guide to hunting and fishing in New Zealand Paul Adamson
- Anzac Day: the New Zealand story Philippa Werry
2013
- Winner: At the beach: explore & discover the New Zealand seashore Ned Barraud and Gillian Candler
- Eruption! Discovering New Zealand volcanoes Maria Gill
- 100 amazing tales from Aotearoa Simon Morton and Riria Hotere
2012
- Winner: Nice day for a war: adventures of a Kiwi soldier in World War I Matt Elliott and Chris Slane
- New Zealand hall of fame: 50 remarkable Kiwis Maria Gill; illustrated by Bruce Potter
- The call of the kokako Maria Gill and Heather Arnold
- Digging up the past: archaeology for the young & curious David Veart
2011
- Winner: The Kiwi fossil hunters handbook James Crampton and Marianna Terezow
- Weird Wabbit & friends/ Star Boy & Friends series Vasanti Unka
- The life cycle of the pūkeko Betty Brownlie
- Sensational survivors Sandra Morris
- The Tui NZ kids’ garden Diana Noonan and Keith Olsen
2010
- Winner: Dear Alison edited by Simon Pollard
- Nic’s New Zealand nature: invader Nic Vallance and Rod Morris
- Ben and Mark: boys of the high country Christine Fernyhough and John Bougen
- E3 call home Janet Hunt
- Get growing: a NZ step-by-step guide Helen Cook
2009
- Winner: Atoms, dinosaurs & DNA Veronika Meduna & Rebecca Priestley
- Back & beyond: New Zealand painting for the young & curious Gregory O’Brien
- Juicy writing: inspiration and techniques for young writers Brigid Lowry
- Piano rock: a 1950s childhood Gavin Bishop
- High-tech legs on Everest Mark Inglis with Sarah Ell
2008
- Winner: Draw New Zealand birds Heather Arnold
- What is a …? (series) Feana Tu’akoi
- Rubbish Rachael Goddard
- Weather Watch New Zealand Sandra Carrod
- The illustrated history of Antarctica Marcia Stenson
2007
- Winner: Red haze: Australians & New Zealanders in Vietnam Leon Davidson
- Winging it!: the adventures of Tim Wallis Neville Peat
- Birds-eye view: through the eyes of New Zealand birds Maria Gill
- Illustrated history of the South Pacific Marcia Stenson
- Nature kids: kakapo Rod Morris
2006
- Winner: Developments in New Zealand History (series) Kevin Boon
- Predators in New Zealand Marc Mason
- Scarecrow army: the ANZACs at Gallipoli Leon Davidson
- Cameras in Narnia: how The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe came to life Ian Brodie
- Frontier of dreams: the story of New Zealand (series) John Parker
2005
- Winner: Welcome to the South Seas: contemporary New Zealand art for young people Gregory O’Brien
- Antarctica, the unfolding story Margaret Andrew
- John Britten, the boy who did do better Jennifer Beck
- The life-size guide to the New Zealand beach Andrew Crowe
- With my little eye Trish Gribben; paintings by Michael Smither
2004
- Winner: A bird in the hand: keeping New Zealand wildlife safe Janet Hunt
- I am an insect written and photographed by Simon Pollard
- The life-size guide to New Zealand wildflowers written and photographed by Andrew Crowe
- Pick up a pack: a guide to tramping and camping the New Zealand way Keith Olsen
- Toroa: the royal albatross Te Aorere Riddell; photographed by Fifi Coulson
2003
- Winner: Which New Zealand insect? Andrew Crowe
- The kauri Alina Arkins; photographed by Len Doel
- Lizards Jenny Jones; photographed by Rod Morris
- Surf lifesaving Ron Bacon; photographed by Anthony Heath
- Weaving earth and sky: myths & legends of Aotearoa Robert Sullivan; illustrated by Gavin Bishop
2002
- Winner: I am a spider Dr Simon Pollard
- The kea John Lockyer; photographed by Rod Morris
- Rocky shore Brian O’Flaherty
- Yes! we had dinosaurs Glenys Stace and Mike Eagle; paintings by Damon Keen
LIANZA Young People’s Non-Fiction Award
2001
- Winner: The tuatara Brian Parkinson
- Niue Charles Cooper
- Way to play Chris Cairns
- The zoo: meet the locals Colin Hogg
2000
No award given
1999
No award given
1998
- Winner: The life-size guide to native trees and other common plants of New Zealand’s native forest Andrew Crowe
- Te kawa o te marae: a guide for all marae visitors, Wena Harawira
- The know, sow & grow kids book of plants, written by Diana Noonan and Keith Olsen; illustrated by Keith Olsen
- Seasons of Aotearoa New Zealand Bronwen Wark
1997
- Winner: I spy wildlife: the field Diana Noonan, photographs by Nic Bishop
- Down-under dolphins: the story of Hector’s dolphins Stephen Dawson and Elisabeth Slooten
- The garden Diana Noonan; photographed by Nic Bishop (I spy wildlife series).
- Maui: legends of the outcast: a graphic novel Robert Sullivan; illustrated by Chris Slane
- Picture book magic Chris Gaskin; photographed by Denis Page
1996
- Winner: Laura’s poems Laura Ranger
- Aya’s story Trish Gribben; photographed by Jenny Scown (My sea is the Pacific series)
- Nature speaks written and photographed by Peter Garland
- Samantha’s story Trish Gribben; photographed by Jenny Scown (My sea is the Pacific series)
- Which coastal plant? a simple guide to the identification of New Zealand’s common coastal plants Andrew Crowe; illustrated by Sandra Parkkali
1995
- Winner: Shadows on the wall Barbara Cairns and Helen Martin
- Doing the washing retold by Lyn Rasmussen
- The life cycle of the grasshopper written and illustrated by Betty Brownlie
1994
- Winner: Paikea Robyn Kahukiwa
- The Hector’s dolphin Jenny Jones; photography by Barbara Todd, Steve Dawson & Colin Monteath courtesy of WWF-NZ; illustrations by Alan Barnett; maps by Chris O’Brien
- The hoiho Jenny Jones; photography supplied by G. S. Court (courtesy of WWF), Dean Schneider and the Otago Daily Times; illustrations by Alan Barnett; maps by Chris O’Brien
- Te mātāwai: tuawha Hepora Young, Mange Tautari and Waaka Vercoe
- Old Blue: the rarest bird in the world written and illustrated by Mary Taylor
- Slugs and snails Colin Walker; photographed by Paul Gay
- The tuatara Jenny Jones; photography by Alison Cree, Brett Robertson & Marcus Simons, courtesy of WWF-NZ; illustrations by Alan Barnett; maps by Chris O’Brien
1993
- Winner: Albatross adventure Kim Westerskov
- Cats, cats, cats written and photographed by Graham Meadows
- Dinosaurs of New Zealand written and illustrated by Geoffrey J. Cox
- Moving the earth from an interview with Stan Goodman by Pat Quinn; photographed by Jamie Lean
1992
- Winner: The damselfly Peter Garland
- Borany’s story Borany Kanal and Adrienne Jansen
- Grow a gift Pauline Cartwright; illustrated by Jill Parry
- Kahuku Lorraine Tarrant
1991
- Winner: Model boats that really go John Reid
- Eddie’s home-made fun Eddie Sunderland; illustrated by Henry Sunderland
- Journey: the kiwifruit story John Parker
- Once upon a time written and illustrated by Gwenda Turner
- The seven Chinese brothers Margaret Mahy; illustrated by Jean and Mou-sien Tseng
1990
- Winner: The web: the triumph of a New Zealand girl over anorexia Deborah Furley
- Enjoy it Donna Bryant; illustrated by Jan Van der Voo
- The green fish of Ngahue Ron Bacon; illustrated by Mary Taylor
- Grow it Donna Bryant; illustrated by Jan Van der Voo
- New Zealand colours written and illustrated by Gwenda Turner
- Save it Donna Bryant; illustrated by Jan Van der Voo
- Watch it Donna Bryant; illustrated by Jan Van der Voo
1989
- Winner: It’s OK to be you Clair Patterson
- The story of the kakapo, parrot of the night Philip Temple; illustrated by Chris Gaskin
1988
No award given
- The ballad of Young Nick: how he sailed with Captain Cook from Plymouth to Botany Bay, 1768-70 Diane Hebley; illustrated by Gary Hebley
- Introducing Margaret Mahy Betty Gilderdale
- New Zealand’s story in stamps Gordon Ell
1987
- Winner: Gaijin: foreign children in Japan Olive and Ngaio Hill