LIANZA Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award

Christchurch City Libraries lists literary prize winners and links to catalogue searches, but we may not hold copies of all titles mentioned.

The Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award was established in 1945 in honour of Esther Glen, a New Zealand journalist, children’s book editor and author. The Award is awarded by the Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa and is given for the most distinguished contribution to New Zealand literature for junior fiction. In 2016, the awards merged with the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults and this award is now the Junior Fiction (Esther Glen Award).

See more LIANZA Children and Young Adult Book Awards and other kids' literary prize winners.

2015

Winner: Conrad Cooper's last stand Leonie Agnew
Monkey boy Donovan Bixley
Trouble in time Adele Broadbent
The volume of possible endings Barbara Else
Letterbox cat Paula Green

2014

Winner: Dunger Joy Cowley
Brave Company David Hill
Project Huia Des Hunt
Felix and the red rats James Norcliffe
A winter's day in 1939 Melinda Szymanik

2013

Winner: Red rocks Rachael King
The Queen and the nobody boy: a tale of Fontania Barbara Else
Drover’s quest Susan Brocker
When Empire calls Ken Catran
The ACB with Honora Lee Kate de Goldi
Lightning strikes: the slice Rose Quilter

2012

Winner: The travelling restaurant Barbara Else
The Peco incident Des Hunt
The wolf in the wardrobe Susan Brocker
Super Finn Leonie Agnew
The flytrap snaps Johanna Knox; illustrated by Sabrina Malcolm

2011

Winner: Shadow of the Boyd Diana Menefy
The haystack Jack Lasenby
Dreams of warriors Susan Brocker
Sheep on the fourth floor Leonie Thorpe
Boy Zero wannabe hero Peter Millet

2010

Winner: The billionaire’s curse Richard Newsome
Friends: Snake and Lizard Joy Cowley; illustrated by Gavin Bishop
The loblolly boy by James Norcliffe
Top secret: pass it on Jaqualine Chapman
Glory Fifi Colston

2009

Winner: Juno of Taris Fleur Beale
Old Drumble Jack Lasenby
The tomorrow code Brian Falkner
The 10pm question Kate de Goldi
Violence 101 Denis Wright

2008

Winner: Smashed Mandy Hager
Salt Maurice Gee
Losing it Sandy McKay
The sea-wreck stranger Anna Mackenzie
The dumpster saga Craig Harrison
Time of the eagle Sherryl Jordan

2007

Winner: Genesis: a novel Bernard Beckett
The whizbanger that Emmental built Reuben Schwarz
Face it Denis Martin
Thor’s tale: endurance & adventure in the Southern Ocean Janice Marriott
The assassin of Gleam James Norcliffe
Billy: a Lolly Leopold story Kate de Goldi (Trapeze)

2006

Winner: Dreamhunter Elizabeth Knox
Mr Bluenose Jack Lasenby
Sea of mutiny Ken Catran
War zones Helen Beaglehole
With lots of love from Georgia Brigid Lowry

2005

Winner: Malcolm and Juliet Bernard Beckett
A new song in the land Fleur Beale
On a good day Deborah Burnside
Robert Moran, Private Ken Catran
The swap Wendy Catran
Wild West hullabaloo Joy Cowley; illustrated by Trevor Pye

2004

Winner: Jacko Moran, sniper Ken Catran
Henry and the flea Brian Falkner
Juggling with mandarins V. M. Jones
The serpents of Arakesh V. M. Jones
Thunder Road Ted Dawe

2003

Winner: Right where it hurts David Hill
Alchemy Margaret Mahy
Buddy V. M. Jones
Letters from the coffin-trenches Ken Catran
When the war came home Sarah Ell

2002

Winner: Knocked for six Alison Robertson
Ambushed Fleur Beale; illustrated by Martin Bailey
The sleeper wakes David Hill
Taming the taniwha Tim Tipene; illustrated by Henry Campbell (Published in Māori as: Te taniwha i te kura).

2001

Winner: 24 hours Margaret Mahy
After the war written and illustrated by Bob Kerr
Shadrach girl Joy Cowley
Voyage with Jason Ken Catran

2000

No Award given

1999

No Award given

1998

Winner: Fat, four-eyed and useless David Hill
Because we were the travellers Jack Lasenby
Dare truth or promise Paula Boock
Love, Charlie Mike Kate De Goldi
Ticket to the sky dance Joy Cowley

1997

Winner: Sanctuary Kate de Goldi
The battle of Pook Island Jack Lasenby
The onager Ken Catran
The other side of silence Margaret Mahy
Reliable friendly girls: stories Jane Westaway

1996

Winner: Crossroads Janice Marriott
Annie & Co. and Marilyn Monroe William Taylor
Numbskulls William Taylor
Take it easy David Hill
Tingleberries, tuckertubs and telephones: a tale of love and ice-cream Margaret Mahy; illustrated by Robert Staermose

1995

Winner: The fat man Maurice Gee
The blue lawn William Taylor
Gladly, here I come Joy Cowley
The greatest show off earth Margaret Mahy; illustrated by Wendy Smith
Tanith Sherryl Jordan

1994

Winner: Sasscat to win Paula Boock
Brain drain Janice Marriott
A dolphin in the bay Diana Noonan
Picking up the pieces Heather Marshall
What! No TV? Pauline Cartwright

1993

Winner: Underrunners Margaret Mahy
See ya, Simon David Hill
Knitwits William Taylor
Songs for Alex Tessa Duder

1992

Winner: Alessandra: Alex in Rome Tessa Duder
The Juniper game Sherryl Jordan
Out walked Mel Paula Boock
The Wednesday wizard Sherryl Jordan

1991

Winner: Agnes the sheep William Taylor
Secrets Ruth Corrin
The silent people Diana Noonan
Tangaroa’s gift = Te koha a Tangaroa, written and illustrated by Mere Whaanga-Schollum; translated by Ngawini Kereru