New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults

The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are administered by the New Zealand Book Awards Trust. In 2016, the Awards merged with the Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (LIANZA) Awards.

All awards carry prize money of $7,500. In addition, the judges may decide to award a best first book prize of $2,000 to a previously unpublished author or illustrator. The overall prize, the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year award, carries a prize of $7,500. The awards are judged by a panel of five. Te Kura Pounamu Award is judged by Te Ropu Whakahau.

2024 winners

The shortlists for this year's awards were announced on 6 June. The ceremony to announce the winners took place on 14 August 2024.

Margaret Mahy Book of the Year
Nine Girls, Stacy Gregg (Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāti Maru Hauraki) (Penguin Random House NZ)

Picture Book Award
Paku Manu Ariki Whakatakapōkai, Michaela Keeble, illustrated by Tokerau Brown (Gecko Press)

Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction
Nine Girls, Stacy Gregg (Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāti Maru Hauraki) (Penguin Random House NZ)

Young Adult Fiction Award
Catch a Falling Star, Eileen Merriman (Penguin Random House NZ)

Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction
Ultrawild: An Audacious Plan to Rewild Every City on Earth, Steve Mushin (Allen & Unwin)

Russell Clark Award for Illustration
Patu: The New Zealand Wars, illustrated by Gavin Bishop (Tainui, Ngāti Awa) (Penguin Random House NZ)

Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for Te Reo Māori
Nani Jo me ngā Mokopuna Porohīanga, Moira Wairama, illustrated by Margaret Tolland (Baggage Books)

Best First Book Award
Ned Wenlock, Tsunami (Earth's End Publishing)

Read the judges' comments

2023 winners

The category finalists were announced 1 June 2023. The awards ceremony and announcement of winners of 2023 NZCYA Book Awards was held Thursday 10 August 2023.

Margaret Mahy Book of the Year
Te Wehenga: The Separation of Ranginui and Papatūānuku Mat Tait (Allen & Unwin)

Picture Book Award
Duck Goes Meow written by Juliette MacIver, illustrated by Carla Martell (Scholastic New Zealand)

Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction
Below David Hill (Penguin Random House NZ)

Young Adult Fiction Award
Iris and Me Philippa Werry (The Cuba Press)

Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction
Te Wehenga: The Separation of Ranginui and Papatūānuku Mat Tait (Allen & Unwin)

Russell Clark Award for Illustration
A Portrait of Leonardo written and illustrated by Donovan Bixley (Upstart Press)

Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for Te Reo Māori
Kua Whetūrangitia a Koro written by Brianne Te Paa, illustrated by Story Hemi-Morehouse (Huia Publishers)

Best First Book Award
The Lighthouse Princess Susan Wardell, illustrated by Rose Northey (Penguin Random House NZ)

Read the judges' comments

2022 winners

The category finalists were announced Thursday 2 June. The awards ceremony and announcement of winners of 2022 NZCYA Book Awards was held Wednesday 10 August 2022.

Margaret Mahy Book of the Year
Atua: Māori Gods and Heroes written and illustrated by Gavin Bishop, published by Puffin, Penguin Random House

Picture Book Award
Lion Guards the cake written and illustrated by Ruth Paul, published by Scholastic New Zealand

Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction
The Memory Thief written by Leonie Agnew, published by Puffin, Penguin Random House

Young Adult Fiction Award
Learning to love blue written by Saradha Koirala, published by Record Press

Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction
Atua: Māori Gods and Heroes written and illustrated by Gavin Bishop, published by Puffin, Penguin Random House

Russell Clark Award for Illustration
Atua: Māori Gods and Heroes written and illustrated by Gavin Bishop, published by Puffin, Penguin Random House

Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for Te Reo Māori
I Waho, i te Moana written by Yvonne Morrison, illustrated by Jenny Cooper and translated by Pānia Papa, published by Scholastic New Zealand

Best First Book Award
Spark hunter written by Sonya Wilson, published by The Cuba Press

Read the Judges' comments

Watch virtual storytimes and Books Alive sessions
Read Missbeecrafty's posts reviewing the shortlisted titles, and picking her favourites:

2021 winners

Finalists were announced Thursday 10 June. The awards ceremony and announcement of winners of 2021 NZCYA Book Awards was held Wednesday 11 August 2021.

Margaret Mahy Book of the Year
Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea T K Roxborogh, published by Huia Publishers

Picture Book Award
Kōwhai and the Giants written and illustrated by Kate Parker, published by Little Love (an imprint of Mary Egan Publishing)

Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction
Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea T K Roxborogh, published by Huia Publishers

Young Adult Fiction Award
The Pōrangi Boy Shilo Kino, published by Huia Publishers

Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction
Egg and Spoon: An Illustrated cookbook written by Alexandra Tylee and illustrated by Giselle Clarkson, published by Gecko Press

Russell Clark Award for Illustration
Hare & Ruru: A quiet moment illustrated and written by Laura Shallcrass, published by Beatnik Publishing

Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for Te Reo Māori
Ngake me Whātaitai written by Ben Ngaia and illustrated by Laya Mutton-Rogers, published by Huia Publishers

Best First Book Award
Kōwhai and the Giants written and illustrated by Kate Parker, published by Little Love (an imprint of Mary Egan Publishing)

Read the Judges' comments

2020: Books Alive and Virtual Storytimes

Aotearoa celebrated the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults with Books Alive - Virtual Storytimes and Online Events.
Check out Christchurch City Libraries contribution.

2020 winners

The 2020 shortlist was announced on 4 June, and the winners were announced in a virtual presentation, streamed online on the evening of Wednesday 12 August 2020.