New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults – Wheelers Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction

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

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. The New Zealand Young Adult Fiction Book Award merged with the LIANZA Young Adult Award.

See more New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults and other kids' literary prize winners.

2026 shortlist

• Hiva & Heartbeats Selina Alesana Alefosio (Mila’s Books)
• It’s a Bit More Complicated Than That Hannah Marshall (Allen and Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand)
• Spider Games: In the City of Spies Brian Falkner (Bateman Books)
• The Lost Saint Rachael Craw (Allen and Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand)
• The Retreat Helen Vivienne Fletcher (HVF Publishing)

2025

The Paradise Generation Sanna Thompson (umop apisdn press) Winner

The Paradise Generation

• Bear Kiri Lightfoot, illustrated by Pippa Keel Situ (Allen & Unwin)
• Gracehopper Mandy Hager (One Tree House)
• Migration Steph Matuku  (Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Mutunga) (Huia Publishers)
• The Mess of Our Lives Mary-anne Scott (One Tree House)
• The Paradise Generation Sanna Thompson (umop apisdn press)

2024 

Catch a Falling Star, Eileen Merriman (Penguin Random House NZ) Winner

Catch A Falling Star

• New Dawning, A M Dixon (One Tree House)
• The Sparrow, Tessa Duder (Penguin Random House NZ)
• Tonight, I Burn, Katharine J Adams (Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand)
• Tsunami, Ned Wenlock (Earth's End Publishing)

2023 

Iris and Me Philippa Werry (The Cuba Press) Winner

Iris and Me

• Andromeda Bond in Trouble Deep Brian Falkner (Red Button Press)
• Eddy, Eddy Kate De Goldi (Allen & Unwin)
• Indigo Moon Eileen Merriman (Penguin Random House NZ)
• Miracle Jennifer Lane (Cloud Ink Press)

2022

Learning to Love Blue Saradha Koirala Winner

Learning to Love Blue

• Coastwatcher David Hill
• Displaced Cristina Sanders
• Katipo Joe: Wolf's Lair Brian Falkner
• Violet Black Eileen Merriman

2021

The Pōrangi Boy Shilo Kino Winner

The Pōrangi Boy

• Draw me a hero N K Ashworth
• Fire's Caress Lani Wendt Young
• Katipo Joe: Spycraft Brian Falkner
• The King's Nightingale Sherryl Jordan

2020

• Aspiring, Damien Wilkins Winner
• Afakasi woman, Lani Wendt Young 
• The History Speech, Mark Sweet
• Ursa, Tina Shaw 
• Wynter’s Thief, Sherryl Jordan

2019 

• Legacy Whiti Hereaka, published by Huia Publishers Winner
• Ash Arising Mandy Hager, published by Penguin, Penguin Random House
• Children of the Furnace Brin Murray, published by CP Books, The Copy Press
• Invisibly Breathing Eileen Merriman, published by Penguin, Penguin Random House
• The Rift Rachael Craw, published by Walker Books Australia

2018

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

2017

• The Severed Land Maurice Gee, Penguin Random House (Penguin) Winner
• Coming Home to Roost Mary-anne Scott, Penguin Random House (Longacre)
• Kiwis at War: 1916 - Dig for Victory David Hair, Scholastic NZ
• Like Nobody's Watching L.J. Ritchie, Escalator Press
• Shooting Stars Brian Falkner, Scholastic NZ

2016

• Battlesaurus: Rampage at Waterloo Brian Falkner Winner
• Being Magdalene Fleur Beale, Penguin Random House
• Hucking Cody Aaron Topp
• Lullaby Bernard Beckett
• Sylvie the Second Kaeli Baker

2015

• Singing home the whale Mandy Hager Winner and Margaret Mahy Book of the Year
• I am Rebecca Fleur Beale
• Recon Team Angel: Vengeance Brian Falkner
• While we run Karen Healey
• Night vision Ella West

2014

• Mortal fire Elizabeth Knox Winner
• A necklace of souls R. L. Stedman (Best First Book Award)
• Bugs Whiti Hereaka (Honour Award)
• Speed freak Fleur Beale
• When we wake Karen Healey

2013

• Into the river Ted Dawe Winner and Margaret Mahy Book of the Year
• Earth dragon, fire hare Ken Catran
• The nature of Ash Mandy Hager
• Reach Hugh Brown ((Best First Book Award)
• Snakes and ladders Mary-anne Scott

2012

• Calling the gods Jack Lasenby Winner
• The bridge Jane Higgins (Honour Award)
• Dirt bomb Fleur Beale
• Sacrifice Joanna Orwin
• YES Deborah Burnside

2011

• Fierce September Fleur Beale Winner
• Ebony Hill Anna Mackenzie
• Guardian of the dead Karen Healey
• The limping man Maurice Gee
• Smiling Jack Ken Catran

2010

• Blood of the lamb: the crossing Mandy Hager Winner
• Banquo’s son T. K. Roxborogh
• The beginner’s guide to living Lia Hills
• Brainjack Brian Falkner
• End of the alphabet Fleur Beale

2009

• The 10pm question Kate de Goldi Winner
• Chronicles of stone #1: scorched bone Vincent Ford
• Gool Maurice Gee
• Juno of Taris Fleur Beale
• The tomorrow code Brian Falkner

2008

• Salt Maurice Gee Winner
• The sea-wreck stranger Anna Mackenzie (Honour Award)
• Tomorrow all will be beautiful Brigid Lowry
• The transformation of Minna Hargreaves Fleur Beale
• Zillah Penelope Todd

2007

• Genesis Bernard Beckett Winner
• A respectable girl Fleur Beale
• Shooting the moon V. M. Jones
• Single Fin Aaron Topp
• Thieves Ella West

2006

• With lots of love from Georgia Brigid Lowry Winner
• Kaitangata twitch Margaret Mahy (Honour Award)
• Deep fried Bernard Beckett & Clare Knighton
• Running hot David Hill
• The unknown zone Phil Smith

2005

• Malcolm and Juliet Bernard Beckett Winner
• Robert Moran - Private Ken Catran
• Coming back David Hill
• Out of tune Joanna Orwin
• Dark Penelope Todd

2004

• Thunder Road Ted Dawe Winner
• Lin and the red stranger Ken Catran
• Tiggie Tompson's longest journey Tessa Duder
• No safe harbour David Hill
• Watermark Penelope Todd

2003

• Alchemy Margaret Mahy Winner
• Letters from the coffin-trenches Ken Catran
• Tomorrow the dark Ken Catran
• Right where it hurts David Hill
• The thin line Vivienne Joseph

2002

• Owl Joanna Orwin Winner
• Jolt Bernard Beckett
• Tiggie Tompson all at sea Tessa Duder
• Return to One Foot Island Graeme Lay
• Kalick Jack Lasenby

2001

• Voyage with Jason Ken Catran Winner
• 24 hours Margaret Mahy (Honour Award)
• Outlanders Margaret Beames
• Talking to Blue Ken Catran
• Leon Frances Cherry

2000

• The Tiggie Tompson Show Tessa Duder Winner
• Closed, stranger Kate De Goldi (Honour Award)
• Golden prince Ken Catran
• The shaman and the droll Jack Lasenby
• Love & other excuses Jane Westaway

1999

• Taur Jack Lasenby Winner
• I am not Esther Fleur Beale (Honour Award)
• Dog breath and other stories Norman Bilbrough
• Orchard Street Maurice Gee
• Leaving One-Foot Island Graeme Lay

1998

• Dare truth or promise Paula Boock Winner
• Because we were the travellers Jack Lasenby (Honour Award)
• Love, Charlie Mike Kate De Goldi
• Summer of shadows Iona McNaughton
• The whole of the moon Duncan Stuart

1997

• Sanctuary Kate De Goldi Winner
• Secret sacrament Sherryl Jordan
• The other side of silence Margaret Mahy
• Circles William Taylor
• Reliable friendly girls Jane Westaway