New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults – Elsie Locke Award for Non-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. Until 2014 the awards were sponsored by NZ Post. Prior to 1997, the awards were known as the AIM Children’s Book Awards. In 2016, the award merged with the LIANZA Elsie Locke Award.

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

2024 

Ultrawild: An Audacious Plan to Rewild Every City on Earth, Steve Mushin (Allen & Unwin) Winner

• Patu: The New Zealand Wars, Gavin Bishop (Tainui, Ngāti Awa) (Penguin Random House NZ)
• The Observologist: A Handbook for Mounting Very Small Scientific Expeditions, Giselle Clarkson (Gecko Press)
• Tuatara: A Living Treasure, Katie Furze, illustrated by Ned Barraud (Scholastic New Zealand)
• Wot Knot You Got? Mophead's Guide to Life, Selina Tusitala Marsh (Auckland University Press)

2023

Te Wehenga: The Separation of Ranginui and Papatūānuku Mat Tait (Allen & Unwin) Winner

• A New Dawn written by Emeli Sione, illustrated by Darcy Solia (Mila’s Books)
• Freestyle: The Israel Adesanya Story David Riley, illustrated by Ant Sang (Reading Warrior)
• Sylvia and the Birds written by Johanna Emeney, illustrated by Sarah Laing (Massey University Press)
• Weather and Climate New Zealand Sandra Carrod (Oratia Books)

2022 

• Atua: Māori Gods and Heroes written and illustrated by Gavin Bishop Winner
• Draw Some Awesome written and illustrated by Donovan Bixley
• How Do I Feel? A Dictionary of Emotions for Children written by Rebekah Lipp and illustrated by Craig Phillips
• Kia Kaha: A Storybook of Māori Who Changed the World written by Stacey Morrison and Jeremy Sherlock
• Why is That Spider Dancing? written by Simon Pollard and Phil Sirvid

2021

• Egg and Spoon: An Illustrated Cookbook written by Alexandra Tylee and illustrated by Giselle Clarkson Winner
• Mophead Tu: The Queen's Poem written and illustrated by Selina Tusitala Marsh
• New Zealand disasters written by Maria Gill and illustrated by Marco Ivančić
• North and South written and illustrated by Sandra Morris
• You're Joking: Becoming an expert joke-teller written by Tom E. Moffatt and illustrated by Paul Beavis

2020 

• Mophead, Selina Tusitala Marsh Winner
• Kuwi & Friends Māori Picture Dictionary, written and illustrated by Kat Quin, translated by Pānia Papa 
• Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi, Ross Calman and Mark Derby, illustrated by Toby Morris, translated by Piripi Walker
• The Adventures of Tupaia, Courtney Sina Meredith, illustrated by Mat Tait 
• Three Kiwi Tales, Janet Hunt

2019

• Art-tastic Sarah Pepperle, published by Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu Winner
• Go Girl: A Storybook of Epic NZ Women Barbara Else, published by: Puffin, Penguin Random House
• Ko Mauao te Maunga: Legend of Mauao Debbie McCauley, illustrated by Debbie Tipuna, translated by Tamati Waaka, published by Mauao Publishing
• New Zealand’s Backyard Beasts written and illustrated by Ned Barraud, published by Potton & Burton
• Whose Home is This? Gillian Candler, illustrated by Fraser Williamson, published by: Potton & Burton

2018

• Aotearoa: The New Zealand Story written and illustrated by Gavin Bishop, published by Puffin, Penguin Random House Winner (also winner of Margaret Mahy Book of the Year)
• 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)

2017

• Jack and Charlie: Boys of the Bush Josh James Marcotte and Jack Marcotte, Penguin Random House (Puffin) Winner
• From Moa to Dinosaurs Gillian Candler, illustrated by Ned Barraud, published by Potton & Burton
• The Cuckoo and the Warbler Kennedy Warne, illustrated by Heather Hunt, published by Potton & Burton
• The Genius of Bugs Simon Pollard, Te Papa Press
• Torty and the Soldier Jennifer Beck, illustrated by Fifi Colston, published by Scholastic NZ

2016

• ANZAC Heroes Maria Gill, illustrated by Marco Ivancic Winner
• Changing Times: The story of a New Zealand town and its newspaper Bob Kerr
• See what I can see Gregory O’Brien
• The Beginner’s Guide to Adventure Sport in New Zealand Steve Gurney
• Whose Beak is This? Gillian Candler, illustrated by Fraser Williamson

2015

• Mōtītī Blue and the oil spill Debbie McCauley and Sarah Elworthy Winner
• Under the ocean: explore & discover New Zealand’s sea life Gillian Candler and Ned Barraud
• Ghoulish get-ups: how to create your own freaky costumes Fifi Colston
• Māori art for kids Julie Noanoa and Norm Heke
• The book of Hat Harriet Rowland

2014

• The beginner’s guide to hunting + fishing Paul Adamson Winner
• An extraordinary land: discoveries from wild New Zealand Peter Hayden and Rod Morris
• Anzac Day: The New Zealand story Philippa Werry
• Flight of the honey bee Raymond Huber, illustrated by Brian Lovelock
• Wearable wonders Fifi Colston

2013

• 100 amazing tales from Aotearoa Simon Morton and Riria Hotere Winner
• Kiwi: the real story Annemarie Florian and Heather Hunt
• Taketakerau, the millennium tree Marnie Anstis, Patricia Howitt and Kelly Spencer
• At the beach: explore & discover the New Zealand seashore Ned Barraud and Gillian Candler

2012

• Nice day for a war: adventures of a Kiwi soldier in World War I Matt Elliott; illustrated by Chris Slane Winner and Book of the Year
• Digging up the past: archaeology for the young & curious David Veart (Honour award)
• Kimble Bent: malcontent Chris Grosz
• The life cycle of the tuatara Betty Brownlie
• New Zealand Hall of Fame: 50 remarkable Kiwis Maria Gill; illustrated by Bruce Potter

2011

• Zero Hour: The ANZACs on the western front Leon Davidson Winner
• The Kiwi fossil hunter’s handbook James Crampton & Marianna Terezow
• The life cycle of the pukeko Betty Brownlie
• Sensational survivors Sandra Morris
• Who’s cooking tonight? Claire & Glenda Gourley

2010

• E3 call home Janet Hunt Winner
• Ben & Mark: boys of the high country Christine Fernyhough & John Bougen
• Dear Alison Simon Pollard (editor)
• Rangitoto Maria Gill; illustrated by Heather Arnold
• Willie Apiata, VC: the reluctant hero Paul Little and John Lockyer

2009

• Back & beyond: New Zealand painting for the young & curious Gregory O'Brien Winner
• The crafting of Narnia Weta Workshop, Paul Tobin, Daniel Falconer
• High-tech legs on Everest Mark Inglis, Sarah Ell
• Juicy writing: inspiration and techniques for young writers Brigid Lowry
• Piano Rock: a 1950s childhood Gavin Bishop

2008

• Which New Zealand spider? Andrew Crowe Winner
• A mini guide to the identification of New Zealand land birds Andrew Crowe, illustrated by David Gunson
• Reaching the summit Alexa Johnston and David Larsen (Honour award)
• Weather Watch New Zealand Sandra Carrod, Karsten Schneider, Richard Gunther
• What is a fish? Feana Tu’akoi

2007

• Illustrated history of the South Pacific Marcia Stenson Winner and Book of the Year
• It’s true! You can make your own jokes Sharon Holt and Ross Kinnaird
• Red haze: Australians and New Zealanders in Vietnam Leon Davidson
• Soldier in the yellow socks: Charles Upham - our finest fighting soldierJanice Marriott
• Winging it! The adventures of Tim Wallis Neville Peat

2006

• Scarecrow Army: the ANZACs at Gallipoli Leon Davidson Winner
• Blue New Zealand Glenys Stace (Honour award)
• Cameras in Narnia Ian Brodie
• Frontier of dreams - the weight of World Wars 1897 - 1949 John Parker
• Peter Blake sailor, adventurer Alan Sefton

2005

• Welcome to the South Seas Gregory O’Brien Winner
• From weta to kauri Janet Hunt, Rob Lucas
• The life-size guide to the New Zealand beach Andrew Crowe
• John Britten: the boy who did do better Jennifer Beck
• Everything you need to know about the world by Simon Eliot Lloyd Jones; designed and illustrated by Timon Maxey

2004

• A bird in the hand Janet Hunt Winner
• I am an insect written and photographed by Simon Pollard
• The life-size guide to New Zealand wildflowers Andrew Crowe
• Pick up a pack: a guide to tramping and camping the New Zealand way Keith Olson
• To the max Mark Inglis (abridged version of: No mean feat)

2003

• Weaving earth and sky: myths & legends of Aotearoa Robert Sullivan; illustrated by Gavin Bishop Winner
• The kauri Alina Arkins; photography by Len Doel
• The shaping of New Zealand Brian O'Flaherty
• Weta: a knight in shining armour Joy Cowley; photography by Rod Morris
• Which New Zealand insect? with over 650 life-size photos of New Zealand insects written and illustrated by Andrew Crowe

2002

• The plight of the penguin Lloyd Spencer Davis Winner
• Fibonacci’s cows Ray Galvin
• I am a spider written and photographed by Simon Pollard
• The Reed Māori picture dictionary Margaret Sinclair and Ross Calman; illustrated by Dale Tutill
• Which New Zealand bird? a simple step-by-step guide to the identification of New Zealand’s native & introduced birds Andrew Crowe; illustrated by Dave Gunson

2001

• The zoo: meet the locals Colin Hogg Winner
• Gone surfing: the golden years of surfing in New Zealand, 1950-1970 Luke Williamson
• Niue Charles Cooper

2000

• Te wao nui a Tāne Hirini Melbourne; illustrated by Te Maari Gardiner Winner
• I am a fish written and illustrated with photographs by Wade Doak
• The life-size guide to insects & other land invertebrates of New Zealandwritten and illustrated by Andrew Crowe (Variant title: Insects).
• Myths and legends of Aotearoa retold by Annie Rae Te Ake Ake; illustrated by New Zealand secondary school artists
• Red-eyed tree frog Joy Cowley; illustrated with photographs by Nic Bishop

1999

• The natural world of New Zealand Gerard Hutching Winner
• All sorts of trucks Pauline Cartwright; photography by Tim Hawkins; drawings by Allan Hope (Honour award)
• The naming of the land Ron Bacon; illustrated by Manu Smith
• Nature’s alphabet: a New Zealand nature trail Andrew Crowe; illustrated by Dave Gunson
• What’s around the rocks: a simple guide to the identification of marine species that live on the rocky shore Glenys Stace; photography by Jenny and Tony Enderby (Variant title: What’s around the rocks: simple guide to the rocky shore).

1998

• The know, sow and grow kids’ book of plants Diana Noonan and Keith Olsen Winner
• Emperors of the ice: the Emperor penguins of Antarctica written and photographed by Kim Westerskov
• Hoki: the story of a kakapo Gideon Climo and Alison Ballance; illustrated by Jo Ogier.
• The life-size guide to native trees and other common plants of New Zealands native forest Andrew Crowe (Variant title: Native trees).
• What’s on the beach? a guide to coastal marine life Glenys Stace; photography by Jenny and Tony Enderby

1997

• Picture book magic Chris Gaskin; photography by Denis Page Winner
• Down-under dolphins: the story of Hector’s dolphins Stephen Dawson and Elisabeth Slooten
• The garden Diana Noonan; photography by Nic Bishop (I spy wildlife series)
• New Zealand’s native birds of bush and countryside
• The rocky shore Diana Noonan; photography by Nic Bishop (I spy wildlife series)

Prior to 1997 - see Aim Non-Fiction Book