New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults – Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior 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 awards merged with the LIANZA Book Awards and merged with its Esther Glen Award.

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

2024 

Nine Girls, Stacy Gregg (Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāti Maru Hauraki) (Penguin Random House NZ) Winner

• DoubleDippers!, Raymond McGrath (Scholastic New Zealand)
• Lopini the Legend, Feana Tu‘akoi (Scholastic New Zealand)
• Take Me to Your Leader, Leonie Agnew (Penguin Random House NZ)
• The Grimmelings, Rachael King (Allen & Unwin) - Read Ky's review of this title.

2023 

Below David Hill (Penguin Random House NZ) Winner

• Children of the Rush James Russell (Dragon Brothers Books)
• Jason Mason and the World’s Most Powerful Itching Powder Jason Gunn and Andrew Gunn (Bateman Books)
• Masher Fifi Colston (Penguin Random House NZ)
• Pipi and Pou and the Raging Mountain Tim Tipene, illustrated by Isobel Te Aho-White (OneTree House)

2022 

• The Memory Thief Leonie Agnew Winner
• Amorangi and Millie's Trip Through Time Lauren Keenan
• Spark Hunter Sonya Wilson
• The Tomo Mary-anne Scott
• The Uprising: The Mapmakers in Cruxcia written by Eirlys Hunter and illustrated by Kirsten Slade

2021

• Charlie Tangaroa and the creature from the sea T K Roborogh Winner
• Across the risen sea Bren MacDibble
• Red Edge Des Hunt
• The Inkberg Enigma written and illustrated by Jonathan King
• The Tunnel of Dreams Bernard Beckett

2020  

• Lizard's Tale, Weng Wai Chan Winner
• #Tumeke!, Michael Petherick
• Miniwings Book 6 Moonlight the Unicorn's High Tea Hiccup, Sally Sutton, illustrated by Kirsten Richards 
• Prince of Ponies, Stacy Gregg
• Time Machine and other stories, Melinda Szymanik

2019 

• The Dog Runner Bren MacDibble, published by Allen & Unwin Winner
• Search for a Kiwi Killer Des Hunt, published by Torea Press
• The Mapmakers’ Race Eirlys Hunter, illustrated by Kirsten Slade, published by Gecko Press
• The Telegram Philippa Werry, published by Pipi Press
• Whetū Toa and the Magician Steph Matuku, illustrated by Katharine Hall, published by Huia Publishers

2018

• How to bee written by Bren MacDibble, published by A&U Children, Allen & Unwin Winner
• How Not to Stop a Kidnap Plot Suzanne Main (Scholastic NZ)
• Lyla: Through My Eyes - Natural Disaster Zones Fleur Beale, edited by Lyn White (Allen & Unwin)
• My New Zealand Story: Dawn Raid Pauline (Vaeluaga) Smith (Scholastic NZ)
• The Thunderbolt Pony Stacy Gregg (HarperCollins Publishers)

2017

• My New Zealand Story: Bastion Point Tania Roxborogh, Scholastic NZ Winner
• Helper and Helper Joy Cowley, illustrated by Gavin Bishop, published by Gecko Press
• Sunken Forest Des Hunt, Scholastic NZ
• The Discombobulated Life of Summer Rain Julie Lamb, Makaro Press (Submarine)
• The Impossible Boy Leonie Agnew, Penguin Random House (Puffin)

2016

• Enemy Camp David Hill, Penguin Random House
• From the Cutting Room of Barney Kettle Kate De Goldi Winner
• Lily Max – Satin, Scissors, Frock Jane Bloomfield
• The Bold Ship Phenomenal Sarah Johnson
• The Girl Who Rode the Wind Stacy Gregg

2015

• Monkey boy Donovan Bixley Winner
• Conrad Cooper’s last stand Leonie Agnew
• The island of lost horses Stacy Gregg
• Dragon knight: Fire! Kyle Mewburn and Donovan Bixley
• The pirates and the nightmaker James Norcliffe

2014

• Dunger Joy Cowley Winner
• A winter’s day in 1939 Melinda Szymanik
• Felix and the red rats James Norcliffe
• Project Huia Des Hunt
• The Princess and the foal Stacy Gregg

2013

• My brother’s war David Hill Winner
• The ACB with Honora Lee Kate De Goldi & Gregory O’Brien
• The Queen and the nobody boy (A tale of Fontania) Barbara Else (Honour Award)
• Red Rocks Rachael King
• Uncle Trev and his whistling bull Jack Lasenby

2012

• Super Finn Leonie Agnew Winner
• The flytrap snaps Johanna Knox; illustrated by Sabrina Malcolm
• Just Jack Adele Broadbent
• Being the remarkable adventures of the Loblolly Boy and the sorcerer James Norcliffe
• The Travelling Restaurant Barbara Else (Honour Award)

2011

• Finnigan and the pirates Sherryl Jordan Winner
• The haystack Jack Lasenby
• Hollie Chips Anna Gowan
• Shadow of the Boyd Diana Menefy
• Tussock Elizabeth Pulford

2010

• The Loblolly Boy James Norcliffe Winner
• Cry of the taniwha Des Hunt
• Friends: Snake and Lizard Joy Cowley, illustrated by Gavin Bishop
• The mine’s afire! Susan Battye and Thelma Eakin
• Sting Raymond Huber

2009

• Old Drumble Jack Lasenby Winner
• Chicken feathers Joy Cowley; illustrated by David Elliot
• Enemy at the gate Philippa Werry
• Five (and a bit) days in the life of Ozzie Kingsford Val Bird; illustrated by Rebecca Cundy
• Payback Michelle Kelly

2008

• Snake and Lizard Joy Cowley, illustrated by Gavin Bishop Winner and Book of the Year
• Dead Dan’s Dee Phyllis Johnston
• The dumpster saga Craig Harrison
• The mad tadpole adventure Melanie Drewery; illustrated by Jenny Cooper
• Sitting on the fence - The diary of Martin Daly, Christchurch 1981 Bill Nagelkerke

2007

• Thor’s tale: endurance and adventure in the Southern Ocean Janice Marriott Winner
• And did those feet… Ted Dawe
• Boyznbikes Vince Ford
• Frog Whistle Mine Des Hunt
• Castaway: the diary of Samuel Abraham Clark, Disappointment Island, 1907 Bill O'Brien

2006

• Hunter Joy Cowley Winner
• Sil Jill Harris (Honour Award)
• Maddigan’s fantasia Margaret Mahy
• Chinatown girl Eva Wong Ng (My Story series)
• Super freak Brian Falkner

2005

• Aunt Effie and the island that sank Jack Lasenby Winner
• A new song in the land Fleur Beale (My Story series)
• Walking lightly Fleur Beale; illustrated by Michaela Sangl
• Beyond the shroud V. M. Jones
• You’ve got guts, Kenny Melrose Shirley Corlett

2004

• Juggling with mandarins Vicky Jones Winner
• Evil Fred Kylie Begg; illustrated by Jacob Leaf
• Fred the (quite) brave mouse written and illustrated by Murray Ball
• Journey to Tangiwai: the diary of Peter Cotterill, Napier 1953 David Hill
• The serpents of Arakesh V. M. Jones (The Karazan quartet, book 1)

2003

• Buddy V. M. Jones Winner
• The dragon’s apprentice Linda McNabb
• A friend in paradise Des Hunt
• Something weird about Mr Foster Ken Catran; illustrated by Scott Kennedy
• When the kehua calls Kingi McKinnon

2002

• Recycled Sandy McKay Winner
• Ambushed Fleur Beale; illustrated by Martin Bailey
• Knocked for six Alison Robertson
• The riddle of the frozen phantom Margaret Mahy; illustrated by Chris Mould
• The weather-makers Shirley Corlett

2001

• Shadrach girl Joy Cowley Winner
• Black gold Julia Owen
• Call of the cruins Elizabeth Pulford
• Crab apples Ged Maybury
• The lies of Harry Wakatipu Jack Lasenby (Honour Award)

2000

• 2Much4U Vince Ford Winner
• Going for gold Trevor Wilson
• Three’s a crowd Penelope Huber
• Time out David Hill
• A villain’s night out Margaret Mahy; illustrated by Harry Horse (Honour Award)

1999

• Starbright and the dream eater Joy Cowley Winner
• Give it hoops David Hill
• Killer moves Denis Edwards (Honour Award)
• Strange tales from the mall Bob Kerr
• The wild west gang Joy Cowley; illustrated by Trevor Pye.

1998

• Ticket to the sky dance Joy Cowley Winner
• The dragonslayer’s apprentice David Calder
• Fat, four-eyed and useless David Hill
• The Shearwater bell Margaret Beames
• Trapped Judy Knox

1997

• The battle of Pook Island Jack Lasenby Winner
• Archway arrow Margaret Beames
• Cold comfort David Hill
• The memory tree Elizabeth Pulford; illustrated by Brent Putzel
• The robber and the millionaire Eirlys Hunter