The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are a unique celebration of the contribution New Zealand’s children’s authors and illustrators make to building national identity and cultural heritage.
A novel that masterfully weaves comedy, fantasy and history together in a profound exploration of identity was named the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults during an exuberant ceremony held at Wellington’s Pipitea Marae.
Nine Girls by Stacy Gregg (Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāti Maru Hauraki) was described by the judges as “a taonga from a masterful storyteller”.
“After careful deliberation, both judging panels came to a unanimous decision on a book that not only exemplifies the highest standards, but that we believe will make a lasting contribution to Aotearoa’s national literature for children and young adults; and as such, deserves the accolade of supreme winner,” said 2024 convenor of judges, Maia Bennett.
Stacy is one of Aotearoa’s biggest selling authors with millions of copies of her popular pony series sold worldwide. Nine Girls is the first time she’s explored te ao Māori, with the coming-of-age tale drawn from her own childhood in Ngāruawāhia.
“Vivid and well-developed characters populate a fast-paced, eventful narrative as we follow the young protagonist’s journey to discovering her Māori identity. Te ao Pākehā and te ao Māori are equally uplifted as the text explores our bicultural history,” said the judges.
As well as receiving the highest accolade in New Zealand children’s literature, Stacy was awarded the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction.
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The Young Adult Fiction Award was won by Catch a Falling Star by Eileen Merriman who has been nominated in this category a number of times previously, but never before won. The judges praised the remarkably authentic portrayal of the complicated and endearing teenage protagonist’s escalating mental health problems.
The winner of the Russell Clark Award for Illustration needs no introduction. Gavin Bishop (Tainui, Ngāti Awa) has collected more awards at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults than any other author or illustrator. The judges considered Patu: The New Zealand Wars to be more than just a historical recounting and felt the stark compositions and limited colour palette spoke to a deeply personal tale; “one of mamae discovered, mamae long felt, and mamae yet to be healed”.
For the full list of winners visit the NZ Book Awards website.
The NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are a unique celebration of the contribution New Zealand’s children’s authors and illustrators make to building national identity and cultural heritage.
The NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are a unique celebration of the contribution New Zealand’s children’s authors and illustrators make to building national identity and cultural heritage.
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