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.
Detective Beans and the Case of the Missing Hat - Winner of the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction
Congratulations to Li Chen whose delightfully feline-fuelled graphic novel, Detective Beans and the Case of the Missing Hat, won the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction. The judges were entranced by this “skilfully crafted work, an all-ages book that is both fun and funny, with humour that hits on multiple levels” and found the illustration and text to be impressive in equal measure.
A Ariā me te Atua o te Kūmara - Winner of the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for a Book Translated into Te Reo Māori
The Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for a Book Translated into Te Reo Māori went to Ariā me te Atua o te Kūmara written by master-storyteller Witi Ihimaera (Te Whānau a Kai, Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga a Mahaki, Ngāti Porou), translated by Hēni Jacob (Ngāti Raukawa) and illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu). The judges said Hēni Jacob’s excellent translation of the original inspirational tale flowed smoothly and provided a platform to spark conversation about the importance of Matariki. Congratulations to Witi, Hēni, and Isobel.
For the full list of winners visit the NZ Book Awards for Children & Young Adults website.
Over the weekend we attended the Booksellers Conference and Award Ceremony
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Activities to keep the children engaged this weekend (regardless of the weather!)
Detective Beans and the Case of the Missing Hat colouring activity.
Colour in this sheet from a heartwarming story about aroha, whānau, passing down traditional knowledge and welcoming in the new year
Join the kōrero. Two passionate and vibrant anthologies featuring work from some of our finest Māori writers.
As he has been publishing now for 50 years, we emailed some questions about writing to Witi, who answered them on a plane journey.
Writing about the Māori world, both rural and urban, often knocking into the Pākehā status quo, Witi Ihimaera’s writing has always offered a broader view of what New Zealand literature could be – should be – about.
The longlists for the 2025 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards have been announced.
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The award aims to encourage the publication of new and exciting high-quality picture books from new New Zealand illustrators.