Aotearoa New Zealand Bookshops, publishers, audiobooks and booksellers’ picks:
Aotearoa’s book industry celebrates NZ excellence
2026 Book Industry Awards Finalists announced for Bookshop of the Year, Publisher of the Year, the Booksellers Choice Award and Audiobook of the Year.
Every book that finds its way into a reader’s hands is the result of countless hours of work by people who love stories. A bookseller who pressed it into a stranger’s hands. A publisher who took a chance on an unknown voice. A sales rep who made sure it reached the shelves. On 25 July, Aotearoa’s book industry gathers in Tāmaki Makaurau to celebrate them all. The 2026 Book Industry Awards honour the booksellers, publishers, marketers and trailblazers whose dedication, creativity and sheer love of books keeps Aotearoa reading — shining a light on the people who make sure stories connect.
Nine awards will be presented across the evening, spanning the full breadth of the industry. From beloved independent bookshops and leading publishers, to standout individuals in sales, marketing and trailblazing roles, to the lifetime achievements that have shaped Aotearoa’s book world — the 2026 ceremony promises to be an unforgettable night. Shortlists for four awards are announced today; winners for all awards will be revealed on the night.
This year the awards also celebrate the growing world of audiobooks, with the Libro.fm NZ Audiobook of the Year shortlist featuring six outstanding New Zealand titles — from Jacinda Ardern’s memoir of leadership and courage to Mike McRoberts’ deeply personal journey back to te reo Māori. Whether on the page or in your ears, these are the stories that have moved, inspired and stayed with Aotearoa this year.
The Aotearoa NZ Book Industry Awards ceremony will be held at Rydges Auckland, from 6.00pm to 9.30pm on Friday 25 July 2026. Tickets are available now at: https://events.humanitix.com/2026-book-industry-awards
NielsenIQ BookData NZ Bookshop of the Year — 2026 Finalists
From Petone to Ponsonby: four beloved independent bookshops vie for NZ’s top bookselling honour
This award recognises the independent bookshops at the heart of their communities across Aotearoa. This year’s four finalists represent some of the most beloved bookshops in the country.
- Time Out Bookstore (Mt Eden, Auckland)
- Dorothy Butler Children’s Bookshop (Ponsonby, Auckland)
- The Women’s Bookshop (Ponsonby, Auckland)
- Schrödinger’s Books (Petone, Wellington)
Sponsored by NielsenIQ BookData NZ
NielsenIQ BookData provides a range of services to the book industry internationally, aiding the discovery and purchase, distribution and sales measurement of books. The company employs more than 100 staff and has offices in 17 countries, including New Zealand and Australia. NielsenIQ BookData is wholly owned by NIQ.
Publisher of the Year — 2026 Finalists
The Publisher of the Year award recognises outstanding contribution to New Zealand publishing. This year’s finalists represent the publishers whose creativity, commitment and collaboration bring Aotearoa’s most important stories to readers.
- Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand
- Auckland University Press
- HarperCollins Aotearoa New Zealand
- Penguin Random House New Zealand
Booksellers Choice Award — 2026 Finalists
The Booksellers Choice is where the real champions of books get their say. Voted by independent booksellers across Aotearoa, this award celebrates the New Zealand books they love to recommend, hand-sell, and watch readers fall in love with. These are the stories that spark conversations at the counter, fly off the shelves, and stay with us long after the last page.
Adult’s Choice
- The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey (Te Herenga Waka University Press)
- The Bookshop Detectives 2: Tea and Cake and Death by Gareth and Louise Ward (Penguin Random House New Zealand)
- 1985: A Novel by Dominic Hoey (Penguin Random House New Zealand)
- Lessons on Living by Nigel Latta (HarperCollins Publishers Aotearoa New Zealand)
- Mr Ward’s Map by Elizabeth Cox (Massey University Press)
- Three Wee Bookshops at the End of the World by Ruth Shaw (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand)
Children’s Choice
- Anahera: The Mighty Kiwi Mama by Ruth Paul (Penguin Random House New Zealand)
- Hooked: Learning to Fish by Al Brown & Hope McConnell (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand)
- Mum’s Busy Work by Jacinda Ardern & Ruby Jones (Penguin Random House New Zealand)
- Pūkeko Who-keko? by Toby Morris (Penguin Random House New Zealand)
- Taniwha by Gavin Bishop (Penguin Random House New Zealand)
- The Case of the Missing Stuff: Violet and the Velvets by Rachael King & Phoebe Morris (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand)
Libro.fm NZ Audiobook of the Year – 2026 Shortlist
In partnership with Libro.fm, this award celebrates the best in New Zealand audiobook publishing — evaluating narration, production and content. Six outstanding titles have been selected as finalists from the 2026 longlist of fifteen.
- A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern
- Iron & Embers by Helen Scheuerer
- Northbound by Naomi Arnold
- No Words for This by Ali Mau
- Speaking My Language | Te Kōrero i Tōku Reo by Mike McRoberts
- The Lost Saint by Rachael Craw
Sponsored by Libro.fm
We are incredibly grateful for the sponsorship of Libro.fm, the groundbreaking Certified B Corp™ that makes it possible for readers to purchase audiobooks through their local bookshop, ensuring independent booksellers receive a portion of every sale.
NielsenIQ BookData NZ Bookshop of the Year — more information
Time Out Bookstore (Mt Eden, Auckland)
An independent bookstore with an independent spirit since 1988, Time Out sits in the heart of Mt Eden Village as a community hub and haven for bibliophiles. Award-winning staff are hand-selected for their passion and diverse knowledge. Previous honours include NZ Bookseller of the Year 2016 and Albert-Eden Best Retail Store 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Dorothy Butler Children’s Bookshop (Ponsonby, Auckland)
A much-loved Auckland institution and one of the city’s only specialist children’s bookshops. Founded by celebrated NZ children’s writer and literacy expert Dorothy Butler in her Ponsonby home in 1964, the shop has been run since 2015 by sisters Mary and Helen Wadsworth. As well as a wide range of books, the shop stocks puzzles, games and toys, and works with schools to promote reading across Auckland.
The Women’s Bookshop (Ponsonby, Auckland)
Launched in April 1989, The Women’s Bookshop has spent over three decades promoting women’s writing and providing books reflecting women’s diverse lives and interests. A quality independent bookstore renowned for personal service, the shop has grown into one of New Zealand’s leading specialists in therapy and counselling books, with a large section dedicated to LGBTQIA+ books, authors and readers.
Schrödinger’s Books (Petone, Wellington)
Located in the heart of Jackson Street since 2019, Schrödinger’s Books is a much-loved part of the Petone community. Shelves full of fiction and non-fiction, crime, cookery, sci-fi, music, politics, manga, children’s books and a thoughtful selection of titles about Aotearoa — including many in te reo Māori. The kind of place where you’ll find something you didn’t know you were looking for.
Publisher of the Year — more information
Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand
Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand had a standout year defined by bold, diverse publishing and a deep commitment to community. Landmark titles included Mana by Tāme Iti, The Unlikely Doctor by Dr Timoti Te Moke, and a rapidly growing children’s list — with fourteen debut authors championed across the year. Beyond the books themselves, the team demonstrated an exceptional sense of social responsibility: establishing libraries in prisons and youth justice schools, supporting writing workshops for marginalised communities, and volunteering directly in literacy programmes. With strong international reach, award recognition across the board, and a culture of genuine care for authors, booksellers and readers alike, Allen & Unwin continued to prove that great publishing and purpose can go hand in hand.
Auckland University Press
Auckland University Press delivered an outstanding year of culturally significant and critically acclaimed publishing, with highlights including Derek Leask’s monumental Atlas of the New Zealand Wars, Philip Garnock-Jones’s Ockham-finalist He Puāwai, and Sight Lines — winner of book of the year at the PANZ Book Design Awards and best first book at the 2025 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. The press continued its deep commitment to te reo Māori publishing, bringing new titles directly to Māori communities at events including Te Matatini, while also making its mark internationally with Toi te Mana winning best art book of the year at the Apollo Awards in London. It was a year of record-breaking results, recognised by peers and critics alike as a landmark contribution to Aotearoa’s literary and cultural life.
HarperCollins Aotearoa New Zealand
2025 Publisher of the Year
HarperCollins Aotearoa New Zealand had a remarkable year of courageous, culturally resonant publishing — backing authors who shared deeply personal stories of survival, identity and reconnection, including Ali Mau, Kelsey Waghorn, Mike McRoberts and Jenny-May Clarkson, alongside a strong slate of sport, leadership and personal development titles. A stable, long-term home for authors since 1888, HarperCollins continued to grow their local team and invest in New Zealand editors — with an exciting pipeline of upcoming titles from some of Aotearoa’s most beloved names already secured. It was a year defined by books that booksellers loved to sell and readers loved to read, cementing their reputation as a publisher deeply committed to the health of the New Zealand book ecosystem.
Penguin Random House New Zealand
Penguin Random House New Zealand had a standout year for both commercial performance and cultural impact, strengthening their position as Aotearoa’s leading publisher across local and international titles. Highlights included a remarkable slate of local debuts — among them Jacinda Ardern’s A Different Kind of Power, Gilbert Enoka’s Become Unstoppable and Te Kahukura Boynton’s Māori Millionaire — alongside continued investment in established authors, growing audiobook offerings, and a television deal secured for The Bookshop Detectives. The team also made significant strides in sustainability, and remained deeply committed to supporting booksellers and connecting New Zealand readers with books that matter.
Booksellers Choice Award — more information
The Book of Guilt by Catherine Chidgey
England, 1979. In a sinisterly skewed alternative Britain, thirteen-year-old triplets Vincent, Lawrence and William are among the last children remaining in a government Sycamore Scheme home, surviving a mysterious illness through daily medicine. Miles away, Nancy has never been allowed to leave the house. As the Scheme collapses, their worlds collide — and the truth that emerges will shatter everything they know.
GENRE Fiction / Literary
PUBLISHER Te Herenga Waka University Press
The Bookshop Detectives 2: Tea and Cake and Death by Gareth and Louise Ward
The number-one bestselling series returns. When a prolific poisoner strikes ahead of the Battle of the Book Clubs, Garth, Eloise and Stevie find the body count rising and danger circling ever closer to home. With the clock ticking and a serial killer from Eloise’s past potentially in the frame, the Bookshop Detectives must solve their most personal — and perilous — case yet.
GENRE Fiction / Mystery
PUBLISHER Penguin Random House New Zealand
1985: A Novel by Dominic Hoey
Auckland, 1985. On the cusp of teenagehood, Obi navigates poverty, fractured family and the shadow of the Rainbow Warrior bombing — until a treasure map promises to change everything. What follows is an electric coming-of-age adventure set in a richly multicultural, pre-gentrification Auckland: a story for underdogs, dreamers and the disenfranchised, written with raw, shining brilliance.
GENRE Fiction / Literary
PUBLISHER Penguin Random House New Zealand
Lessons on Living by Nigel Latta
From bestselling author and clinical psychologist Nigel Latta. When told he had months to live, Latta distilled three decades of psychological expertise into three simple principles for navigating anything life throws at you. Whether facing the unthinkable or the everyday, this warm, practical guide offers a toolkit for resilience, better relationships and a life lived with clarity, joy and focus on what matters most.
GENRE Non-Fiction / Self-Improvement
PUBLISHER HarperCollins Publishers Aotearoa New Zealand
Mr Ward’s Map by Elizabeth Cox
In 1891, surveyor Thomas Ward mapped every corner of Wellington — its hotels, theatres, slums, kāinga, brothels and street lights — capturing a capital city in extraordinary detail. Luxuriously produced with a cloth case and fold-out jacket, Mr Ward’s Map uses this remarkable document and historic imagery to illuminate the neighbourhoods and lives of turn-of-the-century Wellington.
GENRE Non-Fiction / History
PUBLISHER Massey University Press
Three Wee Bookshops at the End of the World by Ruth Shaw
The sequel to the international bestseller. Ruth Shaw returns with more charming, heartbreaking and laugh-out-loud tales from a life lived to the full. From sailing adventures and world travels with the love of her life, Lance, to conservation efforts and the stories behind her beloved wee bookshops — this absorbing memoir weaves together resilience, humour and expert book recommendations in another deeply satisfying read.
GENRE Non-Fiction / Memoir
PUBLISHER Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand
Anahera: The Mighty Kiwi Mama by Ruth Paul
A triumphant true conservation story from award-winning author-illustrator Ruth Paul. Rescued as a chick and raised at Ōtorohanga Kiwi House, Anahera became a champion breeding māmā — mother to over 60 chicks. When the Capital Kiwi project chose her for release into Wellington’s wild hills, one extraordinary question remained: after four decades in captivity, could the mighty māmā truly come home?
ILLUSTRATOR Ruth Paul
GENRE Children’s / Picture Book
PUBLISHER Penguin Random House New Zealand
Hooked: Learning to Fish by Al Brown & Hope McConnell
From wharf fishing for sprats to fly rods and kayak casting, Al Brown’s Hooked is the ultimate guide for anglers of every age and experience level. Packed with knot-tying, filleting, lure-casting and ten of Al’s most-loved fish recipes, this enthusiastic, expertly crafted companion makes the lifelong adventure of fishing irresistible.
ILLUSTRATOR Hope McConnell
GENRE Children’s / Non-Fiction
PUBLISHER Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand
Mum’s Busy Work by Jacinda Ardern & Ruby Jones
Even when Mum has the busiest job in the world, there is always time for stories, games and love. Drawn from real conversations with her young daughter, and brought to life through striking illustrations by Ruby Jones, Mum’s Busy Work is a warm, tender celebration of working mothers and the unbreakable bonds they share with their children.
ILLUSTRATOR Ruby Jones
GENRE Children’s / Picture Book
PUBLISHER Penguin Random House New Zealand
Pūkeko Who-keko? by Toby Morris
From celebrated cartoonist Toby Morris. There’s blue paint everywhere — and Detective Clue-keko is on the case! A riotous visual and verbal romp through the wonderful world of pūkeko rhymes, this irresistibly chaotic picture book delights in wordplay, dad jokes and eye-catching illustrations that reward repeat reading. A guaranteed crowd-pleaser for children aged 3–7 and every not-so-serious adult alongside them.
ILLUSTRATOR Toby Morris
GENRE Children’s / Picture Book
PUBLISHER Penguin Random House New Zealand
Taniwha by Gavin Bishop
Award-winning storyteller Gavin Bishop brings the taniwha of Aotearoa vividly to life — from the guardians who accompanied waka voyages to the supernatural creatures who shaped the landscape and tested the courage of Māori. By turns thrilling and terrifying, this monster-sized celebration of traditional stories is elevated to spectacular new heights through Bishop’s signature visual splendour.
ILLUSTRATOR Gavin Bishop
GENRE Children’s / Picture Book
PUBLISHER Penguin Random House New Zealand
The Case of the Missing Stuff: Violet and the Velvets by Rachael King & Phoebe Morris
For fans of big dreams and louder music. Twelve-year-old Violet Grumble has one goal: compete at BandChamps. There’s just one problem — none of her friends can play an instrument. When the band’s gear starts going missing and stage fright threatens to derail everything, Violet must channel her ADHD superpowers to solve the mystery and lead the Velvets to victory.
ILLUSTRATOR Phoebe Morris
GENRE Children’s / Middle Grade
PUBLISHER Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand
Libro.fm NZ Audiobook of the Year Award — more information
A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern
From small-town New Zealand to global leadership, Jacinda Ardern redefines what it means to lead with empathy and strength. Facing crises from terror attacks to a pandemic, she led with compassion and conviction. A powerful, inspiring memoir about courage, self-doubt, and a new kind of leadership.
Genre: Non-Fiction / Biography
Narrator: Jacinda Ardern
Publisher: Penguin Random House New Zealand
Iron & Embers by Helen Scheuerer
Assassin-alchemist Wren Embervale enters a deadly academy to stop a dark magic threatening the realm. Forced to compete, she faces betrayal, lethal trials, and a war hero who hates her. As danger closes in, their volatile bond ignites—proving love may be the most dangerous force of all.
Genre: Fiction / Fantasy
Narrators: Matt Haynes & Emilia Bauer
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Northbound by Naomi Arnold
Award-winning journalist Naomi Arnold walks the length of New Zealand on Te Araroa, fulfilling a 20-year dream. Alone through mountains, rivers and storms, she discovers resilience, connection and joy. This inspiring memoir of solitude, friendship and endurance celebrates the beauty and challenge of life in the wilderness.
Genre: Non-Fiction / Travel
Narrator: Naomi Arnold
Publisher: HarperAudio
No Words for This by Ali Mau
Journalist Alison Mau traces her rise through the media world, shaped by her larger-than-life father and driven career across Australia, London and New Zealand. When a family crisis collides with her work exposing #MeToo stories, she must confront her past, her identity, and the cost of speaking out.
Genre: Non-Fiction / Biography
Narrator: Ali Mau
Publisher: HarperAudio
Speaking My Language Te Kōrero i Tōku Reo by Mike McRoberts
Journalist Mike McRoberts shares his powerful journey reconnecting with te reo Māori. From shame and self-doubt to purpose and pride, his story reflects a generation’s struggle. Honest and inspiring, this book invites all New Zealanders to embrace the language and culture that shape who we are.
Genre: Non-Fiction / Memoir
Narrator: Mike McRoberts
Publisher: HarperAudio
The Lost Saint by Rachael Craw
Recently heartbroken Ana joins a post-graduation trip exploring sites linked to a 14th-century mystic—only for a catastrophic earthquake to hurl her and her friends into a medieval war. Separated and hunted, she is forced to rely on injured knight Leon, where survival ignites trust, romance, and a dangerous quest home.
Genre: Fiction / YA
Narrator: Sofia Engstrand
Publisher: Bolinda Publishing
