As entries open for the 2018 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, the New Zealand Book Awards Trust has announced a very experienced panel of judges.
National Library schools facilitator Jeannie Skinner will convene the English language panel, which also includes author Maureen Crisp, reviewer and librarian Crissi Blair, author and academic Darryn Joseph and high school librarian Bridget Schaumann.
They will deliberate over an expected 150 entries in five categories: Picture Book, Junior Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, Non-fiction and Illustration. They will select five finalists in each category, as well as up to five finalists for a Best First Book Award, a winner in each category and then the overall winner, the Margaret Mahy Award for Book of the Year.
In addition, Moana Munro (convenor), Hemi Rukuwai Jury, Anahera Morehu and Jacqueline Joyce Snee have been appointed by Te R?p? Whakahau to judge the Te Kura Pounamu Award, which recognises and celebrates books written or translated into te reo M?ori. This category winner is also eligible for consideration for Book of the Year.
Following its call for expressions of interest in judging the 2018 awards, the New Zealand Book Awards Trust was overwhelmed by the depth of knowledge and experience of those who applied. “Our 2018 judges represent all that is good about the children’s literature community,” says Trust chair Nicola Legat. “We are thrilled to have such a diverse, expert and passionate team selecting the very best of New Zealand’s children’s and young adult books.
“They have a busy and enjoyable summer of reading ahead of them!”
The judges will receive input on 2018 finalists across each category from a group of children’s school advisory panels. The New Zealand Book Awards Trust will call for expressions of interest from participating schools in early 2018.
Submissions for the awards are now open, to books published between 1 April 2017 and 30 March 2018. The first deadline, for books published up to 30 November 2017, is 14 December 2017. More details about how to enter can be found here: http://www.nzbookawards.nz/new-zealand-book-awards-for-children-and-young-adults/how-to-enter/
Category finalists will be announced on 6 June 2018, and the winners will be presented with their awards at a ceremony in Wellington in August. In the fortnight leading up to the awards announcement, finalists will take part in a series of large-scale events in at least three centres around New Zealand.
The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are made possible through the generosity, commitment and vision of funders and sponsors Creative New Zealand, HELL Pizza, Book Tokens (NZ) Ltd, Copyright Licensing Limited, LIANZA, Wellington City Council and Nielsen Book.
For more information about the 2018 judges go here: http://www.nzbookawards.nz/new-zealand-book-awards-for-children-and-young-adults/2018-awards/judges/
2018 Judges
Convenor of judges Jeannie Skinner is an experienced facilitator with the National Library’s Services to Schools, based in the Bay of Islands working with schools in Northland Te Tai Tokerau. She provides professional leadership and advice through a programme of educator development around learning, literacy and libraries. A School Library Association of NZ Aotearoa honorary life member, Jeannie is passionate about the vital importance of engaging children with reading for pleasure, the power of story to enrich their lives, and the crucial role school libraries play in helping this happen.
Crissi Blair has been writing about children’s books and their makers for nearly 20 years, including seven years for the Book Council’s e-news The School Library, reviews and articles for Magpies magazine, and her own publication New Zealand Children’s Books in Print 2005-2013. She has a long involvement with Storylines, including three years as festival manager. Crissi has a Bachelor in Design and Visual Arts, with a specialist interest in picture book illustration, and is currently studying for library qualifications while working as a librarian at Rangeview Intermediate School in Auckland.
Maureen Crisp is a writer and blogger who lives in Wellington. She taught for many years in primary schools and then switched to learning and sharing information with other children’s writers and publishers in New Zealand. She has programmed specialist conferences for children’s writers and writes a popular weekly blog on news in publishing and writing craft for an international audience. Maureen received the 2017 Betty Gilderdale Award for outstanding services to children’s literature.
Darryn Joseph (Ng?ti Maniapoto) completed a PhD about M?ori figures of speech in 2008 and currently lectures at Massey University’s Manawat? campus. He is the author of over twenty books, including five chapter books written in M?ori for tamariki; Hewa won the 2010 LIANZA Kura Pounamu Award. Darryn is a Storylines trustee who has cherished two Storylines author tours and a current long-serving judge of the Ng? Kupu Ora awards that celebrate M?ori books and journalism. He has been an avid collector of comic books for over four decades.
Bridget Schaumann is the librarian and careers advisor at King’s High School, Dunedin. She is a past president of the School Library Association of NZ Aotearoa (SLANZA) and currently sits on its national executive. In 2017 she was made a SLANZA life member. Her passions are reading and encouraging young people to pick up books and enjoy an escape from the real world through their pages. She loves turning the idea that teenagers don’t read books on its head. She is a trustee of the Dunedin Writers and Readers Festival.
Moana Munro
Ko T?kitimu, Ko Kurahaup? ?ku waka
Ko Rongomaiwahine, Ko Ng?ti Kahungunu ?ku iwi
Te Kura Pounamu Award convenor Moana Munro is kaitiakipukapuka M?ori-for the Hastings District Libraries, delivering services and resources to a growing M?ori and Polynesian population in Hawke’s Bay. She’s one of the ng? kaiwhakahau o Te R?p? Whakahau representing Te M?tau o te Ika rohe (East Coast, Hawke’s Bay to Wairarapa regions). “Being an information provider is extremely rewarding; being entrusted with taonga and participating in tangata experiences, that’s special, that’s incredibly humbling,” she says. “Reading to my mokopuna: priceless.”
Hemi Rukuwai Jury (Ng? Puhi, Ng?ti Kahungunu, T?hoe) is Kaitiaki M?ori in the Archive of M?ori and Pacific Music for Te Tumu Herenga, Libraries and Learning Services at the University of Auckland. He is a member of LIANZA and Te R?p? Whakahau. Hemi was recipient of the Robyn Hakopa award in 2013 when he began presenting, and now facilitating, the M?tauranga M?ori workshops. He is a member of Te Whakakaoakao, the working group of reo advocates for Ng? Upoko Tukutuku, M?ori Subject Headings, and he facilitates the Tukua training programme for cataloguers and metadata specialists.
Anahera Morehu
He uri ahau o te Whare tapu o Ng?puhi, ar?, ng? iwi e rima. Ko Te Rarawa, ko Te Aup?uri, ko Ng?ti Kahu, ko Ng?ti Wh?tua, ko Ng?puhi.
Anahera is currently the library manager for the Faculty of Arts, M?ori and Pasifika Team of Te Tumu Herenga at the University of Auckland. A LIANZA Hikuwai regional councillor and Kai?whina of Te R?p? Whakahau, she was a judge of the Te Kura Pounamu award in 2017. Anahera is part of the team which supports the M?tauranga M?ori and Tukua workshops for those working in the information industry.
Jacqueline Joyce Snee (Ng?ti Porou, Ng?ti Kahungunu) is the Pouk?kiri Rangahau M?ori, senior librarian M?ori Research at Auckland Central Library. In 2017 she was the recipient of the Robyn Hakopa Te Reo M?ori award for promoting te reo and tikanga within the library profession. Jacqueline has worked in heritage, academic and public libraries and her library career has centred on improving and protecting access for M?ori to information. Prior to her career in libraries she worked at Kohanga Reo. She has a few mokopuna and reads to them often.
