2019 Storylines Awards shortlists and Notable Books announced

Storylines Children’s Literature Trust of New Zealand http://www.storylines.org.nz

The Storylines Children’s Literature Trust is pleased to announce its Storylines Notable Book Awards 2019 (for books published in 2018), and the shortlists for the Storylines Joy Cowley Award for a picture book text and the Storylines Gavin Bishop Award for an unpublished illustrator.
The Storylines Joy Cowley Award and the Storylines Gavin Bishop Award each carry a monetary prize and assurance of publication by the sponsoring publisher.


The shortlist for the Storylines Joy Cowley Award, in partnership with Scholastic New Zealand, is: ‘Cauldron Stew’ by Kate Galinski (Wellington), ‘A Leopard in the Factory’ by Paul Mason (Waiheke Island), ‘Celia Seagull and the Plastic Sea’ by Nicole Miller (Bethlehem, Tauranga), ‘Mrs Brook’s Chook’ by Janelle Wilkey (Blenheim), ‘Goo Man and Squish’ by Melanie Woolford (Auckland).

The shortlist for the Storylines Gavin Bishop Award, in partnership with Penguin Random House, is: Lara Crowther (Hamilton), Lily Emo (Nelson), Amy Haarhoff (Palmerston North), Kathleen Richens (Rangiora), Emily Walker (Auckland).

The Storylines Trust regrets that the annual Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award for a junior novel manuscript, sponsored by Scholastic, is not being awarded for 2019. In the view of the judging panel, none of the entries met the criteria.

The annual Storylines Notable Books awards are made for up to ten books in five categories: Young Adult fiction, Junior fiction, Picture books, Non-fiction and this year, for the first time, books in Te Reo M?ori. The books were chosen from more than 135 entries, submitted by 50 publishers, by panels of children’s literature experts including librarians, teachers, writers and illustrators, booksellers, parents and grandparents. The books include well-known names, but also newcomers to mainstream publishing or selfpublished. “The sheer number of submissions was impressive,” says Storylines Trust chair Christine Young. “Even more so, according to our judges, was an across-the-board rise in standards of writing, editing, production and illustration. It is indicative of the breadth, depth and high standards of work by all involved in the New Zealand children’s literature community. “I am also delighted that our young people have such a number of quality books which they can read to enjoy stories that reflect their experiences of living in New Zealand, and that their whanau can use these strong lists as a guide to buying quality books for their rangatahi.”


The annual Storylines Notable Books list was begun in 1999; selection is eagerly sought by authors, illustrators and publishers. It provides a useful reading and purchasing guide to families, schools and libraries, and to young readers. Each genre list is presented in ascending age suitability for young readers:

The Storylines Notable Books 2019 (for books published in 2018) are:


Storylines Notable Picture Books (Age range from birth to 18 years) Mini Whinny: Happy Birthday to Me (Scholastic NZ) by Stacy Gregg, illustrated by Ruth Paul, Oink (Gecko Press), by David Elliot , Dig, Dump, Roll (Walker Books Australia), by Sally Sutton, illustrated by Brian Lovelock, How M?ui fished up the North Island (Upstart Press), by Donovan Bixley, I am Jellyfish (Penguin Random House), by Ruth Paul, Granny McFlitter, Champion Knitter, (Penguin Random House), by Heather Haylock, illustrated by Lael Chisholm, Puffin the Architect (Penguin Random House), by Kimberly Andrews, Muddle & Mo’s Rainy Day (Duck Creek Press), by Nikki Slade Robinson, The Anzac Violin (Scholastic NZ)), by Jennifer Beck, illustrated by Robyn Belton, The Bomb (Huia), by Sacha Cotter, illustrated by Josh Morgan.

Storylines Notable Junior Fiction (Age range from 7 years to 13 years) The Short but Brilliant Career of Lucas Weed (Scholastic NZ), by Chrissie Walker, Whet? Toa and the Magician (Huia), by Steph Makutu, illustrated by Katharine Hall, The Mapmakers’ Race (Gecko Press), by Eirlys Hunter, illustrated by Kirsten Slade, Rafferty Ferret: Ratbag (One Tree House), by Sherryl Jordan, The Fire Stallion (HarperCollins), by Stacy Gregg, Cuz (One Tree House), by Liz van der Laase, My New Zealand Story: Dawn Raid (Scholastic NZ), by Pauline (Vaeluaga) Smith, Sticking with Pigs (One Tree House), by Mary-anne Scott, Lyla: Through My Eyes – Natural Disaster Zones (Allen & Unwin), by Fleur Beale, Kiwis at War – 1918: Broken Poppies (Scholastic NZ), by Des Hunt.

Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction (Age range from 13 years to 18 years) Take Flight (Eunoia), by J L Pawley, Legacy (Huia), by Whiti Hereaka, Flight of the Fantail (Huia), by Steph Matuku, Ezaara: Riders of Fire, Book One (Phantom Feather), by Eileen Mueller, Dragon Hero: Riders of Fire, Book Two (Phantom Feather), by Eileen Mueller, Ash Arising (Penguin Random House), by Mandy Hager, The Anger of Angels (Walker Books Australia), by Sherryl Jordan, Catch Me When You Fall (Penguin Random House), by Eileen Merriman, The Rift (Walker Books Australia), by Rachael Craw .

Storylines Notable Non-fiction (Age range from 3 years to 18 years) New Zealand’s Backyard Beasts (Potton & Burton), by Ned Barraud, Cook’s Cook: The Cook who Cooked for Captain Cook (Gecko Press), by Gavin Bishop, Go Girl: A Storybook of Epic NZ Women (Penguin Random House), by Barbara Else, Oh Boy: A Storybook of Epic NZ Men (Penguin Random House), by Stuart Lipshaw, Anzac Animals (Scholastic NZ), by Maria Gill, illustrated by Marco Ivan?i?, ART-TASTIC (Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhet?), by Sarah Pepperle, Why is that Lake so Blue? A Children’s Guide to New Zealand’s Natural World (Te Papa Press), by Simon Pollard, Mozart: The Man Behind the Music (Upstart Press), by Donovan Bixley, The New Zealand Wars (New Holland), by Philippa Werry, Pathway of the Birds (David Bateman), by Andrew Crowe.

Storylines Notable Te Reo M?ori (original texts in Te Reo, any genre) Storylines is pleased to make two the reo awards in the first year of this award and urges publishers to submit for the 2020 awards. The Storylines Notable Te Reo M?ori awards go to: P?rak?u o Aotearoa: Te H?nga Ake a M?ui i te Ika Whenua (Upstart Press) He mea k?rero an? n? Donovan Bixley, he mea whakam?ori e Darryn Joseph, r?ua ko Keri Opai.) Ng? Whet? Matariki i Wh?nakotia (Scholastic) n? Miriamo Kamo, r?ua ko Zak Waipara, n? Ngaere Roberts ng? k?rero i whakam?ori

The winners of the Storylines Joy Cowley Award and the Storylines Gavin Bishop Award will be announced at the annual Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day to be held on Sunday 31 March at the University of Auckland Epsom Campus, and all recipients will receive their certificates and awards.

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