• Love of books and reading foremost with Kiwi Kids Whitcoulls Top 50

    FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 On the eve of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Term 3 holidays, Whitcoulls announce their influential 2024 Kids’ Top 50 Books list; an annual event for over 25 years and one Kiwi children respond to with enthusiasm. Whitcoulls Book Manager, Joan Mackenzie, says, “This year, 36% of books on the Top 50 are […]

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  • Success of Draft English Curriculum Requires Investment in School Libraries

    The School Library Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (SLANZA) is pleased to see reading remains a core component of the draft English curriculum released this week, but is concerned that the lack of resourcing for school libraries limits its potential success.  “The draft curriculum requires teachers to ‘choose texts that expose students to a wide […]

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  • Inaugural Lynley Dodd Children’s Writers Award Recipient Announced: J L Williams

      The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi is thrilled to announce the inaugural recipient of the Lynley Dodd Children’s Writers Award: Janine Williams, known to many by her pen name J.L. Williams.  Whangarei-based author Janine is known for her compelling historical junior fiction and dedication to crafting stories that capture young readers’ hearts across the […]

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  • Picture Me Festival – call for illustration submissions

    This September Gecko Press and some friends in the European community are delighted to bring you the Picture Me festival, a celebration of European illustration for children, with a special focus on identity.   Picture Me is a two-week festival of art involving three fantastic European illustrators in workshops, panel talks and an exhibition. Gecko […]

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  • Introducing the Lynley Dodd Children’s Writers Award

    Major news from the Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi whānau! We have a brand new $30,000 award for mid-career children’s writer in Aotearoa New Zealand – generously backed by our nation’s very own children’s literary legend, Dame Lynley Dodd DNZM. This award is made possible thanks to the huge act of generosity from Aotearoa New […]

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  • Site for NZ readers spotlights local books in digital formats: KETE Books

    News release July 2, 2024 Kete Books, the website dedicated to helping readers discover New Zealand books and authors, has been rebuilt and is now live, connecting New Zealanders to their local books in all formats at an enhanced level. Created by The Coalition for Books, ketebooks.co.nz is the place to discover reading ideas and inspiration, find […]

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  • Pukapuka Māori o te Tau 23-24

    Māori Literature Trust – Pukapuka Māori o te Tau 23-24   Mānawa maiea te putanga o Matariki  Mānawa maiea te ariki o te rangi Mānawa maiea te Mātahi o te Tau Matariki is rising, signalling the beginning of te tau hou Māori. Matariki is a time to reflect on the year that has passed, to […]

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  • NZ Booklovers Awards 2025 now open for entries 

      What do Nick Davies, Eileen Merriman, David Hill, Lauren Keenan, Brianne Te Paa, Jane Ussher, Lucy Corry, Stacey Morrison, Jeremy Sherlock, Fiona Sussman, Dr Hinemoa Elder, Vasanti Unka, Kirsty Powell, Gavin Bishop, Fiona Kidman, Kimberly Andrews and Jo Seagar have in common? They are all talented authors and some of the previous winners of […]

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  • The ASLA DANZ Children’s Book Award 2025 open for entries

    The ASLA Diversity in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand Children’s Book Award is back for 2025 to celebrate and spotlight even more underrepresented children’s book creators! Following a hugely successful first year, The ASLA DANZ Award, previously The DANZ Award, is returning bigger and better in its quest to reward and celebrate diverse and ground-breaking […]

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  • Kete Books Winter Reading catalogue out now

    New NZ Books… Here’s a link to the Winter Reading campaign on the Coalition website: https://coalitionforbooks.nz/winterreading2024  This year’s catalogue features exciting new fiction, books for tamariki and rangatahi, a wide range of compelling nonfiction, and a selection of brilliant new books for Matariki. It brings together 77 new books from Aotearoa published in the lead-up […]

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  • Local New Zealand publisher Exisle Publishing launches the international Children’s Publishing Academy with a writing competition

      Dunedin-based book publisher Exisle Publishing has launched an international Children’s Publishing Academy aimed at supporting budding children’s book authors. The Children’s Publishing Academy provides a forum where authors can have the opportunity to learn from a leading children’s publishing professional as well as from other published authors. ‘Breaking through as a children’s author is […]

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  • BIG NAMES FEATURE ON NATIONAL CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD SHORTLIST

    For immediate release, Thursday 6 June 2024 Books that will delight and inform – from big names such as Joy Cowley, Gavin Bishop, Stacy Gregg, Tessa Duder and Donovan Bixley as well as talented newcomers – have been announced today as finalists in the 2024 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. The […]

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