• For the first time a bilingual book has taken out the top prize at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.

    August 10 Te Wehenga: The Separation of Ranginui and Papatūānuku by Mat Tait (Ngāti Apa ki te rātō) was tonight presented with the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year Award, Aotearoa’s highest accolade in children’s literature, during a joyful ceremony held at Wellington’s Pipitea Marae. Te Wehenga’s bold bilingual design presents the Māori creation pūrākau, […]

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  • BOOKS ALIVE EVENTS TO ATTRACT HUNDREDS OF TAMARIKI

    Hundreds of students in Christchurch and Wellington are set to be entertained and enlightened by finalists in the 2023 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults at Books Alive events in the immediate lead up to the awards ceremony.   In Ōtautahi on 4 August, WORD Christchurch will host a selection of shortlisted […]

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  • Walker Books Manuscript Prize

    To coincide with Walker’s 30th anniversary in Australia this year, Walker Books Australia is proud to announce the establishment of the Walker Books Manuscript Prize. Walker Books’ mission has long been to publish works that become firm favourites and formative reading. The aim of this new manuscript prize is to foster a new generation of Australian […]

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  • Melinda Szymanik awarded 2023 Shanghai Writing Residency

    Michael King Writers Centre    12 June 2023 New Zealand China Friendship Society Residency Exchange After a break in the residency exchange programme due to the global pandemic, we are very happy to announce that, Melinda Szymanik has been selected as the fourth New Zealand writer to join the Shanghai Writers’ Association’s International Writing Programme. […]

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  • TEENAGER JOINS ESTABLISHED NAMES ON SHORTLIST FOR NATIONAL CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARDS

    A 16-year-old Kāpiti Coast student is among the writers and illustrators announced today as finalists in the 2023 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, the preeminent celebration of books for Aotearoa’s young readers. Arlo Kelly, one of the Awards’ youngest ever finalists, is vying for the NZSA Best First Book Award with […]

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  • Storylines Notable Book Awards judges announced

      Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable Trust Te Whare Waituhi Tamariki o Aotearoa has announced the judges chosen to select the Storylines Notable Books for 2023 (for books published from 16 November 2022 to 15 November 2023). The panels of six for each of five categories (non-fiction, junior and YA fiction, picture books and books written […]

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  • Kete and Storylines spotlight New Zealand junior and young adult fiction with new bestseller list

    Kete Books and Storylines have launched a new monthly bestseller list to help showcase and promote the excellent junior and young adult fiction books written and published in Aotearoa New Zealand. View the Aotearoa Children’s Junior Fiction and Young Adult Bestseller List, sponsored by Storylines. Created with data collected by Nielsen BookScan, the new list focuses on […]

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  • NZ Booklovers Awards 2024 now open for entries

    https://www.nzbooklovers.co.nz/2024-awards 13 April 2023  What do Simon Lendrum, Lauren Keenan, Brianne Te Paa, Jane Ussher, John Walsh, D.V. Bishop, Lucy Corry, Stacey Morrison, Jeremy Sherlock, Fiona Sussman, Dr Hinemoa Elder, Vasanti Unka, Kirsty Powell, Catherine Foster, Gavin Bishop, Fiona Kidman, Kimberly Andrews and Jo Seagar have in common? They are all talented authors and previous […]

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  • Alan Dingley named new national Reading Ambassador

    29 March 2023 Alan Dingley, Librarian at Palmerston North Intermediate School, has been named as the next Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador for children and young people. Alan is a passionate advocate and school librarian who communicates the joy and transformation reading can bring to a young person’s world. He brings impressive experience, skills and […]

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  • Gavin Bishop nominated for international honour

    Congratulations to Gavin Bishop, who has been nominated for the 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Award by IBBY, the International Board on Books for Young People. The Hans Christian Andersen Award is the highest distinction given to authors and illustrators of children’s books, recognising a lifelong achievement and a body of work that has made an important, lasting […]

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  • PLAYS FOR THE YOUNG Playmarket competition

      Do you have an original and inventive play written to inspire and excite young audiences? Whether you are a young person or a senior writer, the age of the audience is what counts. Your play might be written for adults to perform to children, or for young actors to perform themselves. It might be […]

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  • Pasifika Festival Feb 2023 The Coalition for Books

    The Coalition for Books had its first stand at the Pasifika Festival this weekend and has produced its third catalogue for Pasifika Books. Download the new Pasifika catalogue Feb 2023 HERE Thanks to Dorothy Butler Bookshop for all their organisation and support.  

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