14 August

A novel that masterfully weaves comedy, fantasy and history in a profound examination of identity has become the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults during a lively ceremony held at Pipitea Marae in Wellington this evening.

Nine girls by Stacy Gregg (Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāti Maru Hauraki) was described by the judges as “a taonga from a master storyteller”.

“After careful deliberation, both juries reached a unanimous decision for a book that not only embodies the highest standards, but which we believe will make a lasting contribution to Aotearoa’s national children’s and young adult literature and as such deserves to be recognised as the main winner,” said Maia Bennett, Chair of the 2024 Jury.

Stacy is one of Aotearoa’s best-selling authors; her popular pony series have sold millions of copies worldwide. Nine girls is her first time engaging with Te ao Māori, with a coming-of-age story based on her own childhood in Ngāruawāhia.

“Vivid and well-developed characters populate a fast-paced, eventful narrative as we follow the young protagonist’s journey to discovering her Māori identity. Te ao Pākehā and te ao Māori are equally uplifting as the text explores our bicultural history,” the judges said.

In addition to the highest award in New Zealand children’s literature, Stacy received the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction.

The winners in six other categories were announced that evening. Picture Book Prize went to Paku Manu Ariki Whakatakapōkai by Michaela Keeble, co-written with her son Kerehi Grace (Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Porou) and illustrated by Tokerau Brown. The judges described it as a sophisticated picture book that will be enjoyed by all ages and deemed it groundbreaking, deeply creative and entirely original.

The Prize for Youth Literature was won by Catch a shooting star by Eileen Merriman, who has been nominated several times in this category but has never won. The jury praised the remarkably authentic portrayal of the increasing psychological problems of the complicated and lovable young protagonist.

Ultrawild: A bold plan to renaturalize all cities on earth by Steve Mushin became Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction Winner. The book is a deadly serious search for a way out of climate change, packed with concepts

which are ingenious, technically plausible and often humorous – and show readers the explicit connection between creativity and science.

The winner of the Russell Clark Award for Illustration needs no introduction. Gavin Bishop (Tainui, Ngāti Awa) has received more awards at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults than any other author or illustrator. The jury considered Patu: The New Zealand Wars I wanted it to be more than just a historical retelling and felt that the strong compositions and limited color palette told a deeply personal story: “A story of Mamae who was discovered, Mamae who I have felt for a long time, and Mamae who still needs to be healed.”

The Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award went to Nani Jo me ngā Mokopuna Porohīangawritten by Moira Wairama and illustrated by Margaret Tolland. Judges said the book uses inclusive language to convey the importance of stories, their role in helping us understand our world, and the importance of poroporoaki in the grieving process.

Finally NZSA Award for Best First Novel was awarded to Ned Wenlock for Tsunamia graphic novel for older readers. It stood out to the jury for its sophisticated understanding of the comic form, telling the often disturbing story of a difficult and bullied boy with skill and a complexity that gives readers confidence in mastering the book’s challenges.

The full list of winners of the 2024 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults:

Margaret Mahy Book of the Year Award, $8,500

Nine girls, Stacy Gregg (Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāti Maru Hauraki) (Penguin Random House NZ)

Picture book price 8500 US dollars

Paku Manu Ariki WhakatakapōkaiMichaela Keeble with Kerehi Grace (Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Porou), illustrated by Tokerau Brown (Gecko Press)

Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction, $8,500

Nine girls, Stacy Gregg (Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāti Maru Hauraki) (Penguin Random House NZ)

Prize for young adult literature: $8,500

Catch a falling star, Eileen Merriman (Penguin Random House NZ)

Elsie Locke Award for Nonfiction $8,500

Ultrawild: A bold plan to rewild all the world’s cities, Steve Mushin (Allen & Unwin)

Russell Clark Award for Illustration, $8,500

Patu: The New Zealand Wars, illustrated by Gavin Bishop (Tainui, Ngāti Awa) (Penguin Random House NZ)

Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Prize for Te Reo Māori, $8,500

Nani Jo me ngā Mokopuna Porohīanga, Moira Wairama, illustrated by Margaret Tolland (Baggage Books)

NZSA Prize for Best First Novel, $2,500

tsunami, Ned Wenlock (Earth’s End Publishing)

In addition to recognising the best and brightest children’s and young adult books, a central aspect of the mission of the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults is to promote literacy and a love of reading among New Zealand’s tamariki and rangatahi.

This includes a programme of large-scale Books Alive events, where the finalist authors and illustrators bring the magic of books to life in sessions for school children in the immediate run-up to the ceremony. This year, thanks to the generous support of the Mātātuhi Foundation, a day of joyful Books Alive fun was held for Invercargill school children on Wednesday 7 August. On 9 August, WORD Christchurch hosted a selection of the finalist authors who entertained primary and secondary school students at the Haeata Community Campus in Ōtautahi. And today in Wellington, hundreds of students gathered at the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa and Te Whare Pukapuka o Waitohi in Johnsonville, where the talented team at Wellington City Libraries put on a varied program for over 20 finalists, including talks on the background to the books, writing and illustration workshops, lightning talk sessions, storytelling and live drawing.

The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults also organise the ever-popular HELL Reading Challenge, which has been running for over a decade. Last year, almost 850 schools and libraries around the Motu took part in the programme and 325,000 pizza wheels were distributed, resulting in an estimated 2,275,000 books read. The 2024 challenge is already on track to surpass last year’s impressive results, with over 290,000 pizza wheels already sent out.

The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults and its programs are made possible by the generosity, commitment and vision of supporters and partners: Creative New Zealand, HELL Pizza, the Wright Family Foundation, LIANZA Te Rau Herenga o Aotearoa, Wellington City Council, New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa, the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, the Mātātuhi Foundation and Nielsen BookData. The awards are administered by the New Zealand Book Awards Trust Te Ohu Tiaki i Te Rau Hiringa.

© ScoopMedia