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‘The Bomb’ named book of the year at 2019 NZ Book Awards for Children and YA

The Bomb by author Sacha Cotter and illustrator Josh Morgan (Huia Publishers) has won the Margaret Mahy book of the year award, as well as the picture book award, at the 2019 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.

Judges were ‘captivated’ by the book and described it as ‘a summery, waterlogged, quintessentially Kiwi story about a child growing in self-confidence while striving to perfect the perfect “bomb”, supported every step of the way by the reassuring presence of Nan’.

Judge Crissi Blair added: ‘Joy and humour permeate the story and illustrations of The Bomb, and the reader is rewarded with each encounter—they see a new layer, another detail is revealed, fresh energy bubbles up.’ The judges also commended the language, which naturally incorporates te reo Māori, and the illustrations, which celebrate New Zealand’s multicultural community.

The full list of winning titles is:

Margaret Mahy book of the year

  • The Bomb (Sacha Cotter, illus by Josh Morgan, Huia Publishers)

Picture book award

  • The Bomb (Sacha Cotter, illus by Josh Morgan, Huia Publishers)

Esther Glen Award for junior fiction

  • The Dog Runner (Bren MacDibble, A&U)

Young Adult fiction award

  • Legacy (Whiti Hereaka, Huia Publishers)

Elsie Locke Award for nonfiction

  • Art-tastic (Sarah Pepperle, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū)

Russell Clark Award for illustration

  • Puffin the Architect (Kimberly Andrews, Puffin)

Te Kura Pounamu Award for books written completely in te reo Māori

  • Te Haka a Tānerore (Reina Kahukiwa, illus by Robyn Kahukiwa, trans by Kiwa Hammond, Mauri Tū)

Best first book award

  • Art-tastic (Sarah Pepperle, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū).

The winners were announced at a ceremony in Wellington on 7 August. The winners in each category received NZ$7500 (A$7150), except the best first book award winner, who received NZ$2000 (A$1910). For more information, see the website.

 

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Category: Awards Junior Local news