‘Rewi’ wins best book at PANZ Book Design Awards

The winners in the 2024 New Zealand Te Rau o Tākupu Publishers Association (PANZ) Book Design Awards have been announced, with Māori and Pasifika designers winning the top honours.

Winners in each category are:

Gerard Reid Award for Best Book

• Rewi: Āta Haere, Kia Tere (Jade Kake & Jeremy Hansen, Massey University Press), cover design by Tyrone Ohia and Eva Charlton (Extended Whānau), interior by Tyrone Ohia, Eva Charlton, Max Quinn-Tapara (Extended Whānau) and Katrina Duncan

Best illustrated book (joint winners)

• Pacific Arts Aotearoa (ed by Lana Lopesi, Penguin Random House NZ in association with Pacific Arts, Creative New Zealand | Toi Aotearoa), cover design by Shaun Naufahu (Alt Group), interior by Shaun Naufahu (Alt Group) and Katrina Duncan
• Rewi: Āta Haere, Kia Tere (Jade Kake & Jeremy Hansen, Massey University Press), cover design by Tyrone Ohia and Eva Charlton (Extended Whānau), interior by Tyrone Ohia, Eva Charlton, Max Quinn-Tapara (Extended Whānau) and Katrina Duncan

Best non-illustrated book

• Past the Tower, Under the Tree: Twelve Stories of Learning in Community (ed by Balamohan Shingade & Erena Shingade, GLORIA Books), design by Katie Kerr

Best children’s book

• The Observologist (Giselle Clarkson, Gecko Press), design by Vida Kelly

Best commercial book for adults

• Fungi of Aotearoa (Liv Sisson, Penguin Random House NZ), design by Carla Sy

Best cookbook

• Enjoy: Food Worth Sharing with the People You Love (Kelly Gibney, Beatnik), design by Sally Greer

Award for best cover

• Rewi: Āta Haere, Kia Tere (Jade Kake & Jeremy Hansen, Massey University Press), cover design by Tyrone Ohia and Eva Charlton (Extended Whānau)

Award for best typography

• Pacific Arts Aotearoa (ed by Lana Lopesi, Penguin Random House NZ in association with Pacific Arts, Creative New Zealand | Toi Aotearoa), cover design by Shaun Naufahu (Alt Group), interior by Shaun Naufahu (Alt Group) and Katrina Duncan

Best education book or series (primary)

• Kuwi & Friends He Puka Ngohe: Activity Book (Kat Quin, trans by Pānia Papa, Illustrated Publishing), design by Kat Quin and Chelsea McKirdy

Best education book or series (secondary/tertiary)

• Reo Ora—Ko Te Weu Level Three: A Māori Language Course for Intermediate Learners (Rāpata Wiri, Huia Publishers), design by Camilla Lau

People’s choice award

• Rewi: Āta Haere, Kia Tere (Jade Kake & Jeremy Hansen, Massey University Press), cover design by Tyrone Ohia and Eva Charlton (Extended Whānau), interior by Tyrone Ohia, Eva Charlton, Max Quinn-Tapara (Extended Whānau) and Katrina Duncan.

This year’s judging panel included designer Anna Brown, creative director Te Kani Price, bookseller Chloe Blade and designer Simon Waterfield.

Designers of Rewi: Āta Haere, Kia Tere are credited with ‘crafting a work of bold elegance, where every detail—from the colour palette to the thoughtful typography—celebrates Rewi’s legacy’. Judges said the approach from the design team can be summed up in the he mihi at the opening of the book: ‘We battle, strive and live to tame this great fish that Māui caught. Our youthfulness allows us to be playful, energetic, lively, enthusiastic and experimental and not overburdened by the weight of our past.’

The winners, who were chosen from shortlists announced in July, were announced at an awards ceremony in Auckland on 19 September.

More information—including category finalists—is available on the awards website.

Category: Awards Local news