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Ockham New Zealand 2025 Book Awards winners

Thursday, 15 May 2025   Books+Publishing
@booksandpublishing

In Aotearoa New Zealand, the winners of the 2025 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards have been announced.

The winning titles, chosen from shortlists announced in March, are:

Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction (NZ$65,000)

  • Delirious (Damien Wilkins, Te Herenga Waka University Press)

Mary and Peter Biggs Award for Poetry (NZ$12,000)

  • Liar, Liar, Lick, Spit (Emma Neale, Otago University Press)

BookHub Award for Illustrated Nonfiction (NZ$12,000)

  • Toi Te Mana: An Indigenous History of Māori Art (Deidre Brown [Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu] & Ngarino Ellis [Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou], with Jonathan Mane-Wheoki [Ngāpuhi, Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Kurī], Auckland University Press)

General Nonfiction Award (NZ$12,000)

  • Hine Toa: A Story of Bravery (Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku [Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi, Waikato], HarperCollins NZ).

Four Mātātuhi Foundation Best First Book Awards recipients were also announced; alongside cash prizes, winners receive a 12-month membership to the New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa.

The winners are:

Hubert Church Prize for best first work of fiction (NZ$3000)

  • Poorhara (Michelle Rahurahu [Ngāti Rahurahu, Ngāti Tahu–Ngāti Whaoa], Te Herenga Waka University Press)

Jessie Mackay Prize for best first work of poetry (NZ$3000)

  • Manuali‘i (Rex Letoa Paget [Samoan/Danish], Saufo‘i Press)

Judith Binney Prize for best first work of illustrated nonfiction (NZ$3000)

  • Sight Lines: Women and Art in Aotearoa (Kirsty Baker, Auckland University Press)

E H McCormick Prize for best first work of general nonfiction (NZ$3000)

  • The Chthonic Cycle (Una Cruickshank, Te Herenga Waka University Press).

Said New Zealand Book Awards Te Ohu Tiaki i Te Rau Hiringa trustee Renee Rowland: ‘In hotly contested categories, these titles offer much to enrich their readers. They are by turns highly personal and moving; fierce and shocking; culturally insightful and challenging; and funny and loving.’

More information about the awards is available on the NZ Book Awards Trust website.

 

Category: Awards Local news