Baker’s ‘Sight Lines’ wins best book at PANZ Book Design Awards
The winners of the 2025 New Zealand Te Rau o Tākupu Publishers Association (PANZ) Book Design Awards have been announced.
Chosen from finalists announced in July, the winners are:
Gerard Reid Award for Best Book sponsored by NielsenIQ BookData Book
- Sight Lines: Women and Art in Aotearoa (Kirsty Baker, Auckland University Press); designed by Katie Kerr (Studio Katie Kerr)
Special judges’ mention:
- worm, root, wort … & bane (Ann Shelton, Alice Austen House Press); designed by Duncan Munro (Lucky Stairs Studio)
Penguin Random House New Zealand Award for Best Illustrated Book
- Sight Lines: Women and Art in Aotearoa (Kirsty Baker, Auckland University Press); designed by Katie Kerr (Studio Katie Kerr)
Upstart Press Award for Best Non-illustrated Book
- Japan: An Autobiography (Peter Shaw, Six Point Press); cover designed by Arch MacDonnell, interior by Arch MacDonnell and Jane MacDonnell (Inhouse)
Scholastic New Zealand Award for Best Children’s Book
- The Dream Factory/Te Wheketere Moemoeā (Steph Matuku & Zak Ātea, Huia Publishers); designed by Te Kani Price and Sophie Hooper (Huia Publishers)
- A Lot of Silly (Joy Cowley & David Barrow, Gecko Press); designed by Vida Kelly
PANZ Award for Best Education Book or Series – Primary
- My Matariki Colouring and Activity Book (Rangi Matamua, Miriama Kamo & Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, Scholastic New Zealand); cover designed by Vida Kelly, interior by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White and Vida Kelly
1010 Printing Award for Best Cookbook
- Oikos – An Ode to Food, Family and Friends (Theo Papouis, Oikos); designed by Seachange
Allen & Unwin Award for Best Commercial Book for Adults
- Amma (Saraid de Silva, Moa Press); cover designed by Megan van Staden, interior by Simon Paterson, Bookhouse
HarperCollins Publishers Award for Best Cover
- worm, root, wort … & bane (Ann Shelton, Alice Austen House Press); designed by Duncan Munro (Lucky Stairs Studio)
Te Papa Press Award for Best Typography
- Japan: An Autobiography (Peter Shaw, Six Point Press); cover designed by Arch MacDonnell, interior by Arch MacDonnell and Jane MacDonnell (Inhouse)
Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand Emerging Designer Award
- Sarah-Louise Crawford
Bookhub People’s Choice Award (joint winners)
- worm, root, wort … & bane (Ann Shelton, Alice Austen House Press); designed by Duncan Munro (Lucky Stairs Studio)
- Fenoga Tāoga Niue I Aotearoa: Niue Heritage Journey in Aotearoa (ed by Molima Molly Pihigia, Toluma’anave Barbara Makuati-Afitu, Kolokesa Uafa Mahina-Tuai, Hikule’o Fe’aomoeako Melaia Mahina & Janson Chau, Mafola Press); designed by Janson Chau (Alt Group).
The judging panel comprised of Unity Books manager Chloe Blades (convenor), graphic designer Eva Charlton and designer Jo Bailey.
Last year’s winners included Rewi: Āta Haere, Kia Tere (Jade Kake and 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 for the Gerard Reid Award for Best Book.
More information about the winners and the awards is available on the award’s website.
Category: Awards Local news
