NZ Booklovers Awards 2026 winners announced
Thursday, 19 March 2026 Books+Publishing @booksandpublishing
In Aotearoa New Zealand, the winners of the 2026 NZ Booklovers Awards have been announced.
The winning titles in each category are:
Best Adult Fiction Book
- Softly Calls the Devil (Chris Blake, Echo).
Best Lifestyle Book
- New Zealand Photography Collected: 175 Years of Photography in Aotearoa (Athol McCredie, Te Papa Press).
Best Young Adult Fiction Book
- Bear (Kiri Lightfoot, A&U Children’s).
Best Junior Fiction Book
- The Secret Green (Sonya Wilson, A&U Children’s).
Best Children’s Picture Book
- Taniwha (Gavin Bishop, Penguin).
The awards, now in their 8th year, celebrate Aotearoa New Zealand authors. Each category winner receives NZ$500 (A$410).
The winners were chosen from shortlists released in February.
Category: Awards Local news
