New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2026 shortlists announced

The shortlists for the 2026 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults have been announced.

The shortlists in each category, chosen from 159 entries, are:

BookHub Picture Book Award (NZ$8,500)

• A Guide to Rocks (Sacha Cotter, illustrated by Josh Morgan [Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata], Huia Publishers)
• Koro Wētā (Heather Haylock, illustrated by Sarah Trolle, translated by Ngairo Eruera [Ngāti Ranginui, Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa], Oratia Books)
• Left to Nowhere (Ian Chapman, One Tree House)
• The Only Dinosaur in School (Leonie Agnew, illustrated by Julia Hegetusch [Muaūpoko], Scholastic New Zealand)
• Pūkeko Who-keko? (Toby Morris, Penguin Random House).

Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction (NZ$8,500)

• Detective Stanley and the Mystery at the Museum (Hannah Tunnicliffe, illustrated by Erica Harrison, Flying Eye Books)
• Dreamslinger (Graci Kim, Penguin Random House New Zealand)
• Kimi the Kekeno’s Big Adventure (Shelley Burne-Field [Ngāti Mutanga, Ngāti Rārua], Allen & Unwin Aotearoa)
• The Terrible Trio 1: The (not so) Superheroes (Swapna Haddow, illustrated by Minky Stapleton, Scholastic New Zealand)
• Violet and the Velvets 2: The Case of the Angry Ghost (Rachael King, Allen & Unwin Aotearoa).

Wheelers Books Award for Young Adult Fiction (NZ$8,500)

• Hiva & Heartbeats (Selina Alesana Alefosio, Mila’s Books)
• It’s a Bit More Complicated Than That (Hannah Marshall, Allen & Unwin Aotearoa)
• The Lost Saint (Rachael Craw, Allen & Unwin Aotearoa)
• The Retreat (Helen Vivienne Fletcher, HVF Publishing Ltd)
• Spider Games: In the City of Spies (Brian Falkner, Bateman Books).

Elsie Locke Award for Nonfiction (NZ$8,500)

• Hooked: Learning to Fish (Al Brown, illustrated by Hope McConnell, Allen & Unwin Aotearoa)
• Omnibird: An Avian Investigator’s Handbook (Giselle Clarkson, Gecko Press, Lerner Publishing Group)
• Survive Aotearoa (Bronwen Wall & Jonathan Kennett, illustrated by Kimberly Andrews, Kennett Brothers Ltd)
• Taniwha (Gavin Bishop [Tainui, Ngāti Awa], Penguin Random House)
• Whenua: Māori Pūrākau of Aotearoa (Isobel Joy Te Aho-White [Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu], Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand).

Russell Clark Award for Illustration (NZ$8,500)

• At Home on the Farm (Ned Barraud, Scholastic New Zealand)
• Folk Remedy 1: The Hidden World of the Yōkai (Jem Yoshioka, Andrews McMeel)
• Kupe and the Great Octopus of Muturangi (Mat Tait [Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Kuia, Rangitāne o Wairau], Allen & Unwin Aotearoa)
• Taniwha (Gavin Bishop [Tainui, Ngāti Awa], Penguin Random House)
• Whenua: Māori Pūrākau of Aotearoa (Isobel Joy Te Aho-White [Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu], Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand).

Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Awards for Te Reo Māori (NZ$8,500)

• He Taonga te Toka (Sacha Cotter, illustrated by Josh Morgan [Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata], translated by Kawata Teepa [Tūhoe, Te Whakatōhea], Huia Publishers)
• *Kupe me te Wheke nui a Muturangi (Mat Tait [Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Kuia, Rangitāne o Wairau], Allen & Unwin Aotearoa)
• Matariki ki te Ao (Miriama Kamo [Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mutunga] & Rangi Matamua [Tūhoe], illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White [Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu], translated by Pānia Papa [Ngāti Korokī-Kahukura, Ngāti Mahuta] & Leon Blake [Tūhoe, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Wāhiao, Waikato, Ngāti Whāwhākia, Ngāti Porou, Taranaki, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Whānau a Apanui, Te Aitanga a Hauiti, Ngāi Tai], Scholastic New Zealand)
• Taku Ikura Tuatahi (Qiane Matata-Sipu [Te Waiohua, Waikato, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Pikiao], illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White [Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu], translated by Stacey Morrison [Ngāi Tahu, Te Arawa waka], QIANE+co)
• *Te Onehaumako (Zeb Tamihana Nicklin [Pāhauwera, Ruapani, Tūhoe, Tāmanuhiri], Huia Publishers).

* Originally written in te reo Māori

NZSA Best First Book Award (NZ$2,500)

• Folk Remedy 1: The Hidden World of the Yōkai (Jem Yoshioka, Andrews McMeel)
• Hiva & Heartbeats (Selina Alesana Alefosio, Mila’s Books)
• Hunt for Niu Tupu (Inangaro Vakaafi, illustrated by Maka Makatoa, Mila’s Books)
• The Lost Words (Kimberley Kearney [Ngāti Maniapoto, Tuhoe], illustrated by Taylor Terewai Tiave [Ngāpuhi], Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand).
• Te Onehaumako (Zeb Tamihana Nicklin [Pāhauwera, Ruapani, Tūhoe, Tāmanuhiri], Huia Publishers).

The winners of each category, and of the overall Margaret Mahy Book of the Year, worth an additional NZ$8,500 prize, will be announced at a ceremony at Pipitea Marae in Wellington on the evening of Wednesday 19 August 2026.

Category: Awards Local news