New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults: 2024 Children's Finalists

It's been another wonderful year for children's books in Aotearoa New Zealand, so why not check out the cream of the crop and read one of the finalists for the 2024 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults?

Updated June 30, 2024
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Wellington City LibrariesChildren's team at Wellington City Libraries
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At the Bach
Cowley, Joy
Paper Book
Creaky old bed with rumpled sheet, sunburned skin and sandy feet"--Back cover

Picture Book Award

Dazzlehands
Cotter, Sacha
Paper Book
The cow says 'moo' the chicken says 'cluck' and the pig says ... 'Dazzlehands!' As hard as the farmer tries, pig won't go 'oink'. Instead, pig gets all the animals moving to: 'Train hands, rain hands, fly-it-like-a-plane hands. Bursting with the razzle, gotta...

Picture Book Award

Illustration Award

Lucy and the Dark
Szymanik, Melinda.
Paper Book
From an award-winning author and illustrator comes this delightful story about a child who faces her fears and makes friends with the Dark. They go on a wild nocturnal adventure together - but what happens to everyone else when the Dark has run away? 'I'm Dark,' said the voice....

Picture Book Award

Paku Manu Ariki Whakatakapokai
Keeble, Michaela.
Paper Book
"A bold and multi-layered picture book about self-determination narrated by a young boy full of ideas and questions about growing up, belonging, spirituality, culture and who is the boss"--Publishers website.

Picture Book Award

Illustration Award

Best First Book

DoubleDippers!
McGrath, Raymond.
Paper Book
"Delightful Bigsies and Littles are showcasing the importance of being kind and helping others. There are three simply illustrated, playful stories in this graphic novel-style volume, each one featuring two friends, Big Blue and Little Blue. Each story is connected by a wellbeing theme, and is...

Junior Fiction Award

Lopini the Legend
Tu'akoi, Feana.
Paper Book
"When Lopini is replaced as kapa haka leader at school, he starts to spiral. It doesnt matter that he thinks its a good idea, or that he agreed to the change in the first place. Hés a hard-out perfectionist and this feels like a public failure. Lopinís best mate, Fi, thinks hés overreacting. After...

Junior Fiction Award

Nine girls
Gregg, Stacy.
Paper Book
An epic story woven with suspense by Pony Club Secrets and The Princess and the Foal author Stacy Gregg - winner of the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year and the Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction! They dug a hole and they put the box filled with gold inside...

Junior Fiction Award

Take Me to Your Leader
Agnew, Leonie.
Paper Book
Eleven-year-old Lucas has got a new worry to add to his long, long list - his rural school is on the Ministry of Education's list for closure. What's his mum going to do if he and his sister have to start travelling to a school an hour or two away? She can't drive them; she certainly can't afford...

Junior Fiction Award

The Grimmelings
King, Rachael.
Paper Book
Spellbinding middle-grade fantasy adventure of loyalty, courage, and being careful what you wish for . . .

Junior Fiction Award

Patu : the New Zealand wars
Bishop, Gavin
Paper Book
Discover the key people, perspectives and battles of the New Zealand Wars in this award-winning, powerfully told and richly illustrated visual history by Gavin Bishop. Auē! Te mamae! Navigate the defining moments of the wars, visit the battle sites and...

Non-Fiction Award

Illustration Award

The observologist
Clarkson, Giselle
Paper Book
A highly illustrated, playful field guide for budding natural scientists and curious observers of the world right under our noses.Observology is the study of looking. An observologist makes scientific expeditions, albeit very small ones, every day. They notice interesting details in the world around...

Non-Fiction Award

Tuatara, a Living Treasure
Furze, Katie.
Paper Book
"Meet Tuatara, ancient wonder, wildlife treasure ... and survivor! Blinking, she pulls her scaly body into the light. Shes as long as a finger, and with the row of spines on her back she looks like a baby dragon. Tuatara are survivors of an ancient era and sometimes referred to as living wonders -...

Non-Fiction Award

Ultrawild : an audacious plan for rewilding every city on Earth.
Mushin, Steve
Paper Book
Mind-bendingly original and full of intricate illustrations, Ultrawild is totally unique, containing over one hundred outrageously funny, scientifically plausible inventions for rewilding cities and saving the planet.

Non-Fiction Award

Best First Book

Wot Knot You Got: Mophead's Guide to Life
Tusitala Marsh, Selina.
Paper Book
With her trademark visual wit, our buddy Mophead unravels the knots that keep us up at night. 'What do you do if nothing is right - not at home, at school, anywhere?' 'What if people don't like me?' 'What if your own ideas stink?' 'How do I hug my dad?' One morning, Selina wakes up with a twisting,...

Non-Fiction Award

The Dream Factory
Matuku, Steph.
Paper Book
"An amazing building rises on the edge of town its the dream factory. Every night, it sends out magical mist. Flying cars, flower cakes and talking tigers fill peoplés dreams. And the next day, the people make those dreams come true. But when a kerer¿± flies into the dream factory, and a feather...

Illustration Award

Sun ShowerHe Taru Kahika (Maori)
Szymanik, Melinda.
Paper Book
--"The Clouds think Sun and Rain would get along well, but Rain thinks Sun doesnt want to know her as Sun always vanishes when she turns up. Likewise, Sun feels that Rain stays away when Sun is around. The Clouds think theýd be a good match, however, and scheme a meeting, resulting in the most...

Te Kura Pounamu Award for Te Reo Māori

Pipi DanceTe Pikari Pipi (Maori Edition)
Belcher, Angie.
Paper Book
"Shuffle to the left, then shuffle to the right. Twist your hips from side to side, with all your might. Wriggle and shuffle along with Mumma and Bubs as they do a happy pipi dance to gather kai from the moana for their picnic dinner with the whnau"--Publisher information.

Te Kura Pounamu Award for Te Reo Māori

Te Pukapuka ka Kore e Panuihia
Tipene, Tim.
Paper Book
The boy at the centre of Tim Tipene's striking new story doesn't like reading, until one day in the school library he picks up The Book that Wouldn't Read. Suddenly the book takes on a life of its own -- with sentences moving up and down, words changing colour and disappearing...

Te Kura Pounamu Award for Te Reo Māori

The Great Kiwi School Day Te Reo Edition
Bixley, Donovan.
Paper Book
Starting school is a big step up. Te Ra Kura Ki Aotearoa familiarises children and their parents with the structure of the kiwi school day and puts them at ease with elements of the New Zealand curriculum: What do you do at school? Who will be there? What will I learn? What will my classroom be like...

Te Kura Pounamu Award for Te Reo Māori

New Dawning: The Edge of Light
Dixon, A. M.
Paper Book
Book one in a startling new trilogy. We meet Merel, a girl living on a futuristic island in the middle of a sea. Many years have past since the community survived the floods and the severe heat that has forced their forbears to shadow their world. They live in twilight and their year is punctuated...

Best First Book

Rere Atu Taku Poi!: Let My Poi Fly!
Paul, Tangaroa
Paper Book
Written in te reo Maori and translated by the author, Rere Atu Taku Poi! is a beautifully illustrated story about gender fluidity in a school setting. Rangi loves doing haka but performing poi is his favourite - even though his classmates say it's just for girls. When the lead poi performer falls...

Best First Book

Tsunami
Wenlock, Ned
Paper Book
"At school, being right isnt always the right answer. Peters bull-headed commitment to the truth has already picked him out as a target for the school bullies. The misfit new girl is a complete badass, but seems as interested in his nemesis, Gus, as she is in Peter, and his parents are too busy...

Best First Book


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