2025 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards

Long Lists for Fiction, Non-Fiction, Illustrated Non-Fiction and Poetry

"Unforgettable and amusing memoirs, novels that move and unnerve, illustrated books that powerfully illuminate the past and present, and sizzling, considered poetry collections are among the 43 books longlisted from 175 entries." -- New Zealand Book Awards Trust

Updated February 4, 2025
K
Kōtui New Plymouth Libraries
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Delirious
Wilkins, Damien
Paper Book
It's time. Mary, an ex cop, and her husband, retired librarian Pete, have decided to move into a retirement village. They aren't falling apart, but they're watching each other - Pete with his chcychardia and bad hip, Mary with her ankle and knee. Selling their beloved house should be a clean break,...
Feijoa : a story of obsession & belonging
Evans, Kate (Journalist)
Paper Book
'Read this book - the micro-history you didn't know you needed, even if you don't like feijoa!' Liv Sisson, author of Fungi Inspired by a personal obsession with this singular exotic fruit, Feijoa is a sweeping, global tale about the dance between people and plants -...
Kataraina
Manawatu, Becky.
Paper Book
The much-awaited follow-up to the award-winning international bestseller Auē. In Auē, eight-year-old Ārama was taken by his brother, Taukiri, to live with Kat and Stu at the farm in Kaikōura, setting in motion the ensuing tragedy, which resulted in Stu's death. Aunty...
At The Grand Glacier Hotel
Fearnley, Laurence.
Paper Book
Following a disastrous family holiday, Libby and Curtis make a promise- If they ever visit the West Coast of the South Island again, it will be to stay at the majestic Grand Glacier Hotel. Twenty years later, Libby is recovering from cancer and the couple finally return to the resort....
All That We Know
Kino, Shilo.
Paper Book
Named one of the best NZ books of 2024 by The Spinoff and Newsroom In the Bookety Book Books Reader's Choice Top 10 This is Aotearoa, New Zealand. This is a novel about who we are now. Past, present and future. All that we have<...
Amma
De Silva, Saraid
Paper Book
Ash
Wallace, Louise.
Paper Book
Thea lives under a mountain - one that's ready to blow. A vet at a mid-sized rural practice has been called back during maternity leave and is coping - just - with the juggle of meetings, mealtimes, farm visits, her boss's search for legal loopholes and the constant care of her much-loved children,...
Poorhara
Rahurahu, Michelle
Paper Book
Poorhara is the story of nineteen-year-old Erin, her older cousin Star/Whetu and an impromptu road trip taken over a few days. With the demands and heartbreaks of whanau, poverty and trauma nipping at their heels, Erin and Star trace the path back their whenua, in the hope of salvation - something...
The Mires
Makereti, Tina.
Paper Book
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2025 OCKHAM NEW ZEALAND BOOK AWARDS A tender and fierce novel that asks what we do when faced with things we don't understand. Is our impulse to destroy or connect? Water will come and you think it will be soft. You...
The Royal Free
Shuker, Carl.
Paper Book
Equal parts workplace comedy, home invasion thriller and literary conundrum, The Royal Free is an exuberant, dark, wildly entertaining novel about death and copy editing - by the author of the acclaimed A Mistake. James Ballard is a recently bereaved single father to a baby daughter, and a medical...

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