New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2025 ShortlistUnpublished

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"A bedtime story with a mix of the familiar bathtime to bedtime routine and a sprinkling of moonlit magic. Six taniwha, all looking at me, sing "Beddy-bye time in the bubbly-white sea. Its almost bedtime and a young child counts objects, including kerer¿±, taniwha, kea and sheep"--Publisher...

"Fet¿±, the youngest sister of a unique family of matai, and her connection to her siblings becomes a guiding light for her village and a reminder of the enduring power of iga, duty and hope for the future. Mataalíi weaves a story rich in Samoan cultural values, blending early duties with ancestral...

A counting story based on the traditional rhyme Ten Green Bottles. Ten curious weka drop away from the flock one by one as they peck at ngarara (ngarara - insects), squeeze under a farm gate, and tease a tchuna (tuna - eel), until eventually they find their way back to the flock again.

"A member of the extended family looks directly at the reader alongside a familiar toy. Labels give the Mori and English words for what we see: colours, shapes, eyes, ears, nose, hair-and there are more connections to find in every illustration pair"--Publishers website.

Eleven-year-old Rebecca tries to make herself invisible so people won't call her weird. Resigned to spending the holidays by herself in a new neighbourhood while her mum works long hours at the supermarket, she meets Chester, who has come to stay for the summer. He is loud and fun and full of ideas....

Detective Beans is available 24/7* for all your mystery solving and ice-cream taste testing needs. * Except on school days, and after bedtime. Today he's investigating the case of the missing hat. His missing hat. The clues take Beans all over Cat Town. He...

Bastienne Scull is nearly twelve years old and lives a simple life as an apprentice to the Witnesser of Miracles in a small village mostly populated by women and girls. Basti knows that miracle-hunting is a lot like mystery-solving, and her little world is full of wonder and intrigue and unexpected...

A gripping, beautifully-told fantasy quest set in a parallel medieval world.

Violet Grumble, twelve-year-old rock star in the making, forms a band with a ragtag group of friends. Against all odds, can they win a chance to compete at BandChamps?

The powerful, humorous yet sensitive story of Jasper, a talented young artist, who learns to face his anger.

Eighteen-year-old Grace has struggled all her life with her place in this family and in the world. Obviously of Asian descent, she has been unable to get the truth about her parentage from her mother, a woman who is struggling with her own demons, that date back to her life in Taiwan where she...

"Farah cant wait to escape her mothers incessant demands and attend the legendary Western Wnanga, where the best military fighters are trained. Through daring battles against her classmates and encounters with cryptic temple masters, Farah sheds her life as a person from the upper ranks of society...

Bestselling author of Aroha and respected Maori psychiatrist Dr Hinemoa Elder has written a special collection of whakataukī for tamariki mokopuna. Puanga kai rau.Puanga, the star signalling a time of the year with plenty of food.New...

"Meet Ruru, a bird of the night and a silent Night Hunter! Dusk creeps. Birds peep. Ruru opens his eyes, stretches his wings, and calls ... More-pork! More-pork! Ruru, also known as a morepork, is Aotearoa New Zealands only surviving species of native owl. This book, set in an urban landscape,...

'The story of The Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti o Waitangi is one of the greatest in New Zealand history. It marks the moment British and Maori history intersected and a new nation was formed. In The Treaty of Waitangi, Ross Calman outlines the impact of the Treaty from early contact between Maori...

A joyful rhyming Suessian romp that puts a playful twist on getting a pet. If it's wet, it isn't a pet! You can play with a puppy and snuggle a bunny, but as much as you wish, you can't pat a fish. A visit to the pet shop is just the beginning of this...

Koia tēnei, ko te paki whakaihiihi e whai mai ana i Te Kokorangi. Noho morearea ana nga ra ki tua- kua mauheretia a Te Kokorangi e te hoariri kino, e Ruatapu, waihoki, e matemate katoa ana nga mara kūmara. Me matua whai a Aria ma - tae atu ki a Kurī - i te ara uaua...

"Join Sam and Te Rerehua as they prepare a Matariki feast! Its the day before Matariki and a big feast has been prepared. Eeling took place months ago and Te Rerehua and Sam are excited to give thanks to Tupunuku and Tupurangi, the stars connected to food grown in and above the ground. But one night...

He kairaranga pūhara a Nanny Rina, ka taea te raranga i nga momo kupenga katoa! Ka patai ana tana mokopuna, a Haeata te Kapua, mo nga kupenga ka rarangahia hei powhiri i te tau hou, ka tohua e Nanny me pēhea te whai i nga whetū o Matariki hei arahi i tana mahi kupenga.

An exciting and action-packed animal story featuring two kāhu sisters who must save their injured baby brother - before a coming flood destroys their home.

Hey! I have a message for you: Come outside! There are flowers to pick, leaves to gather, seeds to collect, moss to pat, rain to smell and earth to dig. Love Nature xx P.S. You are part of the natural world, too! Inside this book, you will discover heaps of craft projects you can make using...

Aue! The Witch of Maketu is feeling grumpy and stink. The twelve juicy lambs she's kept for her winter kai are bleating all day and night. She can't get any beauty sleep! Uncle Hemi, a terrifying taniwha, helps the witch come up with a cunning and evil plan to keep those little lambs quiet. But will...

Sad Sushi reaches out to friends when sadness threatens to overwhelm them. When the sadness returns, Sad Sushi and their friends find a wise healer, who encourages Sad Sushi to focus on glimmers of light (and on creating their own glimmers) that provide a way though the sadness.