2026 Awards

Margaret Mahy Book of the Year

A Guide to Rocks

Published by: Huia Publishers

Written by Sacha Cotter and illustrated by Josh Morgan (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata)

A Guide to Rocks is storytelling at its finest. It is layered and emotionally intelligent, challenging us to think about stereotypes and to look after our emotional wellbeing, while also entertaining the youngest of readers – and their wider whānau as well. The rhythmic language guarantees that it will be a popular read aloud, while the detailed and evocative illustrations ensure close visual readings. With A Guide to Rocks, Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan have created a book that tackles a serious topic and yet maintains a sense of humour and joy, without a hint of glibness. This captivating book belongs in every home, school and library in Aotearoa.

Category Winners

BookHub Picture Book Award

A Guide to Rocks

Published by: Huia Publishers

Written by Sacha Cotter and illustrated by Josh Morgan (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata)

A Guide to Rocks explores the ways in which people deal with emotions and anxieties in an approachable and non-condescending way, and challenges typical masculine stereotypes with humour and tenderness. The quintessentially New Zealand text coupled with painterly illustrations helps to frame and drive the story. The characters are set to become icons, who will help to initiate many necessary whānau conversations around vulnerabilities and emotional health. This is a book that teaches, empowers and entertains – an impressive feat for this type of subject matter.

Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction

Dreamslinger

Published by: Penguin, Penguin Random House

Written by Graci Kim

In Dreamslinger, meticulous world-building and characterisation are expertly combined with a humming plot to create an engaging fantasy that readers will want to immerse themselves in. Graci Kim has created a world that is skilfully inclusive and peopled by characters from all around the globe, ensuring that all readers feel seen and represented. At the same time, issues of marginalisation and grief are deftly addressed, alongside important themes of self-acceptance, belief, trust, kindness, friendship and family – including the families we make for ourselves.

Wheelers Books Award for Young Adult Fiction

The Lost Saint

Published by: Allen and Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand

Written by Rachael Craw

The Lost Saint is an odyssey that blends historical grit and adventure with a simmering, mature romance. The world that Rachel Craw has built is full of sensory detail and unpredictable peril, and readers will be transported to a brutal 14th-century Germany, a place where no character is safe. With sharp dialogue and well-crafted character arcs, this immersive and compelling adventure fantasy grips the reader right from its explosive start. Balancing high-stakes tension with a profound exploration of the concepts of sacrifice and identity, The Lost Saint marks a thrilling beginning to a new series.

Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction

Whenua: Māori Pūrākau of Aotearoa

Published by: Little Moa, Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand

Written and illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu)

Whenua: Māori Pūrākau of Aotearoa is an all-rounder of a book that will appeal to all ages. Written with casual confidence, the text feels alive, like a story told by a family member. Each pūrākau incorporates well researched little details that, together with the masterful and dynamic illustrations, make the characters feel familiar and relatable – brave explorers are featured, but so too are cheeky siblings and gossiping whales. Whenua is an instant classic, a treasure for all homes in Aotearoa, a beautiful tool that ties us to our land.

Russell Clark Award for Illustration

Kupe and the Great Octopus of Muturangi

Published by: Allen and Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand

Illustrated and written by Mat Tait (Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Kuia, Rangitāne o Wairau)

The bold illustrative style of Kupe and the Great Octopus of Muturangi adds drama to this vivid retelling of the pūrākau of Kupe and his people chasing a great octopus across the ocean to Aotearoa. The words, illustrations and design work as one – with hand-rendered typography adding dramatic emphasis to the storytelling and illustrations, and shifts in colour from spread to spread carrying the mood and pacing of the pūrākau. This is a skilfully designed and engaging book that maximises use of vibrant colour and illustration to make the story pop off each and every page.

Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for a Book Originally Written in Te Reo Māori

Kupe me te Wheke nui a Muturangi

Published by: Allen and Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand

Written and illustrated by Mat Tait (Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Kuia, Rangitāne o Wairau)

Kua whakatakotoria anō te pūrākau o Kupe me te Wheke Nui a Muturangi i tēnei pukapuka, e noho nei hei pūrākau tūāpapa mō Aotearoa, ā, e kōrero nei i te hekenga a Kupe mō ngā reanga me te hunga pānui o ēnei rā. Kapi katoa ana te pukapuka ki ngā mahi mātātoa a Kupe, ā, kei roto katoa i te reo Māori. E whakaahua ana te pukapuka i te māia, i te hiranga, i te ahurea, i te whakapapa hoki o ngā mahi hōpara a Kupe. Ka mutu hoki te ātaahua o ngā toi, e whakarākei ana i te mana o te kupu, e pōhiri hoki nei i te taiohi ki te pānui i a ia. Ko te reo, he kounga, he ātaahua, ā, nā te toki ngao matariki i tārai. Kua eke ki ngā taumata hirahira o te ao tuhituhi mā ngā Tamariki. Ka mutu pea.

Kupe me te Wheke nui a Muturangi is a compelling retelling of one of Aotearoa’s foundational narratives, bringing the legendary voyage of Kupe to life for a new generation of readers. Rich in action, adventure, cultural significance and te reo Māori, the story captures the determination of Kupe and the importance of exploration, courage and whakapapa. The illustrations are stunning, deepening the impact of the text while remaining inviting for younger audiences. Written in lyrical and engaging te reo Māori, this beautifully crafted book is an outstanding contribution to Māori children’s literature.

Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for a Book Translated into Te Reo Māori

He Taonga te Toka

Published by: Huia Publishers

Written by Sacha Cotter, illustrated by Josh Morgan (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata) and translated by Kawata Teepa (Tūhoe, Te Whakatōhea)

Kātahi te pukapuka whakaahua mīharo ko tēnei, arā He Taonga te Toka. He tauira rawe o te kōrero paki, ā, e mārama ana, e māori ana, e ngāwari ana te whai i te rere o tōna whakamāoritanga. Ka aro atu te pukapuka nei ki ngā kaupapa hirahira o ngā kare-ā-roto o tētahi tama me te tau o tōna māramatanga ka māmā ake ai te taumahatanga o ngā kare a-roto ki te whakapuaki ērā ki ētahi atu. He rawe, he hōhonu hoki te whakaritenga o te toka hei kaupapa kōrero mā te whānau. He pukapuka ātaahua ka maumahara tonutia ana, ā, e tika ana tōna whiwhi a ia i tēnei hōnore nui.

He Taonga te Toka is an outstanding example of picture book storytelling, with a translation that is fluent, natural and accessible. Tackling the important theme of emotional literacy with humour, sensitivity and imagination, it follows a young boy’s journey to understand that the big feelings he carries will become lighter when shared. The inventive rock metaphor is both accessible and profound, creating opportunities for meaningful conversations within whānau. Striking illustrations work in perfect harmony with the text, adding layers of meaning and emotional richness.

NZSA Best First Book Award

Te Onehaumako

Published by: Huia Publishers

Written by Zeb Tamihana Nicklin (Pāhauwera, Ruapani, Tūhoe, Tāmanuhiri)

Ko Te Onehaumako he pukapuka kua tuhia katoatia ki te reo Māori. He pūrākau whakaoho hirikapo e aro pū ana ki te ao o te rangatahi. Ka mau ngā whatu o te kaipānui ki ngā whārangi o te puka nei. He ngāwari te whai hononga ki ngā kiripuaki nā te ngahau o ngā nuka reo. Waihoki, e kaha whakatauira ana a Te Onehaumako i ngā mātāpono me ngā tikanga hei ārahi i te taiohi i tēnei ao hurihuri. He pukapuka whakahirahira a Te Onehaumako e whakakao ana i ngā kawenga tiaki i te taiao me te ānamata o te tangata.

Te Onehaumako, written entirely in te reo Māori, is an original and thought-provoking novella aimed at young adult readers. The engaging story pulls in readers from the start, and sustains their interest throughout with thoughtful pacing, relatable characters and clear themes. It follows a heartfelt journey of discovery, gently guiding readers to understand that to truly thrive, we must respect, nurture, and protect the natural world. Te Onehaumako is an important book that will spark meaningful conversations about sustainability and our shared environmental responsibilities.