The New Zealand Book Awards Trust is now inviting submissions for the 2021 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. These annual awards recognise and celebrate the best books for young readers published in New Zealand. Titles with release dates between 1 April 2020 and 31 March 2021 will be considered for the 2021 awards.

There are two submission dates. Publishers are asked to observe the guidelines for sending entries in two tranches, which are in place for ease of sending to judges.

Submissions for books published between 1 April 2020 and 30 November 2020 are now open and will close at 5pm on Tuesday 15 December 2020. For books published between 1 December 2020 and 31 March 2021, submissions open on 16 December and will close at 5pm on Friday 19 February 2021.

For books in the second tranche, page proofs will be accepted where books are not yet printed. In such cases, finished books must arrive with the Awards Administrator, New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, Attn: Joy Sellen, 72 Te Wharepouri Street, Wellington 6023, by 5pm on Wednesday 24 March 2021.

All entries must be submitted online at www.nzbookawards.nz and fees paid by credit card via the online submission form. A Call for Entries pack with eligibility criteria and other information can be found at http://www.nzbookawards.nz/new-zealand-book-awards-for-children-and-young-adults/how-to-enter/.

The judges of the 2021 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults will be announced in December, and their shortlist will be made public on 10 June 2021. The awards ceremony is planned for mid-August 2021 in Wellington.

The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are supported by Creative New Zealand, HELL Pizza, the Wright Family Foundation, LIANZA, Wellington City Council and Nielsen Book, and are administered by the New Zealand Book Awards Trust.

Any queries about the Awards should be directed to the Awards Administrator at childrensawards@nzbookawards.org.nz.