HUIA named 2024 Best Children’s Publishers, Oceania at Bologna Book Fair

Māori owned, independent publisher HUIA was named the Children’s Publisher of the Year for Oceania at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair this week. The award recognises a publisher whose books stand out for their creativity, innovation and the quality of their editorial choices. More about the awards here.

Recent HUIA children’s titles include the ‘impressive, deft and thoughtful’ young adult novel by Deborah Robertson Before George; the visually stunning and engaging picture books from Steph Matuku The Dream Factory and Te Wheketere Moemoea (te reo Māori edition), and writer illustrator team Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan’s uproariously funny Dazzlehands and Ringakōreko (te reo Māori edition). HUIA is also the publisher behind leading indigenous studies scholar Linda Tuhiwai Smith’s series of books based in kaupapa Māori which offer a resource for children who have experienced trauma.

The Bologna Book Fair opened on 8 April and closed yesterday. This year’s Bologna Book Fair Awards were a strong year for Aotearoa, another finalist for the Oceania category award was Scholastic New Zealand.

Read Claire Mabey’s article for The Spinoff on Huia’s win.