The 2025 Children's Awards shortlist “explores some of the many ways to be a New Zealander: our people, our place and our preoccupations,” says the convenor of judges Feana Tu‘akoi. “Among the finalist books, big ideas from our past, present and possible dystopian futures are considered in absorbing and thoughtful ways, providing springboards for deeper discussion. Themes include identity, connection, mental health, our histories, traditional wisdom, indigenous languages, and the importance of being exactly who we are.”

We asked some of the finalists to tell us when they knew that they wanted to write, illustrate or translate children's books. Read on for their answers, or drop to the bottom of the page for the full reading list of all the finalists.

Note: Many of the finalist authors, illustrators and translators are listed in more than one category below. For ease of reading, we've included each person's answers only once, in the first category they were shortlisted for.

The BookHub Picture Book Award

'I knew I wanted to be a children’s author after a group of kids flew around the classroom as mollymawks, and my friend’s daughter counted to 10 in ta rē Moriori. It’s when the children bring my words to life that I get the biggest buzz.' Kate Preece, author of Ten Noisy Weka

'I began writing because I wanted our Pasifika tamaiti to feel seen, heard, and valued. As a mother and teacher, I saw firsthand the power of our stories as Pasifika, and how story can serve as a bridge between cultural connection, learning, and belonging.' Dahlia Malaeulu, author of Mataali‘i

'For me, the nights I shared reading with my kids before bed were magical. By then they were usually (but not always) clean, fed, and tired. A great picture book was an integral part of that moment, and I’ll forever be trying to create something that lives up to it.” Ruth Paul, author and illustrator of You Can’t Pat a Fish “Writing and illustrating stories has been my favorite thing to do ever since I was a child — I’ve never really considered doing anything else!' Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, illustrator of Ten Noisy Weka, A Ariā me te Atua o te Kūmara, and Ngā Kupenga a Nanny Rina

Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award

'I've always known I wanted to be a writer. Ever since books were read to me and I could read them myself, I thought they were magic. And I wanted to make that kind of magic.' Claire Mabey, author of The Raven’s Eye Runaways

'I've always loved drawing and writing since I was a kid. I've also always loved cats. In fact, if I could travel back in time and tell kid-me that now my job is to make comics about a cat detective living in a town of cat citizens, I'm pretty sure her mind would explode.' Li Chen, author and illustrator of Detective Beans and the Case of the Missing Hat

'I knew I wanted to write children's books when I started reading them to my own kids. I read so many amazing books, I just fell in love with them and dreamed of writing my own.' Bren MacDibble, author of The Apprentice Witnesser

'I knew I wanted to be a writer when I was a child and the best thing I could imagine being when I grew up was 'an author'. When I grew up, I knew I wanted to be a writer for children when everything I wrote came out with a child main character.' Jane Arthur, author of Brown Bird

'You might think that I realised I wanted to be a children's writer before I wrote my first middle grade book, Red Rocks. But at the time I had only intended for it to be an interlude between adult novels (I'd published two before that). It wasn't until I started writing The Grimmelings in 2020 that I realised that I had found my true calling. The experience of writing that book was so rewarding that I have redefined my whole writing identity. ' Rachael King, author of Violet and the Velvets: The Case of the Missing Stuff

Young Adult Fiction Award

'I didn’t have a defining moment of realisation that I wanted to be a writer — I only wanted a way to make sense of parenting teenagers. Inventing a fictional son to push the boundaries helped me face my frustrations and fears. Once I began writing stories for young people, I just couldn’t stop.' Mary-anne Scott, author of The Mess of Our Lives

'The moment I knew I wanted to be a writer was age 6, when I wrote and illustrated a book involving the beach and cupcakes. I knew I wanted to be a YA writer around age 11, listening to my teacher reading us excellent YA including Tomorrow When The War Began and Because We Were The Travellers. That certainty has only grown as I read more wonderful YA books that give you thrills and make you think.' Sanna Thompson, author of The Paradise Generation

'I wrote and illustrated my first children's book when I was ten and won a prize in a competition. From that moment on, I was hooked on writing and I've never stopped.' Mandy Hager, author of Gracehopper

Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction

'As a kid, I was completely lost in books—they transported me, opened up entire worlds, and nothing shaped my imagination more. That magic stayed with me, and all I’ve ever wanted since was to create my own worlds for others to get lost in too.' Ned Barraud, illustrator of Ruru: Night Hunter

'When I read Hang On A Minute Mate by Barry Crump, the first book I read in which I could recognise the characters in my own life. But I didn't think someone like me could be a writer, they seemed magical. So I never told anyone that being a writer is what I wanted to do. Thirty years later I was with some of my Tangaroa College students in our school library and they said they wanted to read a book about the rugby league player Benji Marshall. But there was no book about Benji. So I wrote one for them ... and just kept going.' David Riley, author of Black Magic

'The moment came when I was about eight years old and living in Hāwera, South Taranaki. I used to spend a lot of my spare time reading. I remember sitting at our dining table, my face in a book, and thinking, when I grow up I'm going to be an author and write books!' Ross Calman, author of The Treaty of Waitangi

'I never set out to be a children's writer, but after years of encouraging young people to share their stories, I realised they needed someone to lead by example—so I decided to tell my own.' Mele Tonga-Grant, author of Tui Pea Luva

Russell Clark Award for Illustration

'I love books but I also have dyslexia and I think this has given me a greater appreciation of the power of visual storytelling. This, combined with a passion for art, has ultimately drawn me into making my own picture books.' Isaac du Toit, author and illustrator of Alice and the Strange Bird

Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Awards

'I have a passion for te reo Māori and making it as accessible as possible. Translating pukapuka helps get te reo Māori into our homes and schools and communities.' Ariana Stevens, translator of Ko ngā Whetū Kai o Matariki, ko Tupuānuku rāua ko Tupuārangi

'There wasn’t really a single moment that I knew I wanted to be a children’s writer. Writing books is an extension of my core purpose: to amplify Indigenous knowledge systems so we can change the narrative for future generations. I write because I want my children and whānau to see characters and stories that look and sound like their lived experiences and, I want to share with tamariki and their whānau the beauty and power in reconnecting to te ao Māori values and ways of being.' Qiane Matata-Sipu, author of Ngā Kupenga a Nanny Rina

'I knew I wanted to be a translator of children's books when I noticed the hunger from ECE centres to have more stories read and shared by them in all languages. I like to challenge myself and simultaneously interpret other languages as I read to my children, as my mother did with me. But I also like to share my creativity with words with others.' Nā Te Ingo, translator of Ka mātoro a Whetū rāua ko Kohu i Rotorua

NZSA Best First Book Award

'When I was about nine years old, I wrote and illustrated a story with actual chapters in a school exercise book, about a mare giving birth during a thunderstorm. Later, I discovered graphic novels which have become my happy place to both read and take inspiration from. It may have taken me a while to get around to making my own, but I’ve finally succeeded with The Writing Desk, and now I know where my future is headed!' Di Morris, author of The Writing Desk

'I knew I wanted to be an illustrator as soon as I found out it was a thing! I have always loved drawing and world-building. I wanted to illustrate for lots of different formats and audiences...it has taken a while to feel ready to commit to a long-form project like a children's book but I enjoyed it a lot!' Rebecca ter Borg, illustrator of The Witch of Maketu and the Bleating Lambs

'Reading books has always made me want to write. When I was nine, I started a magazine called Smasher! (circulation of three copies per issue), which included book reviews, interviews, recipes, stories and jokes. The pages were hole punched and tied together with wool until my gran bought me a stapler (which I still have!). I guess it's not surprising that I ended up working in the publishing industry. When it came to writing Play Wild, I was excited to be able to incorporate my love of books with my passion for gardening and te taiao.' Rachel Clare, author of Play Wild

The winners of the 2025 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults will be revealed at a ceremony in Wellington on Wednesday 13 August.