Emerging and Established Voices Hit Children's Book Awards Shortlist

That’s evident in distinct ways across the shortlist, from a Tokelau teen’s diary steeped in hiva and 90s R&B to a time-travel adventure in te reo Māori, a Japanese yōkai graphic novel, and an intimate picture book about a kōhine’s first menstruation, grounded in tikanga Māori. These stories from first-time or emerging writers sit alongside books by established New Zealand creators such as Gavin Bishop, Rachael King, Graci Kim, Mat Tait, Al Brown, and Ned Barraud.

The 2026 awards’ judges have selected 30 finalist books from 159 entries. The two panels judging English and bilingual books and titles written in te reo Māori were struck by how deeply the shortlisted books moved, challenged and delighted their readers, as they explored themes such as connection, empathy, identity and grief. “They made us laugh, cry and stare off into space to think some more,” says convenor of judges Simie Simpson. “And they reflect the diversity of both the children reading these stories, and of Aotearoa in 2026.”

Supporting the expert judging panels, thousands of young readers from 50 schools across the motu - including kura kaupapa Māori, primary, intermediate and secondary schools - contributed more than 450 in-depth reviews ahead of deliberations, ensuring young readers’ voices were a meaningful part of the judging process.

The 2026 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults finalists are:

BookHub Picture Book Award 

Bold, playful, and rich in storytelling, the judges say these picture books shine in both visual and read-aloud appeal. They handle complex themes with a gentle touch, delivering stories that resonate well beyond the final page.

• A Guide to Rocks, Sacha Cotter, illustrated by Josh Morgan (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata)
  (Huia Publishers)
• Koro Wētā, Heather Haylock, illustrated by Sarah Trolle, translated by Ngairo Eruera (Ngāti Ranginui, Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa) (Oratia Books)
• Left to Nowhere, Ian Chapman (One Tree House)
• Pūkeko Who-keko? Toby Morris (Penguin Random House)
• The Only Dinosaur in School, Leonie Agnew, illustrated by Julia Hegetusch (Muaūpoko)
  (Scholastic New Zealand)

Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award
The judges say this year’s junior fiction finalists – spanning genres and reading levels – deliver compelling stories full of intrigue, imagination, and emotional depth. At their core: friendship, identity, and the confidence to be yourself.

• Detective Stanley and the Mystery at the Museum, Hannah Tunnicliffe, illustrated by Erica Harrison
  (Flying Eye Books)
• Dreamslinger, Graci Kim (Penguin Random House New Zealand)
• Kimi the Kekeno’s Big Adventure, Shelley Burne-Field (Ngāti Mutanga, Ngāti Rārua) (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa)
• The Terrible Trio 1: The (not so) Superheroes, Swapna Haddow, illustrated by Minky Stapleton
  (Scholastic New Zealand)
• Violet and the Velvets 2: The Case of the Angry Ghost, Rachael King (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa)

Wheelers Books Young Adult Fiction Award 

High-calibre storytelling defines this young adult fiction shortlist, say the judges. From gritty realism to richly imagined worlds, these novels tackle complex themes with nuance, delivering emotionally honest stories with authentic, deeply relatable characters.

• Hiva & Heartbeats, Selina Alesana Alefosio (Mila’s Books)
• It’s a Bit More Complicated Than That, Hannah Marshall (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa)
• Spider Games: In the City of Spies, Brian Falkner (Bateman Books)
• The Lost Saint, Rachael Craw (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa)
• The Retreat, Helen Vivienne Fletcher (HVF Publishing Ltd)

Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction 

The judges say these books are grounded in curiosity and a deep love for the land we live on. Their writers invite readers to look closely, explore, and ask questions. Inquisitive and adventurous, they also remind us that life is meant to be fun.

• Hooked: Learning to Fish, Al Brown, illustrated by Hope McConnell (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa)
• Omnibird: An Avian Investigator’s Handbook, Giselle Clarkson (Gecko Press, Lerner Publishing Group)
• Survive Aotearoa, Bronwen Wall and Jonathan Kennett, illustrated by Kimberly Andrews (Kennett Brothers Ltd)
• Taniwha, Gavin Bishop (Tainui, Ngāti Awa) (Penguin Random House)
• Whenua: Māori Pūrākau of Aotearoa, Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu) (Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand)

Russell Clark Award for Illustration 

Illustration is a deeply personal process, say the judges, with each finalist carrying a singular vision from concept to completion. In a climate of creative shortcuts, these books reveal stunning craft, where observation, research and refinement translate what’s in the artist’s head onto the page.

• At Home on the Farm, Ned Barraud (Scholastic New Zealand)
• Folk Remedy 1: The Hidden World of the Yōkai, Jem Yoshioka (Andrews McMeel)
• Kupe and the Great Octopus of Muturangi, Mat Tait (Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Kuia, Rangitāne o Wairau) (Allen and Unwin Aotearoa)
• Taniwha, Gavin Bishop (Tainui, Ngāti Awa) (Penguin Random House)
• Whenua: Māori Pūrākau of Aotearoa, Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu) (Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand)

Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Awards
These books feature vivid illustration, engaging narratives, and the thoughtful integration of te reo Māori, say the judges. Rich in authenticity and meaning, they support learning and spark important conversations.

• He Taonga te Toka, Sacha Cotter, illustrated by Josh Morgan (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata), translated by Kawata Teepa (Tūhoe, Te Whakatōhea) (Huia Publishers)
• *Kupe me te Wheke nui a Muturangi, Mat Tait (Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Kuia, Rangitāne o Wairau) (Allen and Unwin Aotearoa)
• Matariki ki te Ao, Miriama Kamo (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mutunga) and Rangi Matamua (Tūhoe), illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu), translated by Pānia Papa (Ngāti Korokī-Kahukura, Ngāti Mahuta) and Leon Blake (Tūhoe, Tūhourangi, Ngāti Wāhiao, Waikato, Ngāti Whāwhākia, Ngāti Porou, Taranaki, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Whānau a Apanui, Te Aitanga a Hauiti, Ngāi Tai) (Scholastic New Zealand)
• Taku Ikura Tuatahi, Qiane Matata-Sipu (Te Waiohua, Waikato, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Pikiao), illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu), translated by Stacey Morrison (Ngāi Tahu, Te Arawa waka) (QIANE+co)
• *Te Onehaumako, Zeb Tamihana Nicklin (Pāhauwera, Ruapani, Tūhoe, Tāmanuhiri) (Huia Publishers)

* Indicates a finalist book originally written in te reo Māori

NZSA Best First Book Award 

The judges say the finalists in this category are a diverse and accomplished group of debut works, which reflect the range of voices shaping contemporary New Zealand literature. Their distinctive storytelling and authentic characterisation are grounded in culture and place, with te reo Māori, Pacific and Asian heritage woven throughout.

• Folk Remedy 1: The Hidden World of the Yōkai, Jem Yoshioka (Andrews McMeel)
• Hiva & Heartbeats, Selina Alesana Alefosio (Mila’s Books)
• Hunt for Niu Tupu, Inangaro Vakaafi, illustrated by Maka Makatoa (Mila’s Books)
• Te Onehaumako, Zeb Tamihana Nicklin (Pāhauwera, Ruapani, Tūhoe, Tāmanuhiri) (Huia Publishers)
• The Lost Words, Kimberley Kearney (Ngāti Maniapoto, Tuhoe), illustrated by Taylor Terewai Tiave (Ngāpuhi) (Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand)

The winners of each of the six main categories – Picture Book, Junior Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, Non-Fiction, Illustration and Te Reo Māori – take home $8500 and are then in the running to be named the recipient of the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year, an award with an additional $8500 prize. The judges will also award a $2500 Best First Book prize to a previously unpublished author or illustrator.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony at Pipitea Marae in Wellington on the evening of Wednesday 19 August.

Books Alive

At the heart of the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults is a commitment not only to celebrating outstanding books, but also to building a life-long love of reading among Aotearoa’s tamariki and rangatahi. This commitment is realised through a programme of Books Alive events, where finalist authors and illustrators bring stories to life in large-scale sessions with school children. In 2026, Books Alive events will take place in Otautahi (in partnership with WORD Christchurch) on 13 and 14 August, and in Pōneke (in collaboration with Wellington City Libraries, at Te Mataphihi) on the day of the awards ceremony, 19 August. 

See what some of the finalists have to say about being shortlisted in our article here.