Storylines Children’s Literature Trust Te Whare Waituhi Tamariki o Aotearoa is delighted to announce the 2025 Storylines Notable Books list, representing the very best books for children and young adults published in the last twelve months.

The Storylines Notable Book Awards celebrate excellence in Aotearoa New Zealand children’s and young adult literature, recognising outstanding books that reflect the creativity, diversity, and depth of storytelling in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Selected by panels of children’s and YA librarians, authors, illustrators, teachers, academics and whānau, this Storylines Notable Book List highlight exceptional titles published between

16 November 2024 and 15 November 2025.

There are five categories - Picture Book, Junior Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, Non-fiction, and Te Reo Māori.

Congratulations to all the authors, illustrators, translators, and publishers whose exceptional work has been recognised this year. The following lists are presented in no particular order.

Non-Fiction

Omnibird: An Avian Investigator’s Handbook, Giselle Clarkson (Gecko Press)

The Living Tree: A New Zealand Habitat, Dave Gunson (Bateman Books)

The Incredible Insects of Aotearoa, Simon Pollard, Phil Sirvid (Te Papa Press)

Whāia Te Taniwha: Kōrero from Te Waipounamu, Justice-Manawanui Arahanga-Pryor, Leisa Aumua, Conor Clarke, Lucy Denham, A. J. Manaaki Hope, Meriana Johnsen, Moewai Rauputi Marsh, Waiariki Parata-Taiapa, Andrea Read, Jayda Janet Siyakurima, Ruby Solly, Paris Tainui (Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū)

Taniwha, Gavin Bishop (Penguin Random House New Zealand)

Mother of the Nation: Whina Cooper and the Long Walk for Justice, David Hill, Story Hemi-Morehouse (Penguin Random House New Zealand)

Pekapeka, Secret Forest Bat, Katie Furze, Ned Barraud (Scholastic New Zealand)

Te Reo Māori

Peta Pūkeko, Nana Sharleen (Sharleen Forbes)

Te Whaea o te Motu: Whina Cooper me te hīkoi roa mō te manatika, David Hill, Story Hemi-Morehouse (Penguin Random House New Zealand)

Te Kai Kōhua Nui, Angie Belcher, Zak Ātea, Pānia Papa (Scholastic New Zealand)

Te Pī Māhaki, Miriama Kamo, Craig Phillips, Ariana Stevens (Scholastic New Zealand)

Matariki ki te Ao, Miriama Kamo, Dr Rangi Matamua, Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, Leon Blake, Pānia Papa (Scholastic New Zealand)

Young Adult

Truth Needs No Colour, Heather McQuillan (Cloud Ink Press)

Bear, Kiri Lightfoot, Pippa Keel Situ (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand)

It's a Bit More Complicated Than That, Hannah Marshall (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand)

The Retreat, Helen Vivienne Fletcher (HVF Publishing Ltd)

The Edge of Light # 2: The Miracle, A M Dixon (One Tree House)

Beneath Our Feet, Jack Hartley (Scholastic New Zealand)

Junior Fiction

Detective Stanley and the Mystery at the Museum, Hannah Tunnicliffe, Erica Harrison (Flying Eye Books)

The Last Journey, Stacy Gregg (Simon & Schuster)

The Only Branch on the Family Tree, Sherryl Clark (University of Queensland Press)

The Case of the Missing Stuff: Violet and the Velvets #1, Rachael King(Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand)

The Secret Green, Sonya Wilson(Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand)

The Case of the Angry Ghost: Violet and the Velvets #2, Rachael King (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand)

Pipi and Pou and the Haunted Forest, Tim Tipene, Isobel Te Aho-White (One Tree House)

Pipi and Pou and the Shadow Below, Tim Tipene, Isobel Te Aho-White (One Tree House)

Dreamslinger, Graci Kim (Penguin Random House New Zealand)

The (not so) Superheroes (The Terrible Trio, Book #1), Swapna Haddow, Minky Stapleton (Scholastic New Zealand)

Picture Books

A Guide to Rocks, Sacha Cotter, Josh Morgan (Huia Publishers)

Te Ngahere i te Pō: The Forest at Night, Kiri Lightfoot, Pippa Keel Situ (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand)

Wrapping Things, Linda Burgess, Hilary Jean Tapper (Allen & Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand)

Hunt for Niu Tupu, Inangaro Vakaafi, Maka Makatoa (Mila's Books)

You Can't Pat a Fish, Ruth Paul (Walker Books Australia)

The Only Dinosaur in School, Leonie Agnew, Julia Hegetusch (Scholastic New Zealand)

Tomboy the Headstrong Horse, Susan Brocker, Raymond McGrath (Scholastic New Zealand)

At Home on the Farm, Ned Barraud (Scholastic New Zealand)

The Big Boil-Up, Angie Belcher, Zak Ātea (Scholastic New Zealand)

OGG, H P Fryer (Scholastic Australia)