✨The winner of the 2024 Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction is Ultrawild: An Audacious Plan to Rewild Every City on Earth by Steve Mushin Allen & Unwin Aotearoa NZ #NZCYA #BooksAlive

Next up is the Russell Clark Award for Illustration. Another award first established by @lianzaoffice, in 1975, it is named for the NZ artist, illustrator and sculptor, Russell Stuart Cedric Clark, and rewards the most exceptional pictures or illustrations for a children’s book.

🌟The winner of the Russell Clark Award for Illustration is the incomparable Gavin Bishop for ‘Patu: The New Zealand Wars’ which he also wrote. Puffin, Penguin Random House #NZCYA #BooksAlive Penguin Books NZ

It’s time for the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for books written entirely in te reo Māori. Presented by Kylie Wright of our very generous supporters the Wright Family Foundation, accompanied by Te Kura Pounamu convenor, Lawren Matrix. #NZCYA #BooksAlive

Toku reo tōku ohooho Toku reo tōku māpihi maurea My language is my awakening My language is my cherished taonga This whakataukī acknowledges the uniqueness of Te Kura Pounamu and its inherent value in elevating our reo rangatira. – Judge Lawren Matrix

🌟 The Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for books written entirely in te reo Māori goes to 'Nani Jo me ngā Mokopuna Porohīanga' written by Moira Wairama and illustrated by Margaret Tolland, Baggage Books. #NZCYA #BooksAlive

And now for our final category before the big one, the NZSA Best First Book Award. To congratulate our first-timers we have judge Mat Tait, and Vanda Symon, President of this award’s sponsor, the New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa. #NZCYA NZ Society of Authors

🌟The NZSA Best First Book Award goes to Tsunami, written and illustrated by Ned Wenlock, Earth's End Publishing NZ Society of Authors #NZCYA #BooksAlive

Finally, here we are at the supreme award of the night, the highly anticipated Margaret Mahy Book of the Year.

Margaret Mahy was one of Aotearoa’s most prolific, successful and loved children’s writers, highly respected internationally too. While we lost her 12 years ago, her writing and her many books still provide inspiration to authors and readers today. #NZCYA #BooksAlive

🏆 The Margaret Mahy Book of the Year goes to ‘Nine Girls’ by Stacy Gregg Penguin, Penguin Random House. This book celebrates Māori identity, pays tribute to Aotearoa’s rich history, and testifies to the power of storytelling. #NZCYA #BooksAlive Penguin Books NZ

🎉 Whakamihi to all the winners of the 2024 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. #NZCYA #BooksAlive

📸We've just posted all the pics from the pre-ceremony photo call, including this lovely shot of Gavin Bishop, winner of the Russell Clark Award for Illustration. Check them out here: facebook.com/media/set/?set…

Want to re-experience Wednesday night's ceremony? Drop into this album of pics from the night and feel all the feels again. #NZCYA #BooksAlive facebook.com/media/set/?set…

We're inviting expressions of interest from members of the children’s literature community who would like to be considered as judges of the 2025 awards. Applications are open until 31 October. 👉 Find out more here: bit.ly/3ZPMwMS

Here they are... the 2025 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adult finalists 🥳 #NZCYA #BooksAlive

Fab article in the The Post today, covering this year’s NZCYA Awards shortlist. Thanks to Sapeer Mayron for the shout-out! 🤩 thepost.co.nz/culture/360710…

📺 Don't forget we're live streaming tonight's ceremony at the beautiful Pipitea Marae. Head to the Events tab of our Facebook page or find us on YouTube (search for nzcyaawards). 💻 Plus our friends at The Spinoff and The Sapling will be live blogging! #NZCYA #BooksAlive

🥳 A huge pakipaki mai to all the winners of the 2025 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Read the best books for young readers now! #NZCYA #BooksAlive