A 16-year-old student is among the writers and illustrators announced today as finalists in the 2023 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, the pre-eminent celebration of books for New Zealand's young readers.

Arlo Kelly, one of the awards' youngest ever finalists, is vying for the NZSA Best First Book Award with his debut novel Echo.

The teenager is in fine company. A wealth of talent has been recognised by this year's shortlist, including established names like Witi Ihimaera, Donovan Bixley and Kate De Goldi alongside familiar faces like Jason Gunn and Fifi Colston.

The finalist books deal with big topics, including death, identity and climate change, but there is plenty of lightness, too, with fun and frivolity guaranteed to bring a smile to young readers of all ages.

'This year's entries reflect the changing nature of who we are as New Zealanders, with good helpings of humour and fantasy thrown in,” says convenor of judges Nicola Daly.

Nicola is also an Associate Professor at the University of Waikato, where she is codirector of the Waikato Picturebook Research Unit and teaches courses in children's literature.

'New Zealand children have many opportunities to read titles published around the world in our wonderful libraries and bookshops, but the importance of them seeing themselves and the communities around them in books cannot be underestimated.”

Jason Gunn. Photo: Supplied.

The awards' organisers and the judging panel wanted to have children more involved in the assessment process, so this year 15 primary, intermediate and secondary schools from across the country were recruited to offer feedback.

Each school was sent a selection of entries from relevant categories, together with review forms and judging guidelines to encourage critical thinking about the books. Their feedback was then shared with the judges.

'We really appreciated the input from tamariki and rangatahi, which allowed us to see the books from their perspective. It was an important contribution to our decision-making process,” says Nicola.

The end result is 29 finalists, who offer New Zealand's young readers an educative, engaging and engrossing selection of books with a uniquely local flavour.

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 $7,500 and are then in the running to be named the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year, with a further $7,500 prize money. In addition, the judges will award a Best First Book prize of $2,500 to a previously unpublished author or illustrator.

The ceremony to announce the winners will take place in Wellington on the evening of Thursday, August 10.

Isobel Joy Te Aho-White. Photo: Supplied.

The 2023 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults finalists are:

Picture Book Award Finalists

The judges praised the high production standards of this year's Picture Book Award finalists, which all show an appreciation and mastery of the format. The shortlisted picture books vary greatly in story theme and illustration style, and contemporary issues are dealt with subtly and in tandem with the pictures.

Duck Goes Meow, Juliette MacIver, illustrated by Carla Martell (Scholastic New Zealand)

Farewell, Anahera, Vanessa Hatley-Owen, illustrated by Scott Irvine, translated by Kanapu Rangitauira (David Ling Publishing)

How My Koro Became a Star, Brianne Te Paa, illustrated by Story Hemi-Morehouse (Huia Publishers)

Roo and Vladimir: An Unlikely Friendship, Minky Stapleton (Scholastic New Zealand)

The Lighthouse Princess, Susan Wardell, illustrated by Rose Northey (Penguin Random House NZ)

Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award Finalists

The titles shortlisted for the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award run the gamut from gripping disaster and adventure to exuberant, irresistible comedy. Whether contemporary or historical, serious or playful, rooted in te ao Māori or in te ao Pākehā, these satisfying stories have something to teach readers about life in Aotearoa New Zealand and the power rangatahi have to effect change in a complicated world.

Below, David Hill (Penguin Random House NZ)

Children of the Rush, James Russell (Dragon Brothers Books)

Jason Mason and the World's Most Powerful Itching Powder, Jason Gunn and Andrew Gunn (Bateman Books)

Masher, Fifi Colston (Penguin Random House NZ)

Pipi and Pou and the Raging Mountain, Tim Tipene, illustrated by Isobel Te Aho-White (OneTree House)

Young Adult Fiction Award Finalists In subject, setting, form, and use of language, the field of entries in this year's Young Adult Fiction Award is wildly creative while still being authentic and realistic. The judges found this category packed with well-crafted tales that hook the reader in with engaging plots and satisfying story arcs

Andromeda Bond in Trouble Deep, Brian Falkner (Red Button Press)

Eddy, Eddy, Kate De Goldi (Allen & Unwin)

Indigo Moon, Eileen Merriman (Penguin Random House NZ)

Iris and Me, Philippa Werry (The Cuba Press)

Miracle, Jennifer Lane (Cloud Ink Press)

Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction Finalists From biography and pūrākau to understanding more about climate and weather, the finalist titles in this year's Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction introduce readers to a range of new ideas and experiences, both inspirational and educational. The judges were particularly impressed by the quality of visual design in this category.

A New Dawn, Emeli Sione, illustrated by Darcy Solia (Mila's Books)

Freestyle: The Israel Adesanya Story, David Riley, illustrated by Ant Sang (Reading Warrior)

Sylvia and the Birds, Johanna Emeney, illustrated by Sarah Laing (Massey University Press)

Te Wehenga: The Separation of Ranginui and Papatūānuku, Mat Tait (Allen & Unwin)

Weather and Climate New Zealand, Sandra Carrod (Oratia Books)

Russell Clark Award for Illustration Finalists

Frightening to cute, places of dark to beacons of light, and Aotearoa to Italy and the Himalayas, the books up for the Russell Clark Award for Illustration cover a broad range of topics, perfectly showcasing the diverse talents of their illustrators. The shortlisted titles demonstrate the illustrators' cohesiveness, originality, skill, confidence and energy.

A Portrait of Leonardo, Donovan Bixley (Upstart Press)

Four Yaks and a Yeti, Ant Sang, written by Peter Hillary (Bateman Books)

Roar Squeak Purr, Jenny Cooper, edited by Paula Green (Penguin Random House NZ)

Te Wehenga: The Separation of Ranginui and Papatūānuku, Mat Tait (Allen & Unwin)

The Lighthouse Princess, Rose Northey, written by Susan Wardell (Penguin Random House NZ)

Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award Finalists

The judges of the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award, which is for books written entirely in te reo Māori, found this year's crop of shortlisted books showed excellent use of reo and displayed strong themes of mātauranga Māori and mātāpono Māori.

He Raru ki Tai, Jane Cooper, illustrated by Story Hemi-Morehouse (Huia Publishers)

Kua Whetūrangitia a Koro, Brianne Te Paa, illustrated by Story Hemi-Morehouse (Huia Publishers)

Te Kōkōrangi: Te Aranga o Matariki, Witi Ihimaera, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, translated by Hēni Jacob (Penguin Random House NZ)

NZSA Best First Book Award Finalists

The judges recognise the 'guts and talent” it takes to have your first book published, and the 2023 NZSA Best First Book Award finalists impressed with the range of characters, topics and settings – all presented with skill and much promise for the future.

Echo, Arlo Kelly (Sparrow Press)

Holding the Horse, J L Williams (Ocean Echo Books)

He Raru ki Tai, Jane Cooper, illustrated by Story Hemi-Morehouse (Huia Publishers)

Kidnap at Mystery Island, Carol Garden (Scholastic New Zealand)

The Lighthouse Princess, Susan Wardell, illustrated by Rose Northey (Penguin Random House NZ)

JL Williams. Photo: Supplied.

As well as acknowledging the best and brightest in books for children and teens, a core aspect of the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults mission is to foster literacy and a love of reading among New Zealand's tamariki and rangatahi.

This includes administering the ever-popular HELL Reading Challenge, now in its tenth year, which has encouraged children to read close to 16 million books, aided by the bonus of a free pizza for every seven books completed.

In addition, libraries and schools will be able to take tamariki on Hell's Great NZ Book Trip, where they can discover the rich tapestry of New Zealand literature right around the country and get up close and personal with New Zealand's literary talent through a series of virtual author sessions streamed straight into classrooms.

Another popular aspect of the Awards is its programme of Books Alive events, in which finalist authors and illustrators bring the magic of books to life at sessions for school children.

Plans are afoot this year for a full schedule of events in both Wellington and Christchurch in the immediate lead up to the Awards ceremony.

The formidable task of narrowing the field to a shortlist of finalists was met by this year's experienced judging panel: Nicola Daly (convenor) , an Associate Professor at the University of Waikato, where she is codirector of the Waikato Picturebook Research Unit and teaches courses in children's literature; Daniel Buchanan, who has worked in bookstores in Ōtepoti for 18 years; Feana Tu‘akoi, a Kirikiriroa-based writer; Maia Bennett (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Tūwharetoa), a Wānaka secondary school and public librarian ; and Ruth Paul, an award-winning Wellington writer and illustrator of children's picture books

They were joined by a separate panel specially appointed to judge te reo Māori entries: Ruki Tobin (convenor) (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Whātua), Kaihautū / Director Ratonga Māori at Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, National Library of New Zealand; Mihi Te Rina Henare (Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui), the Kaitiaki Pukapuka and Kairangahau Māori at Te Wānanga Takiura o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa; and Te Wairere Ngaia (Waikato-Maniapoto, Taranaki, Te Ātiawa, Ngāruahinerangi, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Rongomai, Ngāti Tarāwhai, Ngāti Whakaue), a Rotorua-based kaiako of te reo Māori, and a qualified translator.

The New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults are made possible through the generosity, commitment and vision of funders and partners: Creative New Zealand, HELL Pizza, the Wright Family Foundation, LIANZA Te Rau Herenga o Aotearoa, Wellington City Council, New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa, the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, and Nielsen BookData. The Awards are administered by the New Zealand Book Awards Trust Te Ohu Tiaki i Te Rau Hiringa.

Witi Ihimaera. Photo: Supplied.

The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are a unique celebration of the contribution New Zealand's children's authors and illustrators make to building national identity and cultural heritage.

Awards are made in seven categories: Picture Book, Junior Fiction (the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award), Young Adult Fiction, Non-Fiction (the Elsie Locke Award), Illustration (the Russell Clark Award), te reo Māori (the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award) and Best First Book (The NZSA Award).

The main category awards carry prize money of $7,500 and the Best First Book winner receives $2,500. The overall prize, the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year Award, carries a further prize of $7,500.

The schools that took provided feedback to the 2023 judges were: Aotea College (Porirua), Arahoe School (Auckland), Ashburton Intermediate, Central School Te Kura Waenga o Ngāmotu (New Plymouth), Grey Lynn School (Auckland), Te Kura o Te Tauawa Halswell School (Christchurch), Hunterville School, Liston College (Auckland), Manchester Street School (Feilding), Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School, Remarkables Primary School (Queenstown), Te Kura o Tawatawa Ridgway School (Wellington), Rototuna High Schools (Hamilton), Seatoun School (Wellington), and South Wellington Intermediate.

The awards are governed by the New Zealand Book Awards Trust Te Ohu Tiaki i Te Rau Hiringa (a registered charity). Current members of the Trust are Nicola Legat (chair), Rachael King, Richard Pamatatau, Melinda Szymanik, Jenna Todd, Laura Caygill, Claire Murdoch and Garth Biggs. The Trust also governs the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards and Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day. nzbookawards.nz

Creative New Zealand has been a sustaining partner of New Zealand's book awards for decades. The national arts development agency of the New Zealand government encourages, promotes and supports the arts in New Zealand for the benefit of all New Zealanders through funding, capability building, an international programme, and advocacy. Creative New Zealand provides a wide range of support to New Zealand literature, including funding for writers and publishers, residencies, literary festivals and awards, and supports organisations which work to increase the readership and sales of New Zealand literature at home and internationally. creativenz.govt.nz

HELL Pizza was established in 1996 and now has 77 outlets throughout New Zealand. HELL has reinforced its commitment to getting more kids hooked on books by sponsoring the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. The associated HELL Reading Challenge, initiated in 2014, continues to grow. HELL says it has 'always challenged the norm, and with kids now becoming so engrossed with modern technology, we are bucking that trend and making reading cool again. We want pizza to be the gateway to reading addiction!” The programme rewards students with a free 333 kids' pizza once they have read seven books and had their achievement approved by a local librarian or teacher. In 2022, 831 schools and public libraries around New Zealand took part and more than 310,000 pizza wheels were distributed, which means that some 2.1 million books were read by Kiwi kids as a result. hellpizza.nz

The Wright Family Foundation's goal of ‘growing the good' in New Zealand Aotearoa means literacy features prominently in its aspirations for the country's youth. Founder and CEO Chloe Wright says they are thrilled to participate in the mahi of the New Zealand Books Awards for Children and Young Adults, believing that reading creates imagination, ultimately leading to the emergence of writers. 'Books, whether read or written, bring centuries of people together. Through the written word we gain tolerance and understanding, enabling us to share in the cultures, histories, myths, and magical spaces in time,” she says. The Foundation also supports Kids' Lit Quiz and the New Zealand Spelling Bee. wrightfamilyfoundation.org.nz

LIANZA Te Rau Herenga o Aotearoa, the association for library and information professionals in New Zealand, introduced the first award for children's fiction in New Zealand, establishing the Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award in 1945. LIANZA added other awards over the years including the Russell Clark Award for Illustration in 1975 and the Elsie Locke Non-fiction Award in 1986. The Te Kura Pounamu Award for literature written in te reo Māori was established in 1996, in partnership with Te Rōpū Whakahau. In 2016 the LIANZA Children and Young Adult Book Awards were merged with the Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, strengthening the 60-year legacy of the LIANZA Awards. lianza.org.nz

Wellington City Council's new Arts Strategy Te Aho Tini is about artists and writers being central to Wellington City, working on some of the city's biggest challenges and generating connected, inclusive communities. Te Aho Tini seeks to support and celebrate writing and illustration within future careers. wellington.govt.nz

The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa (NZSA) was established in 1934 as the New Zealand PEN Centre and remains the principal organisation for writers in Aotearoa today. Now representing over 1,800 writers, NZSA advocates for authors' rights and incomes, acts as a communications hub, administers prizes and awards, and runs a raft of digital and in-person professional development programmes and assessment and mentoring opportunities that support writers at all stages of their writing journeys. The Society works closely with industry partners and collaborates widely across the sector. NZSA is a non-profit Incorporated Society, governed by a Board, with regional branches and a national office. authors.org.nz

The National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa helps all New Zealanders access and use the collective knowledge of the nation. It's their job to collect, connect, and co-create knowledge to power Aotearoa. The National Library has long supported literacy and learning, and recent reading initiatives related to its ‘Growing a Nation of Readers' strategy include Communities of Readers and Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador. Librarian Alan Dingley has been appointed as the second Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador in 2023. Alan advocates for and champions the importance of reading in the lives of young New Zealanders, their whānau and communities. In 2023 The National Library is supporting the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults by hosting its Books Alive events in the multipurpose spaces of the Tiakiwai Conference Centre facility on the Wellington premises. natlib.govt.nz/

Nielsen BookData provides a range of services to the book industry internationally, aiding the discovery and purchase, distribution and sales measurement of books. The company employs around 100 staff and has offices in the UK, Australia, Brazil, India, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico, Spain, Poland and the UAE. Nielsen BookData is wholly owned by NielsenIQ. nielsenbook.co.nz.