Random House triumphs in the 2010 NZ Post Children’s Book Award shortlist

Random House is proud to have six authors nominated for this year's NZ Post Children’s Book Awards. These awards recognise excellence in children's literature, highlighting the best books for children and young adults published annually in New Zealand.

This year's judges are children's literature consultant Rosemary Tisdall, writer and reviewer Trevor Agnew, and former journalist, now children's bookshop co-owner, Ruth McIntyre. The competition was fierce with more than 130 nominated books to choose from.

The NZ Post Children’s Book Awards are now in their 14th year, and as judging panel convenor, Mrs Tisdall says she'll be looking for fresh ideas, characters who linger and books that leave her thinking. "We are looking to have our imaginations captured by books with a difference, so that the intended audience – the young people of New Zealand and beyond – will have reads that entice, teach, and therefore encourage a lifelong love of reading."

Children and teenagers will also have the opportunity to vote for their favourite book, selecting from the finalist titles, for the popular Children's Choice Award. Votes can be made online, or via voting cards available at bookshops and libraries nationwide.

Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in Auckland on 19 May 2010. The ceremony will be the finale of the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards Festival – a nationwide, week-long feast of events, readings, author tours and book-inspired games that kicks off on Monday 10 May.

The Random House finalists and their categories are:

Cowshed Christmas by Joy Cowley and Gavin Bishop; Best Picture Book
Ben & Mark: Boys of the High Country by Christine Fernyhough; Best Non-fiction title
E3 Call Home by Janet Hunt; Best Non-fiction title
Loblolly Boy by James Norcliffe; Best Junior Fiction title
The Crossing by Mandy Hager; Best Young Adult Fiction title
End of the Alphabet; Fleur Beale; Best Young Adult Fiction title

Gecko Press finalists and their categories are:

Friends: Snake and Lizard by Joy Cowley and Gavin Bishop; Best Picture Book


To see the full shortlist and to vote for your favourite book, click here to visit the NZ Post Children’s Book Awards website.