Outstanding shortlist announced for PANZ Book Design Awards
New Zealand’s exceptional book design talent is showcased in the shortlist announced today for the 2010 Publishers Association of New Zealand (PANZ) Book Design Awards.
Designers “shape the way readers experience a book” says Peter Gilderdale, one of the judges. “Authors provide the content, but the designer can either enhance or inhibit the way the book functions.”
The depth of talent made it difficult for Gilderdale, along with the other judges, Graham Beattie and Sharon Grace, to select 2010’s contenders Gilderdale adds, “The standard was very high and even — a wonderful mix of the vibrant and restrained, clever and crafted, quirky and traditional — this is great for book buyers but tough on judges!”
A new award for young designers introduced last year has proved spot on, with this year’s main category shortlist featuring all three 2009 Awa Press Young Designer of the Year finalists: Spencer Levine (winner), Keely O’Shannessy and Carolyn Lewis. Finalists for the 2010 Awa Press Young Designer of the Year Award will be announced on Thursday 3 June.
Levine is one of the designers who feature multiple times, along with Kate Barraclough, and Sarah Laing, who has not only designed two of the books in the shortlist, but is also the author of one of them.
Ranging from the commercially successful New Zealand titles like The Wonky Donkey and A Treasury of New Zealand Baking to beautiful international titles The Life & Love of Trees and A Beautiful Game, this year’s shortlist illustrates the diversity of the New Zealand literary landscape.
The 2010 judging panel is Peter Gilderdale, Head of Graphic Design at AUT University, Graham Beattie, a fulltime book reviewer and book blogger, and designer Sharon Grace.
The awards are run by the Publishers Association of New Zealand (PANZ) to promote excellence in, and provide recognition for, the best book design in New Zealand. The competition is judged in six categories, with a winner for the highly coveted Best Book chosen from the shortlist.
Winners will be announced at a ceremony in Auckland on 22 July, along with the Awa Press Young Designer of the Year. The awards are sponsored by a range of publishers, along with North & South magazine and Kalamazoo Wyatt & Wilson printers.
Random House Finalists for the 2010 PANZ Book Design Awards are as follows:
Scholastic New Zealand Award for Best Children’s Book
Ben and Mark: Boys of the High Country by Christine Fernyhough and John Bougen, designed by Anna Seabrook
Hachette New Zealand Award for Best Non-illustrated Book
Dead People’s Music by Sarah Laing, designed by Sarah Laing (cover) and Kate Barraclough (interior)
Random House New Zealand Award for Best Illustrated Book
Villa: From Heritage to Contemporary by Patrick Reynolds, Jeremy Hansen and Jeremy Salmond, designed by Fiona Lascelles
Pearson Award for Best Educational Book
Get Growing: A New Zealand Step-by-step Guide to Growing Your Own Vegetables and Fruit by Helen Cook, designed by Anna Seabrook
G.A. Pindar & Son Award for Best Typography
A Treasury of New Zealand Baking edited by Lorraine Jacobs, designed by Kate Barraclough
Wine Class: All You Need to Know about Wine in New Zealand by Jo Burzynska, designed by Kate Barraclough
HarperCollins Publishers Award for Best Cover
Magpie Hall by Rachael King, designed by Sarah Laing