In May each year the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are announced, following a festival celebrating the best in New Zealand children’s books.
This is just a small selection of the award winning books in our collections - and of awards themselves!
New Zealand
The Esther Glen Medal
n New Zealand, the Library Association (LIANZA) began awarding children’s books in 1945 when The book of Wiremu by Stella Margery Morice was awarded the Esther Glen Medal.
Russell Clark Award
In 1978 the first Russell Clark Award for illustration was awarded to The house of the people by Ron Bacon.
Te Kura Pounamu Award
In 1995 LIANZA began the Te Kura Pounamu Award, first awarding it in 1996 to Marama Tangiweta, by Katerina Mataira and Terewai Kemp.
Government Publishing Awards
In 1982 the Government Publishing Awards began, and the first New Zealand Children’s Book of the Year was The silent one by Joy Cowley, and The kuia and the spider by Patricia Grace, and illustrated by Robyn Kahukiwa was the picture book of the year. The first award for Non-fiction went to The story of New Zealand, by Judith Bassett, in 1986.
In 1990 AIM took over the government sponsored children’s awards, and began their tenure with Alex in winter by Tessa Duder being awarded the AIM Book of the Year , and Annie & Moon by Miriam Smith, was the AIM Picture Book of the Year.
In 1997 the sponsorship changed to New Zealand Post. The first New Zealand Post picture book winner was The bantam and the solider, by Jennifer Beck and illustrated by Robyn Belton. The first Junior Fiction winner was The battle of Pook Island by Jack Lasenby; the first Young Adult fiction winner was Sanctuary by Kate De Goldi; and the first Non-fiction winner was Picture book magic by Chris Gaskin.
Storylines
Storylines: Children’s Literature Foundation of New Zealand™ (under various names) has its own range of awards.
Gaelyn Gordon Award
The first Gaelyn Gordon Award for a Much-Loved Book was first award in 1999, and went to The runaway settlers by Elsie Locke, acknowledging its longstanding place on children’s bookshelves.
Australia
The Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) judged The story of Karrawingi, the emu by Leslie Rees to be their Book of the Year when they first gave the award in 1946.
The United Kingdom
Carnegie
The first Carnegie Medal went to Pigeon Post by Arthur Ransome, which won in 1936 but awarded in 1937.
You can learn more about the Carnegie Medal in In the realms of gold: the story of the Carnegie Medal by Keith Barker (published in 1986).
Kate Greenaway Medal
The first Greenaway Medal was awarded to Edward Ardizzone for Tim all alone, in 1956. The Medal began the year previously, but was not given as no book was considered suitable. We do not have any copies of Tim all alone, but do have copies of Mrs Easter and the storks by V. H. Drummond, the 1957 winner. | 
