Aotearoa Celebrates Best in Children’s Literature at Pipitea Marae

WELLINGTON — The 2026 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are taking place this evening at Pipitea Marae, bringing together the nation's leading storytellers, illustrators, and publishers. The ceremony, which begins at 6:30pm on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, serves as the premier celebration of literature for young readers in Aotearoa. Reporting from the marae in Wellington, The Spinoff’s books editor Claire Mabey noted that the event is a key highlight of the very first New Zealand Children’s Book Week. Since Saturday, 15 August, communities across the country have participated in literature-focused events at libraries, bookshops, and even on trains to promote the joy of reading among tamariki and rangatahi. The awards feature finalists across six categories, all vying for recognition and the prestigious Margaret Mahy Book of the Year Award. Among the notable contenders mentioned in the reports are Graci Kim, whose novel Dreamslinger is a finalist for the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award, and Rachael King for her work in the Violet and the Velvets series. In the Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction category, Giselle Clarkson’s Omnibird is being considered alongside work by chef Al Brown. The Russell Clark Award for Illustration also features a strong field, including the multi-award-winning Gavin Bishop. The gathering at Pipitea Marae highlights the cultural significance of these stories in shaping the lives of young New Zealanders. The event is supported by Unity Books and Creative New Zealand, with a live stream provided for those unable to attend the Wellington ceremony in person.