Māori Literature Dominates 2026 NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults

The 2026 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, hosted at Wellington’s Pipitea Marae on Thursday, August 20, served as a landmark celebration of indigenous storytelling. As reported by Te Ao Māori News and The Spinoff, the ceremony marked the centerpiece of the inaugural New Zealand Children’s Book Week. The evening culminated in Māori authors, illustrators, and translators securing wins across seven out of nine award categories, reflecting a significant shift in the nation's literary landscape. The awards were supported by Unity Books and Creative New Zealand. The prestigious Margaret Mahy Book of the Year award was presented to the creative duo Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata) for their work, Guide to Rocks. This victory marks the second time the pair has received the top honour in their careers. Other major winners included Zeb Tamihana Nicklin (Pāhauwera, Ruapani, Tūhoe, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri), who received the NZSA Best First Book Award for his young adult novella, Te Onehaumoko. Written entirely in te reo Māori, the story follows a teenager named Tawa who discovers a time-travelling shed to connect with his ancestors. Tamihana Nicklin told Te Ao Māori News that seeing Māori recognition is vital for encouraging tamariki in both kura kaupapa and English-medium schools to see their own stories reflected. Mat Tait (Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Kuia, Rangitāne o Wairau) was recognized with two awards for his illustration and te reo Māori translation of Kupe me te Wheke nui a Muturangi. Tait noted that the presence of Māori literature has consistently grown, reflecting the high quality and crucial nature of the works. Similarly, Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāti Kahungunu, Kāi Tahu) won the Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction for Whenua: Māori Pūrākau of Aotearoa. Te Aho-White noted that publishers are increasingly committed to Māori content as tamariki from all backgrounds gravitate toward stories that ground them in the history of Aotearoa. The event featured a competitive field of finalists, including Graci Kim, Rachael King, Giselle Clarkson, and illustrator Gavin Bishop. Dr Hona Black, a judge for the te reo Māori entries, remarked that the evening reflected the growing mana of the language within the publishing industry and its increasing role in the homes of families across the country.