LIANZA Shortlist announced

New Zealand Hall of Fame and The Call of the Kokako have been shortlisted for the LIANZA awards! Both books were nominated for the Elsie Locke Medal (for Non-fiction).  Plus Heather's beautiful illustrations have been nominated in the Russell Clark Award.

I spoke to Heather Arnold just a while ago, and she was thrilled (as I am).  She thought it might be the first time that a book had been nominated for two awards.  Heather won the Elsie Locke Award for her Draw New Zealand Birds in 2008. She also illustrated Rangitoto, which was a finalist in the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards in 2010.

I am sure Bruce Potter will be excited too.  He has illustrated over 100 children's books but this was the first time he had drawn caricatures.  He drew caricatures for years for newspaper companies all over the world.

The award ceremony will be held on Monday August 6th at Caffe L'affare in Wellington.

Congratulations to all the other finalists.

The LIANZA Children’s Book Award 2012 Finalists:

LIANZA Junior Fiction Award – Esther Glen Medal

The Travelling Restaurant by Barbara Else, (GECKO Press)

The Peco Incident by Des Hunt, (HarperCollins Publishers (NZ) Ltd)

The Wolf in the Wardrobe by Susan Brocker, (HarperCollins Publishers (NZ) Ltd)

Super Finn by Leonie Agnew, (Scholastic) Leonie teaches at Sancta Maria Catholic Primary school in Manukau.

The Flytrap Snaps; Book One in The Fly Papers by Johanna Knox, (The Hinterland Press Ltd) Johanna published this book with her partner, designer Walter Moala.

LIANZA Young Adult Fiction Award

The Shattering by Karen Healey, (Allen & Unwin)

Pyre of Queens by David Hair, (Penguin NZ) David was inspired to write this fantasy novel by the time he spent living in India. He writes around his work in financial services.

Dirt Bomb by Fleur Beale, (Random House New Zealand)

The Bridge by Jane Higgins, (The Text Publishing Co Australia)

Recon Team Angel: Assault by Brian Falkner, (Walker Books Australia)

LIANZA Illustration Award - Russell Clark Award

Rāhui (Māori  ed) by Chris Szekely and Malcolm Ross, (Huia) Chris is Chief Librarian at the Alexander Turnbull Library. He worked with Malcolm Ross (now deceased) 20 years ago in the School Services department of the National Library. The book is based on their memories of holidays at the beach with whānau.

The Call of the Kokako by Maria Gill and Heather Arnold, (New Holland Publishers (NZ) Ltd)

Fantails Quilt by Gay Hay and Margaret Tolland, (Page Break Ltd)

Bruiser by Gavin Bishop, (Random House New Zealand)

Marmaduke Duck and Bernadette Bear by Juliette MacIver and Sarah Davis, (Scholastic)

Waiting for Later by Tina Matthews, (Walker Books Australia)

LIANZA Non Fiction Award – Elsie Locke Medal

Digging up the Past: Archaeology for the Young & Curious by David Veart, (Auckland University Press)

Nice Day for a War by Chris Slane and Matt Elliott, (HarperCollins Publishers (NZ) Ltd) Chris Slane is a cartoonist. Matt Elliott is a comedian, historian and biographer.

The Call of the Kokako by Maria Gill and Heather Arnold, (New Holland Publishers (NZ) Ltd)

New Zealand Hall of Fame: 50 Remarkable Kiwis by Maria Gill and Bruce Potter, (New Holland Publishers (NZ) Ltd)

Te Kura Pounamu (te reo Māori)

Rāhui (Māori ed) by Chris Szekely and Malcolm Ross, translated by Brian Morris (Huia)

Te Poiwhana by Te Kauhoe Wano and Andrew Burdan, (Huia)

Ihenga by Aunty Bea – Piatarihi Tui Yates and Katherine Quin Merewether, (Ihenga Charitable Trust)

Kei Wareware Tātou by Feana Tu’akoi and Elspeth Alix Batt, translated by Katerina Mataira, (Scholastic) Katerina was a writer, artist and academic. She was created Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2011 for her services to Māori language. She died later that year. Katerina has been a finalist nearly every year since this award began.

Nga Taniwha i Te-Whanga-nui-a-Tara by Moira Wairama and Bruce Potter, (Penguin NZ) Moira is a storyteller who loves to bring Māori legends to life. This myth was first told to her by Tipene O’Regan over 30 years ago. She was inspired to get it published after her audiences kept asking where they could read it for themselves.

The LIANZA Children’s Book Awards 2012 are supported by Fishpond.co.nz, Caffe L’affare and The Children’s Bookshop, Kilbirnie, Wellington.

For further information, images, or to arrange an interview with the judges or shortlisted authors and illustrators, please contact:

Wendy  Walker, LIANZA Children’s Book Awards

wendy@lianza.org.nz ph 04 801 5542  04 801 5542

Read more about the LIANZA Children's Book Awards

Children's Choice Non-Fiction Award, New Zealand Post Children's BookAwards

 

Photography by Mark Tantrum, www.marktantrum.com

Illustrator Bruce Potter and myself receive our award for New Zealand Hall of Fame the Children's Choice Non-Fiction book category winner on May 16th at the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards.

Ideas on the Go

My latest book - due out 3rd July 2012

Now that I am back from all my travels I'm settling into writing the creative non-fiction chapter book I had started.  Plus I've been visiting schools in the Auckland (Orakei Primary, St Johns School), and Northland (Mangawhai School) area.  Yesterday, my first copy of Eruption! Discovering New Zealand Volcanoes arrived so I'll be able to give sneak previews to schools of that book.

My head is brimming with all the ideas that have creeped into my thoughts while I've been on the road.  I find that when I'm travelling the creative juices are at their highest. I think it is because my head isn't full of: What am I going to cook tonight? Has Rhiannon/Tristan remembered their gym gear? etc. I just have my 'Author' hat on while I am away.  (Not that I don't think of my kids.)  Also, the scenery was so beautiful - and beauty is inspiring.

In fact, while on a trip along Farewell Spit I had two ideas for Learning Media and no notebook to record them on. I had to key them into my phone. At the first opportunity I bought a new notebook for my handbag. (What was I thinking, going away without a notebook on the ready.)

I'm looking forward to writing those ideas into stories but I'm a person who likes to finish something before I start something new - so it might be awhile. One of the ideas was a fiction chapter book.  When driving to Collingwood (1 1/2 hours) I worked out who the characters would be, what their goal was, and the problem they were going to solve (in my head).  I'm loving mystery books at the moment (Alan Bradley's 'Flavia de Luce' series, and the Mary Quinn series) and they've inspired me to write one. I'll let it brew for several months and by then I should have finished the book I'm currently writing plus the one New Holland wants me to write.

This is one of the reasons I love to write - so many ideas that I cannot wait to turn into stories ...

             

New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards and Tour

What an exciting week it has been.  First, I flew to Nelson and visited eight schools overthree days.  The kids loved the puppets and were great at guessing who the famous people were (from the baby photographs).  Then came awards night at the Amora Hotel in Wellington and what a splendid looking event it was.



Thankfully, the non-fiction category was announced straight away.  Nice Day for a War won and Digging Up the Past  came second but we won the Children's Choice Award for Non-fiction.  Illustrator Bruce Potter and I were delighted.

I was thrilled that author Leonie Agnew won the Junior Fiction award with her book Super Finn and also won Best First Book.  She's a Kiwi Write4Kidz member! Barbara Else came second with her book 'The Travelling Restaurant'.



Rahui won the picture book award and the graphic novel won second place.  No surprises that Jack Lazenby won the young adult award with his book. I was thrilled that Jane Higgens came second with her book 'The Bridge' (thoroughly enjoyed that book).

The night went so quickly and was such a privilege to be there.  Now we've got the

LIANZA finalist announcements to look forward to on the 1st June...