Well, the world has hurtled around the sun exactly once since we last added to the From the Vaults series. For those of you who are new here, From the Vaults is where we delve into the weirdest corners of our shelves to dust off some of the cool, bizarre, interesting, or just plain old stuff we have that you might not know about. So far, we’ve covered really old stuff, the Archives of Sexuality and Gender, manga gems from the ’80s and ’90s (twice!), books in languages other than English and te reo, printed music, and much more.
Anyway, since the heavens have literally aligned today, we thought it would be a good idea to bring this series back from the brink of death. And, fresh from the excitement around the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, what better topic to choose than award-winning books?
Sorry, not quite those awards. via GIPHY
For today’s post, we are going to be focussing on past winners of the YA Fiction Award from the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. This award has an interesting history. Prior to 1993, there was no separate award recognising Young Adult fiction, but some winners of the general Fiction award would be considered part of the YA canon today. The YA Fiction Award proper came into existence in the year 1993 as part of the AIM Children’s Book Awards, and was known as the “Senior Fiction Award” from 1993-2004. In 1997, the AIM Children’s Book Awards became the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards, and then it changed again to the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults in 2004, at which time the “Senior Fiction Award” became the “Young Adult Fiction Award.”
Fastforward to 2023, sidestep another couple of minor name changes, and the overall awards are now known as the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, and the Young Adult Fiction Award carries prize money of NZ$7,500. In its distinguished history, it has been won by a number of the greats of New Zealand literature, with luminaries like Margaret Mahy, Jack Lasenby, Kate De Goldi, Maurice Gee, Tessa Duder, Elizabeth Knox and more in its list of recipients.
We have most of the award-winning books in our collection — explore the full list below, and visit our Book Award Winners booklist to find more juicy reads that have won other literary prizes.
New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults — Young Adult Fiction Award (2015 – 2023)
Iris and Me / Philippa Werry (2023 winner)
- Learning to Love Blue / Saradha Koirala (2022 winner)
- The Pōrangi Boy / Shilo Kino (2021 winner)
- Aspiring / Damien Wilkins (2020 winner)
Legacy / Whiti Hereaka (2019 winner)
- In the Dark Spaces / Cally Black (2018 winner)
- The Severed Land / Maurice Gee (2017 winner)
- Battlesaurus: Rampage at Waterloo / Brian Falkner (2016 winner)
Stray / Rachael Craw (2016 Children’s Choice winner)
- Singing Home the Whale / Mandy Hager (2015 winner)
- Night Vision / Ella West (2015 Children’s Choice winner)
New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults — Young Adult Fiction Award (2004 – 2014)
Mortal Fire / Elizabeth Knox (2014 winner)
- Into the River / Ted Dawe (2013 winner)
- Calling the Gods / Jack Lasenby (2012 winner)
- The Bridge / Jane Higgins (2012 Honour Award)
Fierce September / Fleur Beale (2011 winner)
- Smiling Jack / Ken Catran (2011 Children’s Choice winner)
- The Crossing / Mandy Hager (2010 winner)
- Brainjack / Brian Falkner (2010 Children’s Choice winner)
The 10pm Question / Kate De Goldi (2009 winner)
- Salt / Maurice Gee (2008 winner)
- The Sea-Wreck Stranger / Anna Mackenzie (2008 Honour Award)
- Genesis / Bernard Beckett (2007 winner)
With Lots of Love from Georgia / Brigid Lowry (2006 winner)
- Kaitangata Twitch / Margaret Mahy (2006 Honour Award)
- Malcolm and Juliet / Bernard Beckett (2005 winner)
- Thunder Road / Ted Dawe (2004 winner)
New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards — Senior Fiction Award (1997 – 2003)
Alchemy / Margaret Mahy (2003 winner)
- Owl: A Novel / Joanna Orwin (2002 winner)
- Voyage with Jason / Ken Catran (2001 winner)
- The Tiggie Tompson Show / Tessa Duder (2000 winner)
Taur / Jack Lasenby (1999 winner)
- Dare Truth or Promise / Paula Boock (1998 winner)
- Sanctuary / Kate De Goldi (1997 winner)
AIM Children’s Book Awards — Senior Fiction Award (1993 – 1997)
Crossroads / Janice Marriott (1996 winner)*
- The Blue Lawn / William Taylor (1995 winner)
- The Value of X / Pat Quinn (1994 winner)*
- Songs for Alex / Tessa Duder (1993 winner)
* Unfortunately these titles are unavailable to be borrowed from Wellington City Libraries.
Next time on From the Vaults, we’ll explore the winners of the Storylines Tessa Duder Award for young adult fiction and its historical predecessors, so stay tuned for more literary greats!
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