LIANZA Children's Book Awards Winners

LIANZA Children's Book Awards Winners

Monday 6th September

Chilling Tale Of A Battle-Hardened Soldier's Experiences In The Frontlines Of Flanders During World War One Wins LIANZA's Prestigious Children's Book Award.

LIANZA (The Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa) announced the winners of its long-standing Children's Book Awards at a ceremony in Auckland tonight. The winners are:

Esther Glen Award for a distinguished contribution to literature for children: Ken Catran - Jacko Moran, sniper (Lothian)

Russell Clark Award for a distinguished contribution to illustration: Graeme Gash - Napoleon and the Chicken Farmer , text by Lloyd Jones (Mallinson Rendel)

Elsie Locke Award for a distinguished contribution to nonfiction for children: Janet Hunt - A Bird in the Hand: Keeping New Zealand Wildlife Safe (Random House NZ)

Te Kura Pounamu Award for a distinguished contribution for children in te reo Maori: Ross Calman - Te Tahuna, English text by Don Long. (Reed Publishing)

Ken Catran is a fulltime writer living in Waimate well-known for his excellent books for children and young adults. Jacko Moran sniper follows the exploits of one of the characters from his earlier book - Letters From the Coffin Trenches.

Graeme Gash was a former singer-songwriter with the 70's group Waves. Napoleon and The Chicken Farmer is his first children's picture book. Graeme's work can also been seen in Waitakere City's Massey Library and Leisure Centre and West Wave Aquatic Centre.

Janet Hunt is a graphic designer and writer living on Waiheke Island. A Bird in the Hand: Keeping New Zealand Wildlife Safe is her first book for children. She has also written Hone Tuwhare: A Biography (1998) for adults.

Ross Calman (Ngäti Raukawa, Ngäti Toa, Käi Tahu) lives in Dunedin. He is the author of two children's books Treaty of Waitangi and The New Zealand Wars as well as co-author of the Reed Essential Mäori Dictionary and the Reed Mäori Picture Dictionary and revised the latest edition of the Reed Concise Mäori Dictionary.

The LIANZA awards are given each year in recognition of the quality of writing and illustration in New Zealand books for children published in the previous year. The Esther Glen award, named after the children's writer and journalist, was first established in 1944, and previous recipients include AW Reed, Maurice Duggan, Margaret Mahy (6 times), Tessa Duder and Maurice Gee.

The Russell Clark Award , was established in 1976 in honour of the notable New Zealand illustrator and artist, and previous recipients include Gavin Bishop, Robyn Belton, Chris Gaskin and Bob Kerr.

The Elsie Locke Award (previously known as the Young People's Non-Fiction Award) was established in 1987, and renamed in 2002 to commemorate the work of Elsie Locke (1912 - 2001), with previous recipients including Kim Westerskov, Robyn Kahukiwa, Laura Ranger, Diana Noonan and Dr Simon Pollard.

The Te Kura Pounamu was established in 1996 for literature written in Te Reo Maori, and previous recipients include Katerina Mataira, Mere Clarke, Merito Tawharo and Ngareta Gabel.

The LIANZA Children's Book awards are regarded as New Zealand's most prestigious children's book awards by writers and illustrators throughout New Zealand. Each award consists of a medal or taonga and a monetary prize of $1000

Ends

When: 4.30 - 5.30 pm

Monday 6 September

Where: Sky City Convention Centre

What: LIANZA's Children's Book Awards Ceremony

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