NZ Book Awards for Children & Young Adults
The 2025 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults judges have been announced!
By New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults | Posted: Wednesday Dec 11, 2024
Two highly experienced panels that include bestselling and award-winning authors, illustrators, editors, book reviewers, kaiako and librarians have been appointed to judge entries for the 2025 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
Kirikiriroa Hamilton-based writer Feana Tu‘akoi will convene the English and bilingual panel. Joining her are author and editor of children’s books and educational resources Don Long MNZM from Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington, Tākaka-based Singaporean-Pākehā writer and reviewer Linda Jane Keegan, international best-selling author and 2024 Margaret Mahy Book of the Year winner Stacy Gregg (Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Pukeko, Ngāti Maru Hauraki) from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, and kaiako and education specialist Mero Rokx (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tai), who lives in Porirua. Raised and immersed in tikanga and te reo Māori, Mero will make a valuable contribution to judging of both the English and bilingual and Te Kura Pounamu categories, and will enhance communications and collaboration between the two panels.
Convening the panel judging the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Awards for books written in, or translated into, te reo Māori for 2025 will be Mat Tait (Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Rangitāne o Wairau, Ngāti Kuia), who has previous experience on both panels. An artist, illustrator, writer and te reo Māori tutor based in the Motueka area, Mat won the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year at the 2023 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Joining him and Mero will be kaitakawaenga (programming specialist) at Christchurch City Libraries Ngā Kete Wānanga o Ōtautahi Justice-Manawanui Arahanga-Pryor (Ngāti Awa ki Rangitaiki, Ngāti Uenuku, Ngāti Rangi, Ngāi Te Ruahikihiki), and kaiako, curriculum developer and author Maxine Hemi (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne), who lives in Whakaoriori Masterton.