Day: August 19, 2025

2025 New Zealand Book Awards

| Tasha

The winners of the 2025 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults have been announced. The awards this year are noted for including so many Maori titles. Here are the winning titles.

MARGARET MAHY BOOK OF THE YEAR

The Treaty of Waitangi by Ross Callman

BOOKHUB PICTURE BOOK AWARD

Titiro Look by Gavin Bishop, translated by Darryn Joseph

WRIGHT FAMILY FOUNDATION ESTHER GLEN AWARD FOR JUNIOR FICTION

Detective Beans and the Case of the Missing Hat by Li Chen (released in US)

YOUNG ADULT FICTION AWARD

The Paradise Generation by Sanna Thompson

ELSIE LOCKE AWARD FOR NON-FICTION

The Treaty of Waitangi by Ross Callman

RUSSELL CLARK AWARD FOR ILLUSTRATION

Hineraukatauri me Te Ara Pūoro by Rehua Wilson

WRIGHT FAMILY FOUNDATION TE KURA POUNAMU AWARD FOR A BOOK ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN TE REO MĀORI

Hineraukatauri me Te Ara Pūoro by Rehua Wilson

WRIGHT FAMILY FOUNDATION TE KURA POUNAMU AWARD FOR A BOOK TRANSLATED INTO TE REO MĀORI

A Ariā me te Atua o te Kūmara by Witi Ihimaera, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, translated by Hēni Jacob

NZSA BEST FIRST BOOK AWARD

The Raven’s Eye Runaways by Claire Mabey (released in US in October)

I Hate Everything! By Sophy Henn – Book Review

| Tasha

I Hate Everything! By Sophy Henn (9781665980494)

When a ghost is having a very bad day, his smaller friend tries to figure out what is wrong. Does the ghost hate him too? No? Does the ghost hate sweets? How about playing dress up? One after the other, the little ghost finds things that the other ghost doesn’t hate, and maybe loves. In the end the ghost has completely forgotten what he hates, or has he? Told entirely in speech bubbles, the book is fast paced and great fun to read aloud with a grumpy ghost voice. 

A silly book about bad moods that is sure to put you in a good one. Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Beach Lane Books.