Monday, April 08, 2013

Judges Announced For The Prestigious LIANZA Children’s Book Awards

LIANZA - Posted by: Megan Button  05 Apr 13

LIANZA is pleased to announce a panel of librarians with a wealth of knowledge of children’s books to judge the 2013 LIANZA Children’s Book Awards.
Before the finalists are announced on Friday 24 May, the judges will enjoy reading a harvest of over 100 New Zealand children’s books to determine the winners for the best junior fiction, young adult fiction, non fiction, illustrated works and books written in te reo Māori.
These judges make recommendations to young readers in their libraries on a daily basis and readers can be assured the finalists and winners this year will be the pick of the annual bunch.

The 2013 LIANZA Children’s Book Awards judges are:
image of Pene WalshPene Walsh, Convenor
Panel Convenor Pene Walsh is the Library Manager for Gisborne District and is an experienced judge of children’s books and art related awards. This is her third year judging the LIANZA awards and she has previously judged the Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Award (now New Zealand Book Awards).
Pene has always maintained a strong involvement in children’s literature; she has been a supporter of NZ Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults for the Gisborne area, an assessor of unpublished manuscripts (including material written for children) for the Margaret King Spencer Writer’s Trust and acted as MC at children’s book launches.
Pene says “these are my favourite awards because people who understand what children love to read are reading the books with them in mind. Librarians link books and children every day and the bond between book and child is often so strong it is indelibly linked in memory of the librarian who gave it to them.”
“Book awards chosen by librarians are so important for young people as they can be the kickstarter to free a child’s mind and encourage their literary development” she says.

Image of Pam JonesPam Jones is the District Children’s & Young Adult Librarian for South Taranaki and in her library role she has developed a number of programmes for children designed to enrich their lives, challenge their ideas and provide powerful characterization and strong plots.
Pam is passionate about children’s literature and says it is “vital that we support great writing for children if we want to encourage young readers and develop in them a love of reading”.
She has spent years distinguishing library merit in books and her experience includes five years as Regional Coordinator for NZ Post Children’s Book Awards, Coordinator of the Taranaki Children’s Book Festival for two years, Coordinator of  the Ronald Hugh Morrieson Literary Awards and annual Summer Reading  Programme for the past 10 years and Librarian for the Tots to Teens Magazine.
Pam is an avid reader, managing three children’s books per week, and is familiar with a wide range of books that reflect the characteristics and variety of New Zealand literature.

Image of Amanda McFaddenAmanda McFadden is the Children and Teenagers Librarian at Tauranga City Libraries where she is responsible for selecting fiction and nonfiction materials for the Children and Teenager’s collections for their four libraries and mobile bus.
Amanda is widely read and has a particular passion for the teenage fiction genre. She keeps abreast of current trends through professional journals, blogs and author web pages.
Amanda’s focus is on Teenage Services and Outreach; she has developed holiday activities for the libraries including the Summer Reading  Programme , she presents  book talks to schools and is a reviewer for Magpies magazine and USA-based Voya magazine.
Amanda says “reading is the basis of all language, visual and listening skills which transfer into schooling and carry on to enhance life long learning. These awards allow us to acknowledge the best work produced for young readers in New Zealand.”

Te Rangi Rangi TangohauTe Rangi Rangi Tangohau, Te Kura Pounamu Convenor
Te Rangi Rangi will convene a panel to judge Te Kura Pounamu. She is Principal Librarian Children’s Services at HB Williams Memorial Library, Gisborne and is a member of Te Rōpū Whakahau, the organisation uniting Maori librarians and information specialists in Aotearoa New Zealand. 
Te Rangi Rangi has been Regional Co-ordinator for the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards and Regional Co-ordinator for Duffy Books in Homes and Public Libraries. She has coordinated activities for te Wiki o te reo Maori (Maori language week 2012) and Ra – Hui: Event – Recovery and organised an assisted reading programme for nga tamariki o Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Mangatuna where senior students, ex Kohanga reo and Kura Kaupapa, assist with children’s reading.
Te Rangi Rangi says “it is so important to publish quality te reo materials for children. Through consistent basic language repetition children are able to build vocabulary, recognition and sentence structure”.
Te Rangi Rangi is proud to be involved with these awards, she says “in judging Te Kura Pounamu we are defining what stories Librarians value and signify in this moment as worthy of the award and this will set the standard for future authors and illustrators”.
 
LIANZA Children's Book Awards
LIANZA Junior Fiction Award - Esther Glen Medal
For the most distinguished contribution to literature for children aged 0-15.
LIANZA Illustration Award - Russell Clark Medal
For the most distinguished illustrations in a children's book.
LIANZA Young Adult Fiction Award
Recognises the distinguished contribution to literature for children and young adults aged 13 years and above.
LIANZA Non-Fiction Award - Elsie Locke  Medal
For a work that is considered to be a distinguished contribution to non-fiction for young people.
Te Kura Pounamu  (te reo Māori)
Awarded to the author of a work, written in Te Reo Māori, which makes a distinguished contribution to literature for children or young people.
For further information about the LIANZA Children’s Book Awards:
http://www.lianza.org.nz/awards/lianza-childrens-book-awards

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