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18 March 2019
NZ
Booklovers Awards 2019 Winners Announced
Fiona
Kidman, Jo Seagar and Kimberly Andrews are winners in the inaugural
NZ Booklovers Awards announced today.
‘These are books that all families in New Zealand will enjoy,’ says
NZ Booklovers Director Karen McMillan. ‘Between the three winners,
there is a novel that is an excellent piece of storytelling that
takes the reader back in time to New Zealand in the 1950s, a
lifestyle book that will be used repeatedly for family
celebrations, and a children’s book that is likely to become a
favourite and foster a love of reading.’
This Mortal
Boy
by Fiona wins the NZ Booklovers Award for Best Adult Fiction Book
2019.
The judges say, ‘This novel is a portrayal of a real event in New
Zealand, one of the last times the death penalty was invoked. Set
in the 1950s, the social climate of the time is beautifully
portrayed – conservative, prejudiced against immigrants, and
suffering from an upsurge in juvenile delinquency. It is very easy
to engage with the characters, especially the central figure,
Arthur Black. In 1950s Auckland Arthur’s unfortunate liaisons lead
him to a situation which gets out of control. Is he a victim of
prejudice and a miscarriage of justice? A well-crafted story that
perfectly fits our brief of a book that celebrates the best in
storytelling, a book we couldn’t put down.’
Better than a
Bought One
by Jo Seagar wins the NZ Booklovers Award for Best Lifestyle Book
2019.
The judges say, ‘Better
than a Bought One is not a regular recipe book – it is
a valuable addition to any Kiwi home! This is New Zealand’s beloved
cook Jo Seagar’s best book yet. Sharing her love of entertaining,
Jo inspires readers to celebrate life’s milestones at home. Her
focus is on easy, economical ideas to mark everything from
birthdays, backyard weddings, baby showers and other life
celebrations to Matariki and a casual Kiwi Christmas. Jo deftly
shows readers how to create special occasions with minimal effort
and maximum impact. Jo’s trademark writing is accompanied by
intoxicating photography that ensures readers will repeatedly refer
to the book for memorable ideas. A highly pleasurable read that
hits our criteria of a book that enriches people’s everyday lives.’
Puffin the
Architect
by Kimberly Andrews wins the NZ Booklovers Award for Best
Children’s Book 2019.
The judges say, ‘As Puffin the Architect leads her
difficult-to-please clients through her past designs – the homes
she has planned for Platypus the Baker, Painter Goose and Pilot
Moose, amongst others – they see and hear about her wonderful
creations, but none are right for them. What is required is a
cottage specifically designed for puffins, and “a home built by the
sea” is underway. A detail with special appeal that comes at the
end of the story is that the architect is their mum. Cleverly
written in verse and with wonderfully detailed illustrations, this
is a great read-aloud book and one that children will also enjoy
reading alone for both the intricacies of the drawings and the
ideas of planning a “custom-built” house. A picture book which can
be read over many times and used as a creative discussion point for
children’s own choices about house designs, Puffin the Architect
has a richness, depth and complexity of concepts that will appeal
to kids over a wide range of ages.’
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Entries for the NZ Booklovers Awards 2020 are
already open at www.nzbooklovers.co.nz/awards
‘We are passionate about supporting the many talented authors we
have in New Zealand, so we are delighted to be offering the NZ
Booklovers Awards for a second year,’ says Karen McMillan. ‘We
welcome traditionally published authors and self-published authors
to submit their books throughout the year. This year we were
delighted to see a mix of well-known names and new talent and trust
we will see a similar variety for the 2020 Awards.’
Judges
The Best Adult Fiction Book Award is judged by writer and literary
editor Marcus
Hobson, publishing professional Rachel White,
and NZ Booklovers Director and author Karen McMillan.
The Best Lifestyle Book Award is judged by journalist and author Andrea Molloy,
NZ Booklovers Director and author Karen McMillan, and publisher,
home renovator and foodie Iain
McKenzie.
The Best Children’s Book Award is judged by author and creative
writing teacher Paddy
Richardson, editor and writer Heidi North,
and early childhood kaiako and journalist Rebekah Fraser.
About
NZ Booklovers
NZ Booklovers is an online home for books and for those who enjoy
reading them. It is a bookworms’ hub, dedicated to bringing New
Zealanders everything they need to know about reading and the world
of literature. Working alongside publishers, NZ Booklovers
showcases both New Zealand and international titles. It provides a
platform for sharing articles, author interviews, reviews, and
book-related stories, as well as book news, competitions, and
reading and writing advice.
Director Karen McMillan heads up a talented team of contributors
and reviewers, fellow readers and writers who are passionate about
books and who believe books inspire and enhance people’s lives. The
NZ Booklovers Awards are the brainchild of Karen McMillan, with the
aim of supporting the local publishing community and New Zealand
authors.
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