Fabulous firsts and non-fiction stars — NZCYA 2022

This post is the first of a series of reviews

This blog post is one of a series reviewing books on the NZCYA shortlist in the run-up to the announcement of the award winners on 10 August.

Best First Book Award

New writers being recognised for their work is always a positive award! This can be the springboard to encourage them to continue writing. This year’s newbies prove themselves well on the way to becoming authors you’ll hear more from. They are represented in all categories. There's a picture book and fiction stories sharing themes of fantasy, patupaiarehe (fairy folk) and ghosts, plus a story in te reo Māori about a haka festival, and an approachable guide to autism.

Mokopuna Matatini

Mokopuna Matatini by Pania Tahau-Hodges (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāi Tūhoe) is told in te reo Māori, with vibrant illustrations by Story Hemi-Morehouse (Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Toa Rangatira). The book is published by Huia Publishers. We read about the ‘coolest nan ever’, taking the kids to Te Matatini — the greatest haka festival in the world. Nan was famous for performing the Flying Wheke — the most difficult poi movement in history. That, along with her awesome pūkana, made Nan a bit of a kapa haka star in her day. A colourful picture book that captures this amazing festival in a fun way.

I Am Autistic

I am Autistic is written by Chanelle Moriah (Allen & Unwin) from her personal experience and with her own illustrations. It's a remarkable book. The design and layout — muted colours, clean layout, carefully curated information and space for the reader to add their own thoughts — make the book a helpful resource for readers who are (or think they may be) autistic. It'll also provide insights for others wanting to understand autistic people better.

Spark Hunter

Nissa is drawn into the Fiordland forest by strange lights in Spark Hunter by Sonya Wilson (The Cuba Press). Following them, she gets lost but the patupaiarehe (fairy folk) who caused the adventure look after her. Nissa learns there is a reason she has been chosen and is keen to help save our precious endangered fauna. Set in one of New Zealand’s beautiful national parks, this book is a clever balance of Aotearoa-flavoured fantasy, real adventure and survival. Perfect for upper primary readers.

Hine and the Tohunga Portal

In Hine and the Tohunga Portal by Ataria Sharman (Tapuika, Ngāpuhi) and published by Huia Publishers, Hine and Hōhepa, as most siblings do, are arguing on their way home from school when Hōhepa is drawn into a portal to an alternate Māori spirit realm. Hine follows to try and rescue him. Creatures both magical and mythological challenge her while she tries to save Hōhepa from Kae, an evil sorcerer. Hine becomes aware of her lack of knowledge about her ancestry and is keen to learn, especially if it'll help Hōhepa’s recovery. Adventure and the excitement of battle for intermediate readers.

My Cat Can See Ghosts

If you own a cat, you'll relate to My Cat Can See Ghosts by Emily Joe (Beatnik Publishing), or you’ll understand why the skittish behaviour of your friend’s cat might seem odd at times. Starting with the endpapers, this picture book captures a cat’s crazy antics as it charges through the house, chasing ‘ghosts’. The fun illustrations match the rhyming story well, making it a fun story to read aloud.

Elsie Locke Non-fiction Award

The five finalists for the Elsie Locke Non-fiction Award span a wide range of topics this year. One feature they have in common is that a reader can dip in and out, shuffling through the pages until they become hooked — great for reluctant and knowledge-hungry readers alike. From Māori atua to real-life heroes, big feelings to drawing inspiration and the arachnids of Aotearoa, there’s something for everyone.

Atua: Māori Gods and Heroes

Gavin Bishop’s Atua: Māori Gods and Heroes (Puffin, Penguin Random House) is a standout coffee-table book, with its shiny embossed cover, fold-out pages and detailed full-colour artwork in Bishop’s unique style. It’s no surprise that this book is also a finalist in the illustration category! With the Aotearoa New Zealand histories curriculum update, and schools turning to a focus on te ao Māori, Atua is an obvious choice. Beginning with Ranginui and Papatūānuku, the stories of the Māori gods come to life through relatable fun language and illustrations, interwoven with facts about our natural environment. There’s so much to dive into here, including lesser-known myths and the discovery and migrations of Māori to Aotearoa. Atua is sure to be a classroom favourite.

Kia Kaha: A Storybook of Māori Who Changed the World

Kia Kaha: A Storybook of Māori Who Changed the World by Stacey Morrison (Te Arawa, Ngai Tahu) and Jeremy Sherlock (Puffin, Penguin Random House) follows in the tradition of Go Girl and Oh Boy but features a collection of inspirational Māori. From the 28th Māori Battalion to Joe Hawke, Whina Cooper to Stan Walker, there’s a wide range of subjects, spanning the years. Each two-page biography gives plenty of facts in a succinct easy-to-read way. Full-page illustrations from contemporary Māori illustrators, such as Zak Waipara (Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Ruapani, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu) and Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu), go with each story. Plus there are mini-biographies about the authors and illustrators at the end of the book. There are many overseas biography collections but Kia Kaha shows that local heroes are just as interesting.

How Do I Feel? A Dictionary of Emotions for Children

Author Rebekah Lipp and illustrator Craig Phillips (a past Russell Clark Illustration Award winner), have previously produced well-loved mindfulness picture books for children. The duo’s latest offering, How Do I Feel? A Dictionary of Emotions for Children (Wildling Books), is a beautiful chunky non-fiction hardback featuring all the emotions under the sun. It's a great resource to help children to understand their feelings and how to manage them. Each emotion occupies a two-page spread, with a full-page illustration of a child experiencing the emotion. A point of difference is that no emotion is wrong or negative. Instead, it explains how each feeling can be helpful in better understanding ourselves.

Draw Some Awesome

Another past illustration award winner is Donovan Bixley, now a finalist with Draw Some Awesome (Upstart Press). Kids will likely recognise Bixley’s drawing style from his extensive back-catalogue of picture books and illustrated stories (such as his Flying Furballs series), and now they can learn to draw like him. Draw Some Awesome is full of ideas and techniques, with encouragement and behind-the-scenes sketches, showing how Bixley develops his characters. Also included are snippets of his childhood drawings, making this book super-relatable. Young (and old) illustrators of any level can learn from this book as it teaches the basics, from warm-up exercises to drawing facial expressions, but still has plenty of ideas for more experienced artists to learn from. A must-have for art classes.

Why Is That Spider Dancing?

Last but not least is Why Is That Spider Dancing? by Simon Pollard (Te Papa Press), author of many bug-related books (and a previous Elsie Locke Non-fiction Award winner), and Phil Sirvid, a well-known entomologist. Likely the wordiest finalist (but with heaps of photos too), this is a well-thought-out, informative book. Not only are there tons of spider facts, but it also looks at how we relate to them through film and literature, how spiders are seen in te ao Māori, and how we can care for them. The large close-up photos are fascinating, although they're not for the squeamish! Even those who don’t like spiders will have a new-found curiosity and respect for these intelligent little creatures.

Something for all!

With such a wide array of non-fiction topics and variety in the new book categories, there is sure to be something to entice any young reader in these NZCYA awards. We can't wait to find out who the winners are.

Remember to check out the NZCYA activity booklet (pdf, 8.6MB) for ideas on how to bring these books to life in the classroom and at home.

Read more

Explore strategies to evaluate literature and promote it to engage students in reading — Children’s and young adult (YA) literature.

Borrow these NZCYA finalists and other great books from us through our school lending service.