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Proud Sponsor 2026

Wheelers Books Award for Young Adult Fiction

We believe every rangatahi deserves stories that reflect their world. As naming sponsor of the Young Adult Fiction Award, Wheelers is backing the bold, honest storytelling that helps young readers see themselves on the page. It's a role we're proud to grow - championing these authors while making it genuinely easy for the educators and librarians of Aotearoa to discover, order and champion every finalist title in their schools and libraries.

The 2026 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults finalists are:

NZ Book Awards Children & Young Adult Finalists 2026
The Lost Saint The Lost Saint Craw, Rachael
It's a Bit More Complicated Than That It's a Bit More Complicated Than That Marshall, Hannah
Hooked: Learning to Fish Hooked: Learning to Fish Brown, Al
Omnibird: An Avian Investigator's Handbook Omnibird: An Avian Investigator's Handbook Clarkson, Giselle
Survive Aotearoa Survive Aotearoa Wall, Bronwen
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NZSA Best First Book Award 2026
Hiva and Heartbeats Hiva and Heartbeats Alefosio, Selina
Folk Remedy: Book 1 Folk Remedy: Book 1 Yoshioka, Jem
Hunt for Niutupu Hunt for Niutupu Vakaafi, Inangaro
Te Onehaumako Te Onehaumako Nicklin, Zeb Tamihana
The Lost Words The Lost Words Kearney, Kimberley
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Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Awards for Te Reo Maori 2026
He Taonga Te Toka He Taonga Te Toka Morgan, Josh
Kupe me te Wheke nui a Muturangi Kupe me te Wheke nui a Muturangi Tait, Mat
Matariki ki te Ao: (Matariki Around the World – Maori Edition) Matariki ki te Ao: (Matariki Around the World – Maori Edition) Kamo, Miriama
Taku Ikura Tuatahi: He korero ma nga kohine e puawai ana, me o ratou whanau Taku Ikura Tuatahi: He korero ma nga kohine e puawai ana, me o ratou whanau Qiane, Matata-Sipu,
Te Onehaumako Te Onehaumako Nicklin, Zeb Tamihana
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Russell Clark Award for Illustration 2026
Taniwha Taniwha Bishop, Gavin
Whenua: Maori Purakau of Aotearoa Whenua: Maori Purakau of Aotearoa Isobel, Joy Te Aho-White
At Home on the Farm At Home on the Farm Barraud, Ned
Kupe and the Great Octopus of Muturangi Kupe and the Great Octopus of Muturangi Tait, Mat
Folk Remedy: Book 1 Folk Remedy: Book 1 Yoshioka, Jem
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Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction 2026
Hooked: Learning to Fish Hooked: Learning to Fish Brown, Al
Omnibird: An Avian Investigator's Handbook Omnibird: An Avian Investigator's Handbook Clarkson, Giselle
Survive Aotearoa Survive Aotearoa Wall, Bronwen
Taniwha Taniwha Bishop, Gavin
Whenua: Maori Purakau of Aotearoa Whenua: Maori Purakau of Aotearoa Isobel, Joy Te Aho-White
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Wheelers Books Young Award Fiction Award 2026
Hiva and Heartbeats Hiva and Heartbeats Alefosio, Selina
It's a Bit More Complicated Than That It's a Bit More Complicated Than That Marshall, Hannah
Spider Games: In the City of Spies Spider Games: In the City of Spies Falkner, Brian
The Lost Saint The Lost Saint Craw, Rachael
The Retreat The Retreat Fletcher, Helen Vivienne
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Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction 2026
Detective Stanley and the Mystery at the Museum Detective Stanley and the Mystery at the Museum Harrison, Erica
Dreamslinger Dreamslinger Kim, Graci
Kimi the Kekeno's Big Adventure Kimi the Kekeno's Big Adventure Burne-Field, Shelley
(Not So) Superheroes (The Terrible Trio #1) (Not So) Superheroes (The Terrible Trio #1) Haddow, Swapna
The Case of the Angry Ghost: Violet and the Velvets 2 The Case of the Angry Ghost: Violet and the Velvets 2 King, Rachael
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BookHub Picture Book Award Finalists 2026
A Guide To Rocks A Guide To Rocks Cotter, Sacha
Koro Weta Koro Weta Haylock, Heather
Left to Nowhere Left to Nowhere Chapman, Ian
Pukeko Who-keko? Pukeko Who-keko? Morris, Toby
The Only Dinosaur in School The Only Dinosaur in School Agnew, Leonie
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