200+ Events for the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults Festival
What could baking mouse poo scones, a wild food brekkie, creating wearable arts, decorating a double-decker bus, author
and illustrator workshops and boring books have in common? They’re some of the 200+ events in this year’s New Zealand
Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults Festival being held 17-25 May nationwide.
During the Festival thousands of children and young adults from all over the country can meet the finalist authors and
illustrators, and participate in unique activities at specially-themed events in their schools, local libraries, book
shops and in their communities.
Promoting the importance of books and reading, this year’s Festival provides inspiration for New Zealand’s future
writers and illustrators, as well as a generation of readers.
The Festival’s national coordinator, Erin Banks says, “This year’s Festival is shaping up to be our most fantastic yet.
Our regional coordinators have created amazing events to bring the finalists’ books to life. We’re overwhelmed at the
imaginations of our coordinators in developing these activities over the nine days of the Festival.
“Children and young adults will not only be able to listen to authors and illustrators talk about their books and take
part in events related to the themes in those books, but they will also be able to work closely in workshops with some
of the authors and illustrators to learn more about their craft and what makes writing and illustrating so satisfying.
These are opportunities second to none, and we are proud to be able to offer these activities to New Zealand’s children.
This year’s Festival has something for everyone.”
Some Festival highlights are:
· The Great New Zealand Post Bus Tour on Saturday, 17 May in Nelson. Join Young Adult Fiction finalist Karen Healey
(When We Wake) on a free whirlwind book tour on a double-decker bus. Bus riders can decorate the bus with their
favourite words and stories, listen to stories and vote for the favourite finalists’ book. Earlier that afternoon Karen
talks about her book and has a group discussion at Nelson’s Café Affair.
· The Great Mouse Poo Scones Bake Off on Wednesday, 21 May in Feilding. Inspired by Junior Fiction finalist Dunger by
Joy Cowley, junior cooks can bring in their own version of ‘mouse poo scones’ to be judged by a local chef.
· Wearable Art Creative Talk and Demonstration on Monday/Tuesday, 19/20 May in Gore, Invercargill, Winton and Te Anau.
Fifi Colston, author of Wearable Wonders, gives a creative talk and demonstration to encourage young people to be
innovative and inventive in creating something really special from materials around them.
· Boys’ Big Brekkie on Tuesday, 20 May at Palmerston North’s Youth Space. Join Non-Fiction finalist Paul Adamson, author
of The Beginner’s Guide to Hunting + Fishing in New Zealand as he meets boys from Manawatu schools where they all get to
try a variety of ‘wild foods’ for breakfast, at the same time as hearing Paul’s tips and tricks for hunting and fishing.
· How Not to Write a Boring Book on Thursday, 22 March at Mt Roskill Library, Auckland. Join Picture Book finalist
Vasanti Unka, author of The Boring Book, for a workshop on how to write a book that is anything but boring!
· ‘Bugs’ reading and signing on Saturday, 24 May at Wellington’s Te Papa. Join Young Adult Fiction finalist Whiti
Hereaka, author of Bugs, where she reads from her novel and signs copies of her book. The event also includes creative
work for extension students from Hutt Valley High School who attended a writing workshop with Whiti earlier that week.
To read more about Festival events in your area, click here:
http://booksellers.co.nz/awards/new-zealand-post-childrens-book-awards/festival
The chair of the Book Awards Governance Group (BAGG) which oversees the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and
Young Adults and the Festival, Nicola Legat says, “We are delighted at the huge range of events and activities that are
offered over the Festival. Celebrating the importance of books and reading, and focusing around the impressive quality
of the finalists in the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, these events will inspire young
people to read, explore and enjoy New Zealand books in a fun and interesting way.”
The finalists in the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults were announced on 8 April in the four
categories of Picture Books, Non-Fiction, Junior Fiction and Young Adult Fiction. Also announced was the winner of the
Awards’ inaugural Māori Language award, Keri Kaa for her book Taka Ki Ro Wai. The winners of each category will be
announced on 23 June, together with the overall winner who will be awarded the New Zealand Post Margaret Mahy Book of
the Year prize.
The New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adultsare managed by Booksellers New Zealand and sponsored by
New Zealand Post. The awards are also supported by Creative New Zealand and Book Tokens New Zealand.
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