Unlock the secrets in junior and YA fiction NZCYA 2021
July 20th, 2021
By
Anne Dickson
Secrets are at the heart of the junior and young adult (YA) fiction finalists for the 2021 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults (NZCYA), enticing curious and imaginative young minds to unravel their mysteries.
This post one of a series of reviews
This blog post is one of a series reviewing books on the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults (NZCYA) shortlist in the run-up to the announcement of the award winners on 11 August.
2021 NZCYA junior and young adult fiction finalists. Image credit: New Zealand Book Awards Trust.
“Reaching kids with stories that excite them is incredibly exciting.”
SCOTT HAMMOND/STUFF
The Inkberg Enigma by Jonathan King is a graphic ‘comic book’ novel for eight to twelve-year-olds. King is a guest at the Marlborough Book Festival. “We are so kind of colonised by international media, and that dwarfs everything the New Zealand creators try to do, so when you think about that behemoth chewing up audiences attention, its pretty exciting if you can cut through that and make a connection with New Zealand audiences and readers,” he said. The Inkberg Enigma is a graphic novel mystery adventure for eight to 12-year-olds, set in the fictional town of Aurora, a fishing town nestled in the shadow of a mysterious castle.
Hound the Detective, Kimberly Andrews (Penguin Random House NZ)
Kōwhai and the Giants, Kate Parker (Mary Egan Publishing)
The Hug Blanket, Chris Gurney, illustrated by Lael Chisholm (Scholastic New Zealand)
This Is Where I Stand, Philippa Werry, illustrated by Kieran Rynhart (Scholastic New Zealand)
The books vying for the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award presented the judges with eclectic plot lines and endearing characters and they struggled to narrow down to a shortlist from the well-crafted titles.
Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award Finalists
Across the Risen Sea, Bren MacDibble (Allen & Unwin)
Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea, T K Roxborogh, illustrated by Phoebe Morris (Huia Publishers)
Press Release – NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults From a field of 166 entries, the 28 finalists in the 2021 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are announced today. Across six main categories, these books offer the nations young readers a tasty smorgasbord of titles, packed with …
From a field of 166 entries, the 28 finalists in the 2021 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are announced today. Across six main categories, these books offer the nation’s young readers a tasty smorgasbord of titles, packed with meaty themes and addictive plot lines.
“The diversity of ideas in this year’s entries really stood out,” says convenor of judges Alan Dingley. “It’s clear that our authors truly credit kids and young people with having the emotional intelligence to deal with complex themes, issues and feelings.”