Storylines, in line with its advocacy for the development of New Zealand children’s literature, offers 11 awards to writers, illustrators, publishers and those working in the field of children’s literature and literacy.
These include:
- Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal and Lecture Award for lifetime achievement and a distinguished contribution to New Zealand children’s literature and literacy.
- Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award for outstanding service to New Zealand children’s literature and literacy.
- Storylines Te Kahurangi Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira Award for a work originally written in te reo Māori, in association with Huia Publishers and Massey University Te Pūtahi-a-Toi: School of Māori Knowledge.
- Storylines Joy Cowley Award for a picture book text, in association with Scholastic New Zealand.
- Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award for a children’s novel manuscript, in association with Scholastic New Zealand.
- The Storylines new writer’s award for an unpublished writer shortlisted for the Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award.
- Storylines Tessa Duder Award for a young adult novel manuscript, in association with Allen & Unwin NZ.
- Storylines Janice Marriott Mentoring Award, for six months mentoring by Janice Marriott
- Storylines Gavin Bishop Award for a previously unpublished picture book illustrator, in association with Penguin Random House New Zealand.
- Storylines Gaelyn Gordon Award for a much-loved book.
- Storylines Notable Book Award List for books published in the previous calendar year.
New Awards announced June 2022
Storylines is delighted to announce the addition of new awards for unpublished writers in the Storylines Tessa Duder Award, the Storylines Te Kahurangi Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira Award, and the Storylines Joy Cowley Award, alongside the current $500 award for an unpublished writer in the Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award. Should a published writer win the award The Friends of Storylines Nga Pou o te Waituhi Tamariki o Aotearoa is offering a $500 prize (where merited) to a shortlisted unpublished writer in each of these categories. If the winner of any of these awards is unpublished, the $500 Storylines prize will go to an unpublished writer on the shortlist.
In the event of there being two or more unpublished writers on the shortlist, the judging panel shall decide the recipient.
Background
These awards are nationally and internationally recognised, acknowledging achievement and service and providing opportunities for established, emerging and new talent.
Several Storylines awards are presented at the annual Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day, usually in early April each year. The recipient of the Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal is announced in advance, and presents a lecture on a topic of their choice.
The Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award recipient delivers the Storylines Spring Lecture at an award presentation usually held in November.
All Storylines awards are chosen by appointed panels of acknowledged experts in children’s literature, among them authors, illustrators, teachers, children’s librarians, academics and whanau.
All awards where a manuscript or artwork (for the Gavin Bishop Award) is submitted, are judged ‘blind’ – that is, the identities of all authors or illustrators are unknown to members ofthe judging panels.
Storylines Award Deadlines
Deadlines, entry forms and guidelines for Storylines’ achievement and manuscript awards are detailed on the pages for each award:
- Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award for outstanding service to New Zealand children’s literature. The award honours the ‘unsung heroes’ of children’s literature, either at a regional or national level. Deadline for nominations is 31 August each year and the presentation is usually held in November.
- Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal and Lecture Award for lifetime achievement and a distinguished contribution to New Zealand children’s literature and literacy. Deadline for nominations is 30 November each year and the presentation is held in early April the following year.
- Storylines Notable Books Awards are presented in November for books published during the previous year. Submissions are accepted from the date of publication from publishers and authors. Deadline for submissions for the 2025 awards is 31 August 2025, for books published between 16 November 2024 to 15 November 2025.
- Storylines manuscript awards.
- Entries close on 31 October each year for the Storylines Joy Cowley Award for a picture book text, the Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award for a junior fiction manuscript, the Storylines Te Kahurangi Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira Award for a manuscript written originally in te reo Māori (all genres), and the Storylines Janice Marriott Mentoring Award for a junior fiction manuscript.
- Entries close on 31 October 2025 for the next biennial Storylines Tessa Duder Award for a Young Adult manuscript.
- Storylines Gavin Bishop Award for a work submitted by an unpublished illustrator. Entries for the 2024 award close 30 November 2025.
2020 Storylines Award presentations
All our virtual award presentations made online in 2020 are available for you to watch or re-watch on our YouTube or Vimeo channels. Use the links below to see:
- Maria Gill, Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal
- Amiria Stirling, Storylines Te Kahurangi Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira Award
- Stacy Gregg, Storylines Kids Pick Award
- Tania Sickling, Storylines Joy Cowley Award
- Cristina Sanders, Storylines Tessa Duder Award
- Belinda O’Keefe, Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award
- Janet Bottin & Christine Dale, Storylines Gaelyn Gordon Award for a much-loved book
- Janine Williams, inaugural winner of the Storylines Janice Marriott Mentoring Award