Award Background
The Storylines Tessa Duder Award was established in 2010 in association with HarperCollins Publishers. It was subsequently sponsored by Walker Books Australia until 2023. Allen & Unwin NZ are the current sponsors of this award. The award recognises Tessa Duder's outstanding contribution to children's literature, both in her publishing output and her tireless work to promote children's books and publishing.
The award is open to all New Zealand writers and is made biennially, when merited, to the New Zealand author of an unpublished work of fiction for young adults aged 13 and above. The award is also open to a Graphic Novel manuscript. The award carries assurance of publication by the sponsoring publisher and a cash prize.
The award is open to any New Zealand writer, published or unpublished, who meets the eligibility criteria on the Entry Form. (If in doubt, please seek a ruling from the Storylines Awards Administrator.) Storylines has introduced a new award for a manuscript by an unpublished writer selected for the Storylines Tessa Duder Award shortlist. The winner will be publicly acknowledged at the Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day and receive prize money of $500.
The judging panel will be made up of three representatives of Storylines, including Tessa Duder, and three representatives from Allen & Unwin.
In line with international best practice, the award is judged ‘blind’ – that is, the identities of the authors are unknown to the judging panel. Authors must therefore ensure that their name does not appear on any page of the submission; any manuscript with the name visible will be deemed ineligible.
The entry forms, which do not go to the judging panels, should be completed with the author’s correct details. Nom de plumes are not acceptable.
The award winner is announced at the annual Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day the following April, and the published book launched the following year.
