Sponsored by New Zealand Post. Formerly known as the AIM Children's Book Awards; sponsorship changed in 1997.
Summaries are from the Catalogue of the National Library of New Zealand.
Margaret
Mahy, illustrated by Selina Young. A Summery Saturday Morning ( Penguin
Books)
The children go down to the sea on a summery, Saturday morning, down the wiggly track, scattering shells and leaping logs. But first their dogs chase a cat, then they chase a boy on a rattly bike, then wild geese hiss and chase the children and the dogs and the walk is not so peacful after all.
Honour book - Lynley Dodd. Slinky Malinki Catflaps (Mallinson Rendel)
Slinky Malinki hobnobs with nine other cats in the moonlight, until the cranky and crotchety Scarface Claw disrupts their gathering.
Lesley
Moyes. Alphabet Apartments (Mallinson Rendel)
Introduces the letters of the alphabet through an array of different apartments, which form the background to a visual story in which a beastly burglar and two dogs try to escape being caught.
Jennifer
Beck, illustrated by Robyn Belton. The Bantam and the Soldier (Scholastic)
In the midst of the fighting in France during World War I, a soldier named Arthur forms a special friendship with a bantam he calls Bertha.
Joy
Cowley, illustrated by Linda McClelland. The Cheese Trap (Scholastic)
Diana
Noonan, illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller. The Best-Loved Bear
Gavin
Bishop. Hinepau
Christine
Ross. Lily and the Present
Lynley
Dodd. Hairy Maclary's Showbusiness
Pamela
Allen. My Cat Maisie
Miriam
Smith, illustrated by Lesley Moyes. Annie and Moon
Junior
Fiction - Joy Cowley. Starbright and the Dream Eater (Viking)
People all over Claircomb are succumbing to a strange illness, thought to be a deadly new virus. But this is no virus, it is a life form so advanced that its intelligence makes a computer look like counting beads. It knows the prophecy too, and it is hunting down the Bright Star to destroy her forever. Can Starbright Connor, the town's tomboy and giggly dare-devil, be the chosen one who will save her friends and family?
Junior
fiction honour book - Denis Edwards. Killer Moves (Scholastic)
Jack dreads it when his rugby league team has to play against Carlton Park, because he is always the one who gets flattened. So he is determined to come up with some killer moves to get the better of them.
Senior
Fiction - Jack Lasenby. Taur (Longacre Press)
Pursued by the hateful Salt Men, Ish flees south with his friend Taur, the mute Bull Man. But nowhere is there refuge from the brutal squint-face, who wants his greenstone god back, and wants Ish's life. Across the ice loom the mountains of the South Land. Is there a future there, in the land of the mountain that ate the sun? Is there escape from relentless pursuit? Sequel to: Because we were the travellers.
Senior
fiction honour book - Fleur Beale. I am not Esther (Longacre Press)
When Kirby's mother tells her she is going away for two years, and is leaving her with relatives she's never heard of, it is every teenage girl's nightmare. These relatives are members of a closed religious sect. They have no television, radio, newspapers or mirrors and Kirby must wear long, modest clothes and behave in a 'Godly' way, or else. They even give her a new biblical name, Esther.
Junior Fiction - Joy Cowley. Ticket to the Sky Dance (Viking)
Shog and his twin sister Jancie are street kids of the 21st century, living rough and using their cunning to survive. When an international modelling agency signs them up, the twins can't believe their luck, but soon become suspicious of what is happening in the agency's building.
Junior fiction honour book - David Calder. The Dragonslayer's Apprentice (Scholastic)
When sixteen-year-old Jackie tires of life as a princess, she decides to try her hand at being a dragonslayer's apprentice.
Senior Fiction - Paula Boock. Dare Truth or Promise (Longacre)
Louie Angelo is a prefect at Woodhaugh High; she's going to be a lawyer and she likes being the centre of attention. Willa lives in a pub, and she just wants to get through her exams and become a chef. Quietly. Then they fall in love.
Senior fiction honour book - Jack Lasenby. Because We Were the Travellers (Longacre)
In a land called the Whykatto, south of the city of Orklun, the sun rises angry in the sky, eats the winter grass and flames towards the western horizon. This is Ish's tale, a tale of rejection, of survival against the odds, of growing up in an age when much is feared and few can be trusted.
Junior Fiction - Jack Lasenby. The Battle of Pook Island (Longacre)
When the gang discover that a flood has turned the creek intoa lake with an island, they set about building canoes and a fort; but unknown to them, they are being watched. The third book in the Seddon Street Gang series.
Senior Fiction - Kate De Goldi. Sanctuary (Penguin)
Months after a dramatic tragedy has brought her life to a standstill, Catriona Stuart is embarking on a painful search for the truth. The truth about her boyfriend Jerem Jeremiah. About her wayward mother Stella. About her past and why her world fell apart.
Junior Fiction - Jack Lasenby. The Waterfall (Longacre)
Senior Fiction - Janice Marriott. Crossroads (Reed)
Junior Fiction - Maurice Gee. The Fat Man
Senior Fiction - William Taylor. The Blue Lawn
Junior Fiction - Diana Noonan. A Dolphin in the Bay
Senior Fiction - Pat Quinn. The Value of X
Junior Fiction - Margaret Mahy. Underrunners
Senior Fiction - Tessa Duder. Songs for Alex
Joy Cowley. Bow Down Shadrach
Sherryl Jordan. Rocco
Tessa Duder. Alex in Winter
Gerard
Hutching. The Natural World of New Zealand (Viking)
"Part 1 ... find out why New Zealand's natural world is so special and different ... Part 2 is an A-Z of natural history"--Intro.
Honour
book - Pauline Cartwright, photos by Tim Hawkins. All Sorts of Trucks
(Bridge Hill)
Brie and Blake look at the vehicles in the truck parade at the Alexandra Blossom Festival.
Diana
Noonan, illustrated by Keith Olsen. The Know, Sow & Grow Kids' Book of
Plants (Bridge Hill)
Introduces children to the world of plants through gardening tips, recipes, crafts, experiments and trivia. Encourages children to experiment with plants ranging from sunflower seeds to seaweeds and cacti to cucumbers.
Chris
Gaskin, photographs by Denis Page. Picture Book Magic (Reed)
1996 - Jenny Scown, photographs by Trish Gribben. Aya's Story (Scholastic)
1995 - Andrew Crowe. Which Native Forest Plant?
1994 - Mary Taylor. Old Blue: The Rarest Bird in the World
1993 - Chris Gaskin. Picture Magic
Hana
Hiriana Erlbeck, illustrated by Manawa-Ote-Rangi Waipara. Footsteps of the
Gods (Reed)
A collection of stories following the history of the traditional Maori gods, starting with the creation of Aotearoa.
Judy
Knox. Trapped (Scholastic)
Paula is afraid of dying when she and her dog Zak are trapped in an old goldmine shaft.
Jane
Westaway. Reliable Friendly Girls (Longacre)
A collection of short stories that address real life problems which are often experienced by New Zealand teenage girls.
Laura
Ranger. Laura's Poems (Godwit)
Gaelyn
Gordon, illustrated by John Tarlton. The Life-Sized Inflatable Whale
(Scholastic)
Lesley
Moyes. Alphabet Apartments (Mallinson Rendel)
Introduces the letters of the alphabet through an array of different apartments, which form the background to a visual story in which a beastly burglar and two dogs try to escape being caught.
Bob
Kerr. Mechanical Harry (Mallinson Rendel)
Harry Newton's ancestor Isaac Newton thought that every action had an equal and opposite reaction. When Harry's breakfast arrives, it hits the lever, which strikes the match, that lights the fuse, that fires the cannon, that knocks over the jug, which pours milk on to his cornflakes.
Chosen from among the other category winners.
Margaret
Mahy, illustrated by Selina Young. A Summery Saturday Morning (Viking)
Paula
Boock. Dare Truth or Promise (Longacre)
Jennifer
Beck, illustrated by Robyn Belton. The Bantam and the Soldier (Scholastic)
Janice
Marriott. Crossroads (Reed)
Maurice
Gee. The Fat Man
Compiled with information from Bill Nagelkerke
Copyright © 1994-1999 David K. Brown
Permission granted to reproduce this page for nonprofit educational purposes