All of the books in the running for this year's book awards for children and young adults.

All the books in the running for tonight’s prizes. Who is going to win?

Booksabout 11 hours ago

Live updates from the 2026 NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults

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All of the books in the running for this year's book awards for children and young adults.

All the books in the running for tonight’s prizes. Who is going to win?

Books editor Claire Mabey reports from the ceremony at Pipitea Marae, Wellington.

Welcome to the annual celebration of Aotearoa children’s books! Watch along on the livestream below, and read the live blog below that, from 6.30pm.

All the books in the running for tonight’s prizes. Who is going to win?

Live updates from the 2026 NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults

All the action as it happens.

By Claire Mabey | 19th August, 2026

Composite image: The Spinoff

Dating Files: A 58-year-old aromantic looking for community on the Kāpiti Coast

'Mostly I’m finding: People who want a lover on the side.'

By Dating Files | 19th August, 2026

Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi. (Photo: NZ Herald via Getty Images)

Te Pāti Māori will be in risky territory if it tries to engineer an overhang

Exploitation of the overhang loophole has always been possible, but no party has tried it because of how voters are likely to react.

By Graeme Edgeler | 19th August, 2026

Remember when you were young and some books shaped your very brain?

The greatest children’s books in the world, according to our childhood selves

We celebrate New Zealand Children's Book Week by remembering the books we loved most when we were kids.

By Group Think | 19th August, 2026

A bunch of people

Lily Uivel is illustrator and author of new picture book, Big Bang Bread.

‘Don’t feed the machine, use your beautiful brain!’: Lily Uivel’s creative writing advice

'Using AI to write stories is nonsense to me. Why skip all the good bits of life like that?'

By The Spinoff Review of Books | 19th August, 2026

Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. (Design: Archi Banal/The Spinoff)

Is Te Pāti Māori’s candidate-only strategy risking our whole electoral system?

Concerns have been raised about what impact the party’s strategy could have on the future of both the Maori seats and MMP itself.

By Henry Oliver | 19th August, 2026

Bulletin editor

National party campaign chair Simeon Brown, with some of the party’s recent online posts. (Photos: The Spinoff/National)

National’s tax claims tripped up Labour, but misleading marketing comes with risks

Simeon Brown got the better of Chris Hipkins yesterday, but he’s walking a high wire claiming Labour wants to introduce 11 new taxes.

By Joel MacManus | 19th August, 2026

Owen Huang’s top issue is public transport. (Photo: Hayden Donnell)

His brother is standing for Opportunity in his electorate, but he’ll be voting National

Owen Huang doesn't want a citizen's income, he wants Simeon Brown representing him.

By Characters of the Campaign Trail | 18th August, 2026

Scenes from Matchbox (Image: The Spinoff)

New and approved: Matchbox, Auckland

Late-night snacks are taken up a notch at this new Ponsonby bar that's taken over the space of an old favourite.

By Sophie Albornett | 18th August, 2026

Books

Having a chat on the Crossing: Shavaughn Zampese, Leah Zydenbos, Mick Brown.(Photo: Florence Charvin)

The precarious nature of the track: a day in the life of a racecourse

'What will they do without their horses? What will their horses do without them?'

By Marty Smith | 14th August, 2026

A black and white photo of chef Al Brown who is wearing a cap, glasses and is smiling. Behind him is a collage of book covers.

‘The power of genuine connection’: the philosophy that drives Al Brown

'The value proposition of great or even good service, is simply off the charts.'

By The Spinoff Review of Books | 13th August, 2026

‘Sustained under-investment’: the dire state of school libraries and the years-long cry for help

It is estimated that less than half of New Zealand students have access to school library services.

By Claire Mabey | 10th August, 2026

Kiri Allan: The call that changed my life

‘I didn’t really know what a cervix was, let alone what it meant to have cancer in it.’

By Kiri Allan | 8th August, 2026

The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending August 7

Alan and Allan top the charts this week.

By The Spinoff Review of Books | 7th August, 2026