Eligibility criteria
Entries are open to books first published in New Zealand between 1 January and 31 December each year.
Authors and illustrators must be New Zealanders by birth, naturalisation or immigration, who have been New Zealand residents for 2 years.
Books entered for the awards must be single, stand-alone entries and must contain at least 16 pages of text and/or illustration.
Textbooks, resource kits, and books supplied free to centres of learning are not eligible.
Books must be available for trade sales.
Reprints and reissues from previous years are not eligible unless they are new editions which contain substantial revision (adding significant new content and interpretation).
Anthologies of work by three or more authors are eligible.
Where a book with an attachment (e.g. CD) is submitted, the book will be considered the primary vehicle to be judged.
Books written or illustrated by a New Zealander, but with illustrations/text by an overseas illustrator/author will be considered for the creative input of the New Zealander.
The final decision on the eligibility of any submission rests with the Notable Books panel.
The judging panel
The Notable Books List is selected by a panel of 20, made up from the Storylines community, of current children’s literature professionals.
These include past and present members of the Storylines management committee, all of whom have a wealth of experience and knowledge in the field of children’s literature and many have served as judges for the New Zealand Post Book Awards (and its previous incarnations) and the LIANZA children’s book awards.
The panel meets regularly throughout the year to discuss recently published books, culminating in a meeting the night of the New Zealand Post Book Awards shortlist announcement.