Congratulations Crissi Blair - 2019 Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award Winner
Crissi Blair was awarded  the 2019 Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award winner at a ceremony on 2 November 2019, at national Library in Auckland. She is the 27th recipient of the award, given since 1990 to mark an exceptional commitment to the world of children’s books. Crissi has been a prominent national figure in the world of children’s literature for nearly 20 years. She has written for the New Zealand Book Council’s e-newsletter The School Library, and for the Australian review magazine Magpies, for which she is now New Zealand coordinator. Her own sought-after publication New Zealand Children’s Books in Print ran from 2005 to 2013. She was a member of the 2018 judging panel for the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, and in 2019 was convenor of these awards. A long-time supporter of the Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable Trust, she was for three years Manager of its Storylines Festival Family Days held annually in major centres. Crissi holds a Bachelor in Design and Visual Arts, with a specialist interest in picture book illustration. She has recently finished studying for library qualifications while working as a librarian at Rangeview Intermediate School in Auckland.
Read Crissi's speech, made at the award ceremony,  here.	Crissi presents her speech
Crissi Blair (second from right) with previous Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award winners (l-r) Frances Plumpton, Betty Gilderdale, Rosemary Tisdall and Jeannie Skinner.	Crissi with flowers after the presentation
2018 Betty Gilderdale Award winner - Jeannie Skinner The 2018 Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award for outstanding service to children’s literature has been awarded to Northland’s passionate advocate for children’s books and literacy, Jeannie Skinner. Both in her role as Capability Facilitator for National Library’s Service to Schools and as a volunteer for the Storylines Children’s Literature Trust and other children’s books-related organisations, Jeannie has been a leading light in promoting books and reading over three decades through Northland’s public libraries and schools. She has helped organise and promote Storylines and New Zealand Book Council author tours, developed an award for student librarians, as well as running short story awards, quizzes for young people and popular blog post. As an acknowledged expert in children’s books and related professional literature, she was appointed convenor of the judging panel for the 2018 New Zealand Children’s Book Awards. Jeannie was presented with her award and presented the Storylines Spring lecture, entitled For the Love of Libraries, on Sunday 2 December 2018 at the National Library, The Strand, Parnell, Auckland. Jeannie presents her lecture National Library colleagues honour Jeannie with a waiata. Jeannie Skinner with Betty Gilderdale after her presentation Betty Gilderdale (centre) with past Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award winners Frances Plumpton, Jeannie Skinner and Rosemary Tisdall

Background

The Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award honours Betty Gilderdale, a lifelong advocate and supporter of children’s literature, through her academic research, work as a reviewer and 30 years' committee service to Auckland’s Children’s Literature Association. Prior to 2000, the award was known as the Children’s Literature Association’s Award for Services to Children’s Literature. The Award is given for outstanding service to children’s literature and literacy and carries a monetary prize of $2000. The recipient delivers a 40-minute address, known as the Storylines Spring Lecture, as part of the award presentation, usually in November.   Nominations for the award close on 31 August each year. To make a nomination for the Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award, fill in this form and email it to us, or print it off and post to us.

The 2016 Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award for outstanding service to children's literature was presented to Rosemary Tisdall at a ceremony in Auckland on 11 December. Storylines Trust chair Dr Libby Limbrick paid tribute to Rosemary's long service to children's literature and welcomed her to the podium to present the Spring Lecture. Betty Gilderdale then presented Rosemary with her Award.You can read the text of her Award address here.

• 1990: Eve Sutton
• 1991: Dorothy Butler
• 1992: Elsie Locke
• 1993: Jo Noble
• 1994: Ron Bacon
• 1995: No award.
• 1996: Graham Beattie: Award speech: A Fortunate Life.
• 1997: Diane & Gary Hebley: Award speech: A Goose, a Gander and a Clutch of Eggs.
• 1998: Phyllis Johnston; Award speech entitled An Impressionable Age.
• 1999: Betty Gilderdale; Award speech entitled The Effects of Post-Modernism on Children’s Literature.
• 2000: No award.
• 2001: Veda Pickles; Award speech published as Friends and Relatives.
• 2002: Barbara Murison; Award speech published as Tapestries 1931-2002.
• 2003: Jean Bennett; Award speech published as Children’s Literature is a Community Event, and the Dangers of Dragons.
• 2004: Ray Richards; Award speech published as Do You Know the Way to Castor Bay? A Life in Publishing and Children’s Books.
• 2005: John McKenzie; Award speech published as Children’s Literature as an Academic Study: A Perilous Space?
• 2006: Frances Plumpton; Award speech published as Climbing the Magic Faraway Tree
• 2007: Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira; Award speech published as Creativity and Expression.
• 2008: Lois Rout; Award speech published as Anecdotal Meanderings.
• 2009: No award.
• 2010: Glyn Strange; Award speech published as Getting in Behind.
• 2011: Ruth and John McIntyre
• 2012: Gerri Judkins 
• 2013: Trevor Agnew; text of speech published as The Reviewer Reviewed. 
• 2014: Robyn Southam
• 2015: Trish Brooking, text of speech entitled Past to present: Navigating New Zealand Children’s Literature. Or  watch her presentation here.
• 2016: Rosemary Tisdall; text of speech entitled 'A Life of Privilege'
• 2017: Maureen Crisp
• 2018: Jeannie Skinner; text of speech entitled For the Love of Libraries
• 2019: Crissi Blair, text of speech entitled A Tour of My Bookshelves