2021 Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award Shortlist

• Leah Carter, Papmoa;
• Janine Williams, Whangarei;
• Nissa Bearsley; Palmerston North;
• Carol Garden, Tauranga;

About the Award

The Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award for an original junior novel manuscript, is administered by Storylines and sponsored by Scholastic New Zealand. It is awarded annually, when merited, to the author of a work of fiction for children between seven and 13 years of age.

The award is open to all New Zealand authors who meet the residency criteria. (Until 2018 the award was open only to previously unpublished writers.)

The award carries assurance of publication by sponsoring publisher Scholastic New Zealand and prize money of $1500. In 2019, Storylines introduced a new award for a manuscript by an unpublished writer selected for the Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award shortlist. The winner will be publicly acknowledged at the Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day and receive prize money of $500.

The award was established in 1995 to recognise the outstanding contribution made by the late Tom Fitzgibbon to the growth and status of children’s literature in New Zealand.
For many years Head of the English Department at North Shore Teachers’ College and the Auckland College of Education, Tom founded the Children’s Literature Association of New Zealand and later became the first chair of the New Zealand Children’s Book Foundation, forerunner of Storylines.

The award is open to any author who meets the New Zealand residency criteria. (If in doubt, writers should seek a ruling from Storylines.)  Eligibility criteria are stated on the Entry Form.

Manuscripts, with accompanying form, must be postmarked no later than 31 October each year. Fee payment must also be made online before this date. The award winner is announced the following April, and the published book launched the following year.

Entry form and guidelines:

Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award guidelines
Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award entry form.

You can make an electronic payment for your entry here.
NB: Members must be logged into the website to access the Members discounted entry fee.