Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable Trust of New Zealand | Te Whare Waituhi Tamariki o Aotearoa

Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day

Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day - background

The  Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day is one of Storylines’ two major annual celebrations of achievement by New Zealand’s authors and illustrators (new and experienced), publishers, and others who have contributed greatly to New Zealand children’s literature. It is held each year on the weekend closest to International Children’s Book Day, 2 April – Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday.

The afternoon includes the Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal presentation, and the presentation of the Storylines Margaret Mahy Lecture by the medal winner, presentation of awards for original manuscripts, launches of the books published as the product of Storylines’ award-winning manuscripts, and the announcement of  new Storylines initiatives.

2024 Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day

The 2024 Storylines Margaret Mahy Day National Awards Day was held on Sunday 7 April 2024. The afternoon included the presentation of the Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal to Elizabeth Jones and the presentation by Elizabeth of the 2024 Storylines Margaret Mahy Lecture. 

The event  also celebrated shortlisted entrants and the announcement of the winners of the 2024 Storylines manuscript and illustration awards – Storylines Joy Cowley AwardStorylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award (no winner, only shortlist); Storylines Tessa Duder AwardStorylines Gavin Bishop Award; the Storylines Janice Marriott Mentoring Award; and the winner of the Storylines Gaelyn Gordon Award for a much-loved book.

2024 Margaret Mahy Medal winner, Elizabeth Jones.
Elizabeth Jones presenting the 2024 Margaret Mahy Medal Lecture.
Storylines Trust Chair, Christine Young with 2024 Margaret Mahy Medal winner, Elizabeth Jones.
Gavin Bishop, Storylines new Patron speaking at Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day
Friends of Storylines Unpublished Writer Award from the Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award shortlist. Winner Kara Laurenson with Friends of Storylines Chair, Kaaren Hirst.
Jonathan Poff Winner of the 2024 Janice Mariott Mentoring Award with Janice Marriott
James Russell accepting the 2024 Storylines Gaelyn Gordon Award with Tessa Duder
2024 Storylines Tessa Duder Award Winner Kiri Lightfoot with Tessa Duder and Jenny Hellen (Allen & Unwin)
Storylines Gavin Bishop Award Winner Kaye Julian with Catherine O'Loughlin (Penguin Random House) and Gavin Bishop.
Storylines Joy Cowley Award Winner Annelies Judson.
Friends of Storylines Unpublished Writer Award from the Storylines Tessa Duder Award shortlist. Winner Hannah Marshall with Friends of Storylines Chair, Kaaren Hirst.
Friends of Storylines Unpublished Writer Award from the Storylines Joy Cowley Award shortlist. Winner Anne Slight with Friends of Storylines Chair, Kaaren Hirst.
Storylines Gavin Bishop Award shortlist; Catherine O'Loughlin (Penguin Random House), Kaye Julian, Karen Phelps, Ronnie Baker and Gavin Bishop.
Storylines Joy Cowley Award shortlist; Joanne Ferrar, Anne Slight and Annelies Judson with Rob Southam (Scholastic)
Storylines Tessa Duder Award shortlist; Philippa Werry, Hannah Marshall, Kate Twomey, Tessa Duder and Jenny Hellen (Allen & Unwin).

2022 Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day

The 2022 Storylines Margaret Mahy Day National Awards Day was held on Sunday 3 April 2022. The afternoon included the presentation of the Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal to writer Diana Noonan and the presentation by Diana of the 2022 Storylines Margaret Mahy Lecture. 

The event  also celebrated shortlisted entrants and the announcement of the winners of  the 2022 Storylines manuscript awards – Storylines Joy Cowley AwardStorylines Tom Fitzgibbon AwardStorylines Tessa Duder AwardStorylines Te Kahurangi Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira Award; the Storylines Janice Marriott Mentoring Award; and the winner of the Storylines Gaelyn Gordon Award for a much-loved book.

Storylines Patron Dame Wendy Pye introduced Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal winner Diana Noonan and presented her with her medal.

Catherine O’Loughlin of award sponsor Penguin Random House celebrates the launch of The Lighthouse Princess with author Sarah Wardell and 2022 Gavin Bishop Award winner illustrator Rose Northey.

Afternoon tea in the Kings School library was an opportunity for networking and connecting with fellow members of the children’s literature community.

Author Tessa Duder with Storylines Tessa Duder Award winner Leonie Agnew (second from left) and shortlisted entrants Sian Thompson and Lynda Tomalin.

Storylines Tom Fitzgibbon Award winner Feana Tu’akoi (second from left) celebrates with her family, from left to right: Sione, Braden, Valu and  ‘Amelia.

Melanie Koster

 Lynette Evans of award sponsor Scholastic New Zealand with Melanie Koster, winner of the Storylines Joy Cowley Award.

Storylines Te Kahurangi Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira Award winner Brianne Te Paa received her award from Storylines chair Christine Young .

Winner of the first (2020) Storylines Te Kahurangi Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira Award, Amiria Stirling, celebrates the launch of her book in te reo Māori and in English.

Penny Scown of publisher Scholastic New Zealand receives the certificate for the Storylines Gaelyn Gordon Award on behalf of author Sherryl Jordan, presented by Storylines’ Tessa Duder.

2021 Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day

The 2021 Storylines Margaret Mahy Day National Awards Day was held on Sunday 28 March. The afternoon included the presentation of the Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal to Gecko Press publisher Julia Marshall and the presentation by Julia of the 2021 Storylines Margaret Mahy Lecture.  Her lecture outlined the genesis of and influences on her publishing company Gecko Press, but more importantly, perhaps, looked at the importance of others in inspiring, influencing and cementing a love of reading in young people. “For every reader, she says, among many other wise things, “there is this group of people, this village, that nudge the children to find those good books at just the right moment.” Read the full text of Julia’s lecture.

The event  also celebrated shortlisted entrants and the announcement of the winners of the 2021 Storylines manuscript awards – Storylines Joy Cowley AwardStorylines Tom Fitzgibbon AwardStorylines Tessa Duder AwardStorylines Te Kahurangi Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira Award; the Storylines Janice Marriott Mentoring Award; and the winner of the Storylines Gaelyn Gordon Award for a much-loved book

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Storylines Patron Dame Wendy Pye welcomed and introduced Julia Marshall.
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Julia Marshall presents the 2021 Storylines Margaret Mahy lecture
IMG_4838 Frances Plumpton
The event also recognised the dedicated service of retiring Storylines Trustee Frances Plumpton.
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Storylines Management Committee members took the opportunity to get a rare group photo.
IMG_4908Julia Marshall Bridget Mahy
Julia Marshall and Bridget Mahy draw the fundraising raffle.
IMG_4911Gillian Torkler raffle winner
Gllian Torckler won the raffle prize - a watercolour titled Kōkāko, by Sandra Morris.

Storylines 2020 award winners online

All our virtual award presentations made online in 2020 are available for you to watch or re-watch on our YouTube or Vimeo channels. Use the links below to see:

Amiria Stirling
Amiria Stirling, winner of the 2020 Storylines Kahurangi Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira Award. Watch her award presentation and acceptance online, along with the awards to our other manuscript award winners.

2019 Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day

More than 150 people attended the 2019 Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal and Awards Day in Auckland on 31 March at the University of Auckland Music Auditorium in Auckland. It was an afternoon of celebrations and sharing the love of books and children’s literature as award winners were honoured. Highlight of the afternoon was the presentation by 2019 Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal winner, Mandy Hager, of the 2019 Margaret Mahy lecture which she entitled ‘Channelling our greater good’.

Read more about Mandy and the presentation of the Margaret Mahy Medal
Read the text of Mandy’s lecture.
View Mandy’s lecture presentation.

Bridget Mahy speaking about A lion in the meadow relaunch_IMG_3709
Bridget Mahy talks about 50 years of A Lion in the Meadow
Second raffle prize winner_IMG_3904
Sandra Morris receives a raffle prize from Libby Limbrick
Bookseller Unity Books Little Unity_IMG_3792
Bookseller Little Unity was a popular shopping point during afternoon tea

Other awards presented were the 2019 Storylines Joy Cowley Award, the Storylines Gavin Bishop Award, and the Storylines Notable Book Awards. The books of two award-winning manuscripts from 2018, Ursa by Tina Collins and Bullseye Bella by James T. Guthrie, were launched during the afternoon.

Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day is also an opportunity to recognise members who have dedicated time to Storylines over many years. This especially applied to Dr Libby Limbrick who was chair of Storylines Trust for 13 years until stepping down at the end of 2018. Christine Young, who took over as chair, thanked Libby for her years of work and presented her with flowers and a gift in token acknowledgment of the time she has dedicated to Storylines. Libby is far from lost to Storylines; she remains on the Trust as Immediate past Chair, and remains on the Storylines management committee.

Christine Dale, chairperson of the Storylines management committee, recently announced that work commitments mean she can no longer give the role the time it deserves. Christine Young, chair of Storylines Trust, presented Christine with a floral thank you for the extraordinary work and commitment she has made to Storylines as MC Chair over the past two and a half years.

Read the Storylines 2019 annual report.

Storylines Foundation 2019 financial report

2018 Storylines Margaret Mahy National Awards Day

In 2018, Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Jacinda Ardern presented the 2018 Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal to Janice Marriott at the event.

Photos from 2018:

IMG_6080 Jacinda Adern presents the Margaret Mahy Medal to Janice Marriott
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern presents the Stroylines Margaret Mahy Medal to Janice Marriott
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Storylines members and guests network during afternoon tea
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The original model of the caravan, the "hero in the 2018 Storylines Gaelyn Gordon Award winning book, The Christmas Caravan.
Large book of A Lion in the meadow at 2019 Storylines awards - Helen Villers and Bridget Mahy_IMG_3703
Helen Villers and Bridget Mahy demonstrate the big book of The Lion in the Meadow, celebrating the 50th anniversary of its publication.
IMG_6111 Elsie Mahy and Libby Limbrick present books to Jacinda Adern-989
Elsie Mahy and Storylines Trust chair Libby Limbrick present books to Jacinda Adern.

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