The biennial DANZ Children’s Book Award was established to recognise, award, and celebrate diverse children’s fiction, and stories that push boundaries, challenge stereotypes, and celebrate diverse and marginalised people and communities. The award was launched in August 2023 in partnership with the Australian School Library Association (ASLA) and the School Library Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (SLANZA). More information about the award is available on the DANZ website: https://authors.org.nz/event/danz-childrens-book-award/
The 2025 winning titles, chosen from a shortlist announced in April, are:
| ALSA DANZ Children's Book Award Winners 2025 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Graphic Novel Category | ||
| Ghost Book | Remy Lai | A fantasy graphic novel about a girl who befriends a boy ghost stuck between the worlds of the living and the dead. |
| Non-Fiction Category | ||
| The Trees | Victor Steffensen, illustrated by Sandra Steffensen | A picture book about caring for Country and respect for indigenous knowledge. |
| Poetry Category | ||
| Pasifika Navigators | 52 Pasifika Student Authors | A ground-breaking collection of poetry from 52 Pasifika students across New Zealand. |
| Young Adult Fiction Category | ||
| Catch a Falling Star | Eileen Merriman | A fifteen year old reaches for stardom as he slides into psychosis. Bouncing between exultant highs and terrible lows, what will happen when this rising star begins to fall? |
The shortlisted titles in each category are:
| ASLA DANZ Children's Book Award 2025 Longlist | |
|---|---|
| Graphic Novel Category | |
| Juluwarlu Group Aboriginal Corporation | When the World Was Soft |
| Remy Lai | Ghost Book |
| Brenton E McKenna | Hairy Holes |
| Sarah Winifred Searle | The Greatest Thing |
| Sarah Winifred Searle | The Sweetness Between Us |
| Tom Taylor and Jon Sommariva | Neverlanders |
| Non-Fiction Category | |
| Aunty Munya Andrews and illustrated by Charmaine Ledden-Lewis | Ask Aunty: Seasons |
| Vince Copley & Lea McInerney | The Wonder of Little Things |
| Taylor Hampton & Jacinta Daniher and illustrated by Seantelle Walsh | Our Mob |
| Max Dulumunmun Harrison and illustrated by Laura La Rosa | Gurawul the Whale |
| Dujuan Hoosan, Margaret Anderson & Carol Turner and illustrated by Blak Douglas | In My Blood It Runs |
| Shannon Meyerkort & Amy Blackwell | Brilliant Minds |
| Aunty Fay Muir & Sue Lawson | Always Was, Always Will Be |
| Victor Steffensen and illustrated by Sandra Steffensen | Looking After Country with Fire |
| Victor Steffensen and illustrated by Sandra Steffensen | The Trees |
| Poetry Category | |
| Maxine Beneba Clarke | It’s the Sound of the Thing |
| 52 Pasifika Student Authors | Pasifika Navigators |
| Young Adult Novels | |
| Emily Brewin | A Way Home |
| Meg Caddy | Slipping the Noose |
| Elisa Chenoweth | Maria Petranelli is Prepared for Anything (Except This) |
| Helena Fox | The Quiet and the Loud |
| Erin Gough | Into the Mouth of the Wolf |
| Raelke Grimmer | White Noise |
| Ambelin Kwaymullina | Liar's Test |
| Eileen Merriman | Catch a Falling Star |
| Mariah Sweetman | Robert Runs |
| Leanne Yong | Two Can Play That Game |
| Suzy Zail | Inkflower |
| Picture Books | |
|---|---|
| Ceremony | Adam Goodes and Ellie Lang, illustrated by David Hardy |
| Be Careful, Xiao Xin! | Alice Pung, illustrated by Sher Rill Ng |
| Come Over to My House | Sally Rippin and Eliza Hull, illustrated by Daniel Gray-Barnett |
| Chapter Books | |
|---|---|
| When Granny Came to Stay | Alice Pung, illustrated by Sally Soweol Han |
| Maku | Meyne Wyatt |
| 29 Things You Didn't Know About Me | Solli Raphael, illustrated by Olana Janfa |
| Middle Grade | |
|---|---|
| The Wintrish Girl | Melanie La'Brooy |
| The Wrath of the Woolington Wyrm | Karen Foxlee, illustrated by Freda Chiu |
| No Words | Maryam Master |
