| Winner of the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction | Delirious | Damien Wilkins | "Delirious is an unforgettable work of fiction that navigates momentous times with elegance and honesty ... What stood out to the judges was the assured but understated touch of prose as it flows elegantly across decades, threads the intricacies of relationships, and fathoms the ongoing evolutionof a couple's grief" - Thom Conroy, judge |
| Winner of the BookHub Prize for Illustrated Non-Fiction | Toi Te Mana: An Indigenous History of Maori Art | Deidre Brown, Ngarina Ellis, and Jonathan Mane-Wheoki | "A book of enduring significance with international reach ... Toi te Mana is extensively researched and thoughtfully written, casting a wide inclusive net. The result is a beautifully designed visual tour de force, and a cultural framework that approaches toi mahi with intelligence and insight" - Chris Szekley, judge |
| Winner of the Mary and Peter Briggs Award for Poetry | Liar, Liar, Lick, Spit | Emma Neale | "Liar, Liar, Lick Spit displays an exceptional ability to turn confessional anecdotes into quicksilvery flashes of insight" - David Eggleton, judge |
| Winner of the General Non-Fiction Award | Hine Toa: A Story of Bravery | Ngahuia te Awekotuku | "Hine Toa is a rich, stunningly evocative memoir that defies easy categorisation. As well as painting a vivid picture of Ngahuia te Awekotuku's early life, from her childhood on 'the pa' at Ohinemutu, to her many creative and academic endeavours, it is also a fiery social and political history that chronicles the transformative second half of the 20the century in Aotearoa from a vital queer, Maori, feminist perspective" - Holly Walker, judge |
| Winners of the Matatuhi Foundation Best First Book Awards | | | |
| Winner of the Herbert Church Prize for Fiction | Poorhara | Michelle Rahurahu | A tragicomedy set in the confines of a 1994 Daihatsu Mira, Poorhara is a journey of epic proportions - a poignant, expansive, and darkly funny first novel written by a true poorhara. |
| Winner of the Jessie Mackay Prize for Poetry | Manuali'i | Rex Letoa Paget | In this dreamy debut, Rex Paget will have you reminiscing on past loves; dancing in the rain; and appreciating the depth and range of human emotion and connection. |
| Winner of the Judith Blinney Prize for Illustrated Non-Fiction | Sight Lines: Women and Art in Aotearoa | Kirsty Baker | Extraordinary women, groundbreaking art. from ancient whatu kakahu to contemporary installation art, Frances Hodgkins to Merata Mita, Fiona Clark to Mataaho Collective, Sight Lines tells the story of art made by women in Aotearoa. |
| Winner of the E.H. McCormick Prize for General Non-Fiction | The Chthonic Cycle | Una Cruickshank | Written in an effort to ward off existential dread, and to find new understandings and consolations for those similarly afflicted, The Chthonic Cycle is an eccentric and brilliantly curated tour through time, in which fascinating objects glint and spark and the transience of humanity flickers. |
