New Zealand Post Non-Fiction
Christchurch City Libraries lists literary prize winners and links to catalogue searches, but we may not hold copies of all titles mentioned.
The NZ Post Non-Fiction Award is one of seven awards sponsored by New Zealand Post. It is organised and administrated by Booksellers New Zealand and supported by Creative New Zealand and Book Tokens (NZ) Ltd. Prior to 1997, the awards were known as the AIM Children’s Book Awards.
2013 Finalists
- 100 amazing tales from Aotearoa Simon Morton and Riria Hotere
- Kiwi: the real story Annemarie Florian and Heather Hunt
- Taketakerau, the millennium tree Marnie Anstis, Patricia Howitt and Kelly Spencer
- At the beach: explore & discover the New Zealand seashore Ned Barraud and Gillian Candler
2012
Nice day for a war: adventures of a Kiwi soldier in World War I Matt Elliott; illustrated by Chris Slane (Winner and Book of the Year)
- Digging up the past: archaeology for the young & curious David Veart (Honour award)
- Kimble Bent: malcontent Chris Grosz
- The life cycle of the tuatara Betty Brownlie
- New Zealand Hall of Fame: 50 remarkable Kiwis Maria Gill; illustrated by Bruce Potter
2011
Zero Hour: The ANZACs on the western front Leon Davidson
- The Kiwi fossil hunter’s handbook James Crampton & Marianna Terezow
- The life cycle of the pukeko Betty Brownlie
- Sensational survivors Sandra Morris
- Who’s cooking tonight? Claire & Glenda Gourley
2010
E3 call home Janet Hunt
- Ben & Mark: boys of the high country Christine Fernyhough & John Bougen
- Dear Alison Simon Pollard (editor)
- Rangitoto Maria Gill; illustrated by Heather Arnold
- Willie Apiata, VC: the reluctant hero Paul Little and John Lockyer
2009
Back & beyond: New Zealand painting for the young & curious Gregory O'Brien
- The crafting of Narnia Weta Workshop, Paul Tobin, Daniel Falconer
- High-tech legs on Everest Mark Inglis, Sarah Ell
- Juicy writing: inspiration and techniques for young writers Brigid Lowry
- Piano Rock: a 1950s childhood Gavin Bishop
2008
Which New Zealand spider? Andrew Crowe
- A mini guide to the identification of New Zealand land birds Andrew Crowe, illustrated by David Gunson
- Reaching the summit Alexa Johnston and David Larsen (Honour award)
- Weather Watch New Zealand Sandra Carrod, Karsten Schneider, Richard Gunther
- What is a fish? Feana Tu’akoi
2007
Illustrated history of the South Pacific Marcia Stenson (Winner and Book of the Year)
- It’s true! You can make your own jokes Sharon Holt and Ross Kinnaird
- Red haze: Australians and New Zealanders in Vietnam Leon Davidson
- Soldier in the yellow socks: Charles Upham - our finest fighting soldier Janice Marriott
- Winging it! The adventures of Tim Wallis Neville Peat
2006
Scarecrow Army: the ANZACs at Gallipoli Leon Davidson
- Blue New Zealand Glenys Stace (Honour award)
- Cameras in Narnia Ian Brodie
- Frontier of dreams - the weight of World Wars 1897 - 1949 John Parker
- Peter Blake sailor, adventurer Alan Sefton
2005
Welcome to the South Seas Gregory O’Brien
- From weta to kauri Janet Hunt, Rob Lucas
- The life-size guide to the New Zealand beach Andrew Crowe
- John Britten: the boy who did do better Jennifer Beck
- Everything you need to know about the world by Simon Eliot Lloyd Jones; designed and illustrated by Timon Maxey
2004
A bird in the hand Janet Hunt
- I am an insect written and photographed by Simon Pollard
- The life-size guide to New Zealand wildflowers Andrew Crowe
- Pick up a pack: a guide to tramping and camping the New Zealand way Keith Olson
- To the max Mark Inglis (abridged version of: No mean feat)
2003
Weaving earth and sky: myths & legends of Aotearoa Robert Sullivan; illustrated by Gavin Bishop
- The kauri Alina Arkins; photography by Len Doel
- The shaping of New Zealand Brian O'Flaherty
- Weta: a knight in shining armour Joy Cowley; photography by Rod Morris
- Which New Zealand insect? with over 650 life-size photos of New Zealand insects written and illustrated by Andrew Crowe
2002
The plight of the penguin Lloyd Spencer Davis
- Fibonacci’s cows Ray Galvin
- I am a spider written and photographed by Simon Pollard
- The Reed Māori picture dictionary Margaret Sinclair and Ross Calman; illustrated by Dale Tutill
- Which New Zealand bird? a simple step-by-step guide to the identification of New Zealand’s native & introduced birds Andrew Crowe; illustrated by Dave Gunson
2001
The zoo: meet the locals Colin Hogg
- Gone surfing: the golden years of surfing in New Zealand, 1950-1970 Luke Williamson
- Niue Charles Cooper
2000
Te wao nui a Tāne Hirini Melbourne; illustrated by Te Maari Gardiner
- I am a fish written and illustrated with photographs by Wade Doak
- The life-size guide to insects & other land invertebrates of New Zealand written and illustrated by Andrew Crowe (Variant title: Insects).
- Myths and legends of Aotearoa retold by Annie Rae Te Ake Ake; illustrated by New Zealand secondary school artists
- Red-eyed tree frog Joy Cowley; illustrated with photographs by Nic Bishop
1999
The natural world of New Zealand Gerard Hutching
- All sorts of trucks Pauline Cartwright; photography by Tim Hawkins; drawings by Allan Hope (Honour award)
- The naming of the land Ron Bacon; illustrated by Manu Smith
- Nature’s alphabet: a New Zealand nature trail Andrew Crowe; illustrated by Dave Gunson
- What’s around the rocks: a simple guide to the identification of marine species that live on the rocky shore Glenys Stace; photography by Jenny and Tony Enderby (Variant title: What’s around the rocks: simple guide to the rocky shore).
1998
The know, sow and grow kids’ book of plants Diana Noonan and Keith Olsen
- Emperors of the ice: the Emperor penguins of Antarctica written and photographed by Kim Westerskov
- Hoki: the story of a kakapo Gideon Climo and Alison Ballance; illustrated by Jo Ogier.
- The life-size guide to native trees and other common plants of New Zealands native forest Andrew Crowe (Variant title: Native trees).
- What’s on the beach? a guide to coastal marine life Glenys Stace; photography by Jenny and Tony Enderby
1997
Picture book magic Chris Gaskin; photography by Denis Page
- Down-under dolphins: the story of Hector’s dolphins Stephen Dawson and Elisabeth Slooten
- The garden Diana Noonan; photography by Nic Bishop (I spy wildlife series)
- New Zealand’s native birds of bush and countryside
- The rocky shore Diana Noonan; photography by Nic Bishop (I spy wildlife series)
Prior to 1997 - see Aim Non-Fiction Book