2024 Aotearoa Book Industry Awards


The Aotearoa Book Industry Awards have been recognising the best New Zealand publishers, booksellers and industry stalwarts who have been connecting Aotearoa books and readers for over 20 years. The Awards are our way of saying tu meke! to the successes in making books, selling books and being in the book business and to acknowledge the excellent work and innovation being done in the Aotearoa New Zealand book trade.  

Libro.fm Aotearoa Audio Book of the Year | Information sheet | Entry Form

Aotearoa Booksellers Choice | Information Sheet | Nomination Form

Emerging Publisher of the Year | Information sheet | Entry Form

Emerging Bookseller of the Year | Information sheet | Entry Form

Marketing and Publicity Strategy of the Year | Information sheet | Entry Form

Sales Professional of the Year | Information sheet | Entry Form

Mana Māori Award | Information sheet | Entry Form

Innovation Award | Information sheet | Entry Form

Nielsen BookData Publisher of the Year  | Information sheet | Entry Form

Nielsen BookData Bookshop of the Year | Information sheet | Entry Form

In addition to these awards the following presentations will be made:

NZ Bestseller Award (best-selling NZ published title between April 2023 and March 2024, Nielsen BookData)
International Bestseller Award (best-selling international title in NZ between April 2023 and March 2024, Nielsen BookData)
Lifetime Achievement Award

© Rebecca McMillan 2022


Past recipients

2023 (SATURDAY 30 JULY AT Novotel Rotorua)

Emerging NZ Publisher of the Year: Dahlia Malaeulu, Mila’s Books
Books & Publishing Emerging NZ Bookseller of the Year: Anna Hoek-Sims, University Book Shop (Otago)
Nielsen BookData NZ Bestseller Award: Straight Up, Ruby Tui (Allen & Unwin)
Nielsen BookData International Bestseller Award: No Plan B, Andrew and Lee Child (Penguin Random House)
Marketing and Publicity Strategy of the Year: Allen & Unwin NZ for The Bookseller at the End of the World, Ruth Shaw
TitlePage Innovation Award: 
Coalition for Books Māori and Pasifika books campaign 2023
Aotearoa Booksellers’ Choice Award: Lessons in Chemistry, Bonnie Gamus (Penguin Random House)
Sales Professional of the Year: Matthew Simpson, Client Services Manager Arotahi Agency
Mana Māori Award: Penguin Random House NZ, Māori Language Week Campaign 2022
Nielsen BookData NZ Publisher of the Year: Allen & Unwin
Nielsen BookData NZ Bookshop of the Year: Lamplight Books
Lifetime Achievement Award
: Ann Mallinson receives the lifetime achievement in recognition of her significant contribution to publishing in Aotearoa New Zealand. In 1980 Ann and her husband David Rendel founded Mallinson Rendel, a trailblazer in New Zealand children’s publishing. Mallinson Rendel is the original publisher of Lynley Dodd’s world-famous Hairy Maclary series and describes her career highlight as the day when Lynely entered her office and read to her from the manuscript of Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy.

2022 (Saturday 30 July at Auckland’s Park Hyatt)

Emerging NZ Publisher of the Year: Michelle Hurley, Allen & Unwin
Emerging NZ Bookseller of the Year: Lisa Adler, Vic Books
Nielsen BookData NZ Bestseller Award (best-selling NZ published title between April 2021 and March 2022): Lost and Found: My story of heartbreak and hope, Toni Street (Allen & Unwin)
Nielsen BookData International Bestseller Award (best-selling international title in NZ between April 2021 and March 2022): Better Off Dead: Jack Reacher 26, Lee Child and Andrew Child (Penguin Random House)
Marketing and Publicity Strategy of the Year: Courtney Smith and Abba Renshaw, Allen & Unwin, for Salad, Two Raw Sisters
Aotearoa Booksellers’ Choice Award: Greta and Valdin, Rebecca K Reilly (Te Herenga Waka University Press)
Sales Professional of the Year: Inna Carson, HarperCollins
Mana Māori Award: Kupu Ngā Ringa Tuhituhi Māori Writers Festival
Nielsen BookData NZ Publisher of the Year: Penguin Random House New Zealand
Nielsen BookData NZ Bookshop of the Year: Unity Books (Wellington)
Lifetime Achievement Award
: David and Jenny Hedley (Hedley’s Books, Masterton)

2021 (presented online)

Nielsen BookData Bookshop of the Year – Schrödinger’s Books, Petone
Nielsen BookData Publisher of the Year – Mākaro Press
Bestseller Award (for top seller buy volume and value between April 2020 and March 2021) – Supergood by Chelsea Winter (Random House NZ)
Sales Person of the Year – Jessica Rice, Penguin Random House New Zealand
Marketing and Publicity Strategy of the Year – HarperCollins NZ for Impossible: My Story by Stan Walker (campaign manager Rebecca Thorne)
Emerging Publisher of the Year – Rachel Eadie, Penguin Random House New Zealand
Emerging Bookseller of the Year – Rafael Moreira, McLeods Booksellers (Rotorua)
Book Industry Innovation Award – Allen & Unwin
Aotearoa Booksellers’ Choice Award – Shared between Auē by Becky Manawatu (published by Mākaro Press) and Imagining Decolonisation by Rebecca Kiddle & Bianca Elkington & Moana Jackson & Ocean Mercier & Mike Ross & Jennie Smeaton & Amanda Thomas (published by BWB)
Lifetime Achievement Award – Bridget Williams

2020 (presented online)

Nielsen Bookshop of the Year – Wardini Books, Hawke’s Bay
Nielsen Publisher of the Year – Allen & Unwin
Sales Person of the Year – Sharon Galey, Hachette NZ
Marketing and Publicity Strategy of the Year – Hachette NZ, for The Year of Mahy
Young Publisher of the Year – Paul Stewart, Mākaro Press and the Cuba Press
Young Bookseller of the Year – Kit Lyall, Scorpio Books
Book Industry Innovation Award – Verb Wellington
Lifetime Achievement Award – Tilly Lloyd, Unity Books Wellington

2019 (Saturday 24 August at Auckland’s Ridges Hotel) Media Release

Nielsen Bookshop of the Year – Unity Books Auckland
Nielsen Publisher of the Year – Penguin Random House NZ
Sales Rep of the Year – Louise Crisp, South Island Rep, Penguin Random House NZ
Marketing and Publicity Strategy of the Year –Allen & Unwin NZ, for Magnolia Kitchen
Young Publisher of the Year Kimberley Davis, Allen & Unwin NZ
Young Bookseller of the Year – – Surinam Reddy, from Time Out Books
Book Industry Innovation Award – WORD Christchurch
Lifetime Achievement Award – Rob and Kaye Clarke, Paper Plus Coastlands

2018 Media Release

Nielsen Bookshop of the Year –VOLUME, Nelson
Nielsen Publisher of the Year – Allen & Unwin NZ, Auckland
Sales Rep of the Year – Tammy Ruffell, Lower North Island Rep, HarperCollins NZ
Publishing Marketing Strategy of the Year – Hachette NZ for its campaign for Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend
Young Publisher of the Year – Sophia Egan, from Mary Egan Publishing Ltd.
Young Bookseller of the Year – Fern Hubball, from UBS Canterbury
Special Industry Award-winner – The Sapling
Lifetime Achievement Award – Robyn Bargh, Huia Publishers

2017 Media Release

Nielsen Bookshop of the Year – Time Out Bookstore, Mt Eden, Auckland
Nielsen Publisher of the Year – Gecko Press, Wellington
Sales Rep of the Year – Tammy Ruffell, Lower North Island Rep, HarperCollins NZ
Publishing Marketing Strategy of the Year – Allen & Unwin NZ for the campaign for Woman in the Wilderness by Miriam Lancewood
Young Publisher of the Year – Alex Hedley, HarperCollins NZ
Young Bookseller of the Year – Cait Kneller, Time Out Bookshop, Mt Eden, Auckland
Special Industry Award-winner – Victoria University Press
Lifetime Achievement Award – Ruth & John McIntyre, The Children’s Bookshop, Wellington 

2016 Media Release

Sales Rep of the Year – Louise Crisp, Penguin Random House NZ
Marketing Strategy of the Year (Publisher) – HarperCollins Publishers New Zealand
Publisher of the Year – Allen & Unwin Publishers
Marketing Strategy of the Year (Booksellers) – The Women’s Bookshop, Ponsonby
Young Book Retailer of the Year – Rachel Eadie, Scorpio Books, Christchurch
Bookseller of the Year – Time Out Bookstore
NZ Book Industry Special Award – Bridget Williams Books
Lifetime Achievement Award – Paul Greenberg, Greene Phoenix Marketing

2015 Media Release

Sales Rep of the Year – Tammy Ruffell, HarperCollins NZ Lower North Island rep
Marketing Strategy of the Year – Penguin Random House NZ, for Chelsea Winter Everyday Delicious
Publisher of the Year – Potton and Burton Publishers
Young Book Retailer of the Year – Jenna Todd, Time Out Bookshop
Bookseller of the Year – Unity Books, Wellington
NZ Book Industry Special Award – Bridget Williams Books
Lifetime Achievement Award – The Parsons Family

© Rebecca McMillan (2022)

Mana Māori Award Criteria 2024 (1).pdf

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08 Apr 2024

Nielsen BookData NZ Bookshop of the Year Criteria 2024 (1).pdf

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08 Apr 2024

Sales Professional of the Year Criteria 2024 (1).pdf

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08 Apr 2024

Nielsen BookData NZ Publisher of the Year Criteria 2024 (1).pdf

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08 Apr 2024

Emerging Bookseller of the Year Criteria 2024 (1).pdf

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08 Apr 2024

Marketing and Publicity Strategy of the Year Criteria 2024_1.pdf

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08 Apr 2024

Emerging NZ Publisher of the Year criteria 2024 (1).pdf

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08 Apr 2024

Innovation Award Criteria 2024 (1).pdf

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08 Apr 2024

Libro Award.pdf

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17 Apr 2024