News Room

2008 LIANZA Children's Book Award Judges Announced

13 March 2008

Submissions have now closed for the 2008 LIANZA Children's Book Awards and the number of entries is very exciting, in particular for the Esther Glen and Russell Clark Awards. The 2008 judging panel have a very busy month of reading ahead of them.

LIANZA is pleased to announce this year's extremely skilled judging panel who bring an invaluable depth of knowledge and experience in New Zealand children's literature and libraries.

The panel is once again convened by Bob Docherty. Bob has been a judge of the LIANZA Children's Book Awards since 2005 and has been impressed with the growing strength of New Zealand children's fiction writers.

Bob Docherty (Panel Convenor)

Bob is currently the Reference Librarian, Curriculum Information Service at the National Library in Christchurch.

Bob began working in Schools Reference in 1989 and after completing his DipLib at Victoria in 1993, he specialised in Children's and Young Adults Literature. From 1994 to 2003 Bob selected fiction and picture books for the National Library Schools Collection.

Bob has a passionate interest in children's literature and the promotion of reading and is a frequent speaker on this subject to schools, teachers and librarian groups.

Belynda Smith

Belynda is the Co-ordinator of the Children's & Teenage Services Librarians at Takapuna Library.

Belynda and her family spent a number of years living in London where she worked as a Children's Specialist Librarian.

Since returning to New Zealand Belynda has enjoyed numerous roles in school and public libraries in Christchurch, Nelson & Auckland.

Belynda was a member of the LIANZA Library Week Committee in 2006 and loves being involved in children's literature and she uses this as an excuse to at every available opportunity.

Rosemary Tisdall

Rosemary is currently employed part time at National Library of New Zealand in Auckland as a Reference Librarian and coordinator of SSLP (Strengthening School Libraries Project).

For the remainder of her working week she is a manuscript assessor for a publishing company, she writes Teacher Resource Guides for a children's theatre company, writes reviews for children's magazines and helps individual children develop their love of reading, through her company "Getting Kids Into Books".

Rosemary has been involved with Storylines Children's Literature Charitable Trust of New Zealand for ten years, including Chairperson for two years. She is currently on the Trust Board, as well as on subcommittees, including the Storylines' Festival and IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People).

Eddie Neha

Eddie is the 2008 Convenor of the Te Kura Pounamu Award and was a panel judge for this award in 2007. Eddie is the current Tumuaki of Te Roopu Whakahau finishing his term in July this year.

Eddie's previous roles in libraries have included Maaori Liaison Librarian at Waikato University and Senior Librarian running the School of Sustainable Business Management Library at the Te Waananga o Aotearoa in Hamilton.

Eddie has eight children six of whom are under fifteen and are schooled in Te Reo. He uses their insights and reactions to the books as the major factor in his judging.

Following the change of criteria in 2007 to include educational and learning materials available for distribution, there has been a very pleasing increase in the number of entries for this award.

Also judging the Te Kura Pounamu Award are; Alice Heather, Library Advisor at the National Library's School Services in Auckland and Mate Colvin, Maori Services Library Assistant at Tupu Youth Library, Manukau City Libraries.

The finalists for the 2008 LIANZA Children's Book Awards will be released at the end of May and the winners will be announced at a special ceremony at the Library Week Launch on Monday 18 August 2008 attended by authors, publishers and members of LIANZA.

For further information about the LIANZA Book Awards please contact

Wendy Walker
LIANZA Children's Book Awards Coordinator
wendy@lianza.org.nz
04 473 5834

Megan Mathieson
Communications and Publications Coordinator
LIANZA
megan@lianza.org.nz
04 473 5834