Diversity is more than a label

The Kiwi Kids’ Bookstore is pleased to feature an important new addition to the New Zealand children’s literature scene.

The DANZ Children’s Book Award, which stands for The Diversity in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand Children’s Book Award, will run for the first time in 2024, and book nominations are open until 31 August 2023.

The DANZ Children’s Book Award has been created by Australian/UK author Kate Foster to recognise, award, and celebrate diverse children’s fiction. This means a children’s book published in Australia or New Zealand which pushes boundaries, challenges stereotypes, and celebrates diverse and marginalised people and communities.

Diversity can include disability, culture, class, LGBTQI, race, and religion.

The diversity portrayed in the book and under which the book is entered must be relevant, obvious, and important to the story.

Authors are not required to identify as “diverse” themselves; however, the submitted work must be sensitively and authentically written without using offensive, inaccurate, harmful, and insensitive tropes and representation. The judging process will be thorough and critical in this regard. The award looks for something new, for inclusivity, and mostly for the celebration of minority people and voices.

Find out more about why Kate Foster launched these awards.

Nominations are now open!

Nominate the children’s picture books, early readers, and middle grade fiction published in 2022 or 2023 that you think fit the DANZ criteria and should be considered for the long list and go to the judges.

Visit the Book Nominations page for more information.

The DANZ Children’s Book Award will be a biennial award. There is no entry fee. Traditional and indie authors are all welcome to enter. Find out more on the FAQs page.