Maori language specialist joins judging team for book awards

Stephanie Pohe-Tibble (Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu) is joining Children and Young Adults Book Awards judges Bob Docherty, Fiona Mackie and Annemarie Florian, as Māori Language Advisor for the 2015 awards.

‘We are absolutely delighted, and very fortunate, that someone of Stephanie’s stature and experience in te reo Māori is assisting us with this important element of this year’s awards,” chair of the Book Awards Trust Nicola Legat says.

Ms Pohe-Tibble is a licensed Māori translator, and has an extensive background in both teaching and publishing Māori language resources. She has previously managed the education publishing team at Huia Publishers and has a passion for Māori language and stories.

She has also worked as a director, reporter and presenter for the archival documentary series Waka Huia, and the Marae programme at TVNZ.

It’s great to see the diversity of entries for the Māori language list for this year’s Book Awards for Children and Young Adults,” Ms Pohe-Tibble says.

“From beginners to fluent readers of Māori – there is something here for all New Zealand children.”

Last year’s award-winner was the immensely popular Taka Ki Ro Wai, by Keri Kaa and Martin D Page.

The winner of the 2015 Māori Language award for the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults will be revealed, along with the finalist list for the book awards, on Tuesday, June 9, 2015. This date will also see the Children’s Choice Award voting open, with children being encouraged to vote for their own favourite books based on a student-generated list.

The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults for 2015 are supported by Creative NZ, NZ Book Tokens Limited, Copyright Licensing Limited, and the Publishers Association of New Zealand.