Tom Fitzgibbon Award
The Tom Fitzgibbon Award is administered by Storylines: Children's Literature Foundation of New Zealand and sponsored by Scholastic New Zealand Limited.
The award is for a work of narrative fiction appropriate for children between the ages of seven and thirteen years. It was established to honour the memory of Tom Fitzgibbon, the first chairman of the New Zealand Children's Book Foundation, and to recognise his unique contribution to children's literature in this country.
2008 Elizabeth Hegarty- Salt River
Based on the true story of the Pook family in the 1920s, living in a remote area of the Kaipara Harbour, north of Auckland. Beautifully written, the story begins as a family of eight siblings are left alone for a week whilst their parents finally go away to get married. Fourteen-year-old Tom is left in charge and must ensure that all the daily tasks are done, as well as keeping the family fishing business running, and taking care of the other children with the help of 10-year-old Mary. Life is tough, and daily dramas ensue not without humour! But it is not until the parents return that we really discover what a hard taskmaster Dad is. A fascinating, and often exciting, insight into life in the not-so-distant past which will astonish today's kids.
About the Author
Originally from the UK, Elizabeth Hegarty's family emigrated to Auckland when she was seven. They have always been a very bookish family, and with an editor for a father Liz could never get away with any misplaced apostrophes! Liz went to university in Auckland, studying French and English literature, and after a few years' overseas travel in Europe, Liz and then-boyfriend Liam returned to New Zealand to settle down and get married. Her daughter Molly was born in 1995.
Liz worked as a business analyst for the past decade or more, in IT and corporate strategy, across banking and retail. In 2006 Liam and Liz decided that they'd served their time in the rat-race, and moved down to a tiny place called Canvastown, at the foot of the Marlborough Sounds. They now live in a gorgeous secluded valley, with a river running behind the house and a 50-minute drive between them and the nearest supermarket. Liz has said that the change has been a wonderful experience, and has given her time to concentrate on writing and painting, although she still does analysis on a semi-freelance basis for several New Zealand retailers.
2007 Kris Stanhope
Why I hate school' by Michael Fatarsky- ISBN: 9781869438715
Michael is not happy, and he is keeping a list – a list of all the reasons he hates school. When the teacher sees him writing so avidly, she is impressed, and so is Michael. But when he is paired with one of the reasons he hates school (Sharon Cramshaw) to do a project on families, he finally comes to realise that the real reason he hates school is nothing to do with school, it’s all to do with something in his past.
2006 Vicki Simpson Yo! Sharkbait ISBN: 9781869438012
Rory is a keen young fisherman. While assisting to land a mako shark his uncle has hooked, Rory ends up in the water, an experience that terrifies him. This results in the 'Yo, Shark Bait!' taunt from a classmate. When the school decides to hold a fundraising fishing tournament, Rory and his tormentor both find themselves on the principal-appointed student committee.
2005 Heather McQuillan Mind over Matter
2004 Brigid Feehan Stella Star
2003 Jillian Sullivan Shreve's Promise
2002 Janet Pates Mystery At Tui Bay
2001 No award
2000 Alison Robinson Knocked for Six
1999 Shirley Corlett for The Stolen
1998 Vincent Ford for 2MUCH4U
1997 Heather Cato for Dark Horses
1996 Iona McNaughton for Summer of Shadows.
