he Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (LIANZA) offers annually an award known as the Russell Clark Award. The award is for the artist who has produced the most distinguished pictures or illustrations for a children's book with, or without, text.
2009 Russell Clarke Award Shortlist
Every Second Friday by Kiri Lightfoot, Illustrated by Ben Galbraith (Hachette New Zealand)
Every second Friday, Margi and Totty go and stay at Dads house where they get magnificently muddy, worryingly wet and mind-blowingly messy. But they always have fun!
Reviews
ON THE THREE FISHING BROTHERS GRUFF: It has a strong ecological message. With striking collage artwork and die-cut portholes, this is an impressive first book by a New Zealand-based author and artist. -- The Children's Bookseller With its striking collage, peep-through pages, wit and sound ecological message about greed, pollution and over-fishing, Ben Galbraith's The Fishing Brothers Gruff is a handsome action adventure for 4-7s in which a minke whale takes on three villainous despoilers of the sea and their big machinery. -- Nicolette Jones in The Sunday Times ...a sound ecological tale of overfishing. Superbly illustrated, this story from New Zealand is timely. It combines an important message with a cracking story. -- Carousel Having both local and international appeal The Fishing Brothers Gruff is an impressive, if not flawless, debut, promising much and, for the most part, delivering. -- Mapgies witty and intelligent... a very topical story with a satisfying ending that will give young readers plenty to think about. -- New Zealand Herald compelling... setting and characterisation... Visually the book impresses.
Herbert: The Brave Sea Dog by Robyn Belton (Craig Potton Publishing)
Herbert was a small dog who lived in Nelson by the sea. Everybody liked him, but the person who loved him most was Tim. One fine day, an excited Herbert set off with Tim's father on a boat, heading for their cottage in the Marlborough Sounds. However, the weather soon turned rough and Herbert was catapulted into the biggest adventure of his life, from which he emerged a hero. Robyn Belton's heartwarming, beautifully illustrated retelling of a true-life adventure will delight children aged 3 to 7, their parents, teachers and librarians.
About the Author - Robyn Belton is one of New Zealand's best-known and most accomplished illustrators of children's books. She grew up on a farm near Wanganui and studied art at the Canterbury School of Fine Arts. In 2006 she won the prestigious children's literature award, the Margaret Mahy Medal. She currently lives in Dunedin
Oliver Goes Exploring by Margaret Beames, Illustrated by Sue Hitchcock (Scholastic)
Oliver is now out and about in the daytime, and for a cat there is so much to see and do and it's very hard to go home again.
About the Author
Margaret Beames is the well-known author of Oliver's Party and the award-winning Oliver in the Garden, as well as novels such as Outlanders, The Shearwater Bell and Duster. Her most recent title is The Mouse That Danced, illustrated by Rachel Driscoll and released in 2007. Sue Hitchcock is an Australian born illustrator. Sue won the Esther Glenn medal for her first picture book, Emily's Wonderful Pie by Jane Cornish.
Roadworks by Sally Sutton, illustrated by Brian Lovelock (Walker Books)
Plan the road. Plan the road. Mark it on the map. Hammer in the marking pegs. PING! BANG! TAP!’ So begins this energetic and rhythmic picture book that takes the reader through the various stages of making a road—from map-making through to earth-moving, tar-rolling, lighting and planting trees along the verge. There are even pages devoted|to the workmen’s lunch-time on the worksite, and the final celebrations of cars and buses driving on the road for the first time. Perfectly aimed at two-to-five-yearolds, the book caters for its younger readers with bold colourful pictures and strong onomatopoeic words that lend themselves to shouting: Squelch! Spluck! Splat! At the same time, older readers, especially boys, will love the detail of the gradually completed building project, with all its attendant machinery, road-signs and workmen in uniform. An illustrated page of machine facts completes the book, with brief descriptions of excavators, truck-mounted cranes, graders and the like. Roadworks is written by New Zealand playwright and children’s author Sally Sutton (Crazy Kiwi Tops and Tails) and illustrated by first-timer Brian Lovelock. It’s a beautifully bright and noisy book that satisfies the curiosity of children who need to know how things get made.
My Favourite Places by Martin Bailey (Mallinson Rendel)
2008, Gavin Bishop, Rats
2007, Ben Galbraith, Three Fishing Brothers Gruff
2006, Gavin Bishop, Kiwi Moon
2005, Jacqui Colley, illustrations in Clubs: A Lolly Leopold Story, text by Kate de Goldi
2004, Graeme Gash, illustrations in Napoleon and the Chicken Farmer, text by Lloyd Jones.
2003, Sarah Wilkins, illustrations in The Immigrants, text by Alan Bagnall
2002, Anton Petrov, illustrations in A Book of Pacific Lullabies
2001, Bob Kerr, illustrations in After the War by Bob Kerr.
2000, No Award
1999, No Award
1998, Sue Hitchcock-Pratt, illustrations in Emily's Wonderful Pie.
1997, Murray Grimsdale, illustrations in George's Monster by Joy Cowley.
1996, Linda McClelland, illustrations in The Cheese Trap by Joy Cowley.
1995, Chris Gaskin, illustrations in Kotuku: The flight of the white heron by Philip Temple.
1994, Kerry Gemmill, illustrations in The Trolley by Patricia Grace.
1993, Christine Ross, illustrations in Lily and the Present.
1992, Sandra Morris, illustrations in One Lonely Kakapo.
1991, David Elliot, illustrations in Arthur and the dragon by Pauline Cartwright.
1990, Chris Gaskin, illustrations in A walk to the beach by Chris Gaskin.
1989, Chris Gaskin, illustrations in Joseph's boat by Caroline Macdonald.
1988, Dick Frizzel, illustrations in The Magpies by Dennis Glover.
1987, Robyn Kahukiwa, illustrations in Taniwha by Robyn Kahukiwa.
1986, Pamela Allen, illustrations in A lion in the night by Pamela Allen.
1985, Robyn Belton, illustrations in The duck in the gun by Joy Cowley.
1984, Gwenda Turner, illustrations in The Tree Witches by Gwenda Turner.
1982, Gavin Bishop, illustrations in Mrs McGinty and the bizarre plant by Gavin Bishop.
1979, Bruce Treloar, illustrations in Kim by B Treloar.
1978, Robert Jahnke, illustrations in The house of the people by R.L. Bacon