Ockham New Zealand Book Awards

The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are literary awards presented annually in New Zealand. The awards began in 1996 as the merger of two literary awards events: the New Zealand Book Awards, which ran from 1976 to 1995, and the Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards, which ran from 1968 to 1995 (known as the Montana Book Awards from 1994 to 1995).

The awards have changed name several times depending on sponsorship. From 1996 to 2009, the awards were known as the Montana New Zealand Book Awards, and sponsored by Montana Wines. The awards event is the opening event of the Auckland Writers Festival, held annually in May.

History and format

Before 1996 there were two major New Zealand literary awards events: the Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards (1968 to 1995, known as the Montana Book Awards from 1994 to 1995) and the New Zealand Book Awards (1976 to 1995).

The Wattie Book of the Year Award (named for Sir James Wattie) was formed in 1968, supported by the New Zealand Publishers Association and sponsored by the company Wattie's. This award was the first of its kind in New Zealand. The first recipients were John Morton and Michael Miller for The New Zealand Sea Shore. The award became the Goodman Fielder Wattie Awards, and only had a single category covering fiction, non-fiction and other genres. In 1994 the winemaking company Montana became the sponsor and the awards were renamed to the Montana Book Awards. The other principal prizewinners receive 10,000 each, and the winners of the four MitoQ Best First Book awards receive 2,500.

2025 – Damien Wilkins, Delirious. Te Herenga Waka University Press
2024 – Emily Perkins, Lioness. Bloomsbury UK.
2023 – Catherine Chidgey, The Axeman's Carnival. Te Herenga Waka University Press
2022 – Whiti Hereaka, Kurangaituku. Huia Publishers
2021 – Airini Beautrais, Bug Week & Other Stories. Victoria University Press
2020 – Becky Manawatu, Auē. Mākaro Press
2019 – Fiona Kidman, This Mortal Boy. Vintage, Penguin Random House
2018 – Pip Adam, The New Animals. Victoria University Press
2017 – Catherine Chidgey, The Wish Child. Victoria University Press
2016 – Stephen Daisley, Coming Rain. Text Publishing
2015 – no award due to change of sponsors
2014 – Eleanor Catton, The Luminaries. Victoria University Press
2013 – Kirsty Gunn, The Big Music. Faber and Faber
2012 – Paula Morris, Rangatira. Penguin Group (NZ)
2011 – Laurence Fearnley, The Hut Builder. Penguin Group (NZ)
2010 – Alison Wong, As the Earth Turns Silver. Penguin Group (NZ)
2009 – Emily Perkins, A Novel About My Wife. Bloomsbury
2008 – Charlotte Grimshaw, Opportunity. Random House NZ
2007 – Lloyd Jones, Mister Pip. Penguin
2006 – Maurice Gee, Blindsight. Penguin
2005 – Patricia Grace, Tu. Penguin Group (NZ)
2004 – Annamarie Jagose, Slow Water. Victoria University Press
2003 – Stephanie Johnson, The Shag Incident. Vintage Books
2002 – Craig Marriner, Stonedogs. Vintage Books
2001 – Lloyd Jones, The Book of Fame. Penguin Group (NZ)
2000 – Owen Marshall, Harlequin Rex. Vintage
1999 – Elizabeth Knox, The Vintner's Luck. Victoria University Press
1998 – Maurice Gee, Live Bodies. Penguin Group (NZ)
1997 – Alan Duff, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?. Vintage
1996 – Sheridan Keith, Zoology: A Novel. Penguin

Best first book award (fiction)

Since 2022 and between 2015 and 2018, this award has been known as the Hubert Church Best First Book Award for Fiction. From 2019 to 2021, this award was known as the MitoQ Best First Book Awards: Hubert Church Prize for Fiction. From 1997 to 2014, this award was known as the NZSA Hubert Church Best First Book of Fiction Prize. In 1996, this award was known as the Best First Book Award, Fiction. Prior to 1996, this award had been presented since 1945 by PEN NZ, and was named for the poet, novelist and critic Hubert Church.

2026 - John Prins, Pastoral Care. Otago University Press
2025 – Michelle Rahurahu, Poorhara. Te Herenga Waka University Press
2024 – Emma Hislop, Ruin and Other Stories. Te Herenga Waka University Press
2025 – Emma Neale, Liar, Liar, Lick, Spit, Otago University Press
2025 – Rex Letoa Paget, Manuali'i. Saufo'i Press
2025 – Ngāhuia Te Awekōtuku, Hine Toa: A Story of Bravery, HarperCollins Publishers
2025 – Una Cruickshank, The Chthonic Cycle. Te Herenga Waka University Press
2025 – Deidre Brown, Ngarino Ellis and Jonathan Mane-Wheoki, Toi Te Mana: An Indigenous History of Māori Art. Auckland University Press
2024 – Pou Temara, Te Rautakitahi O Tūhoe ki Ōrākau. Auckland University Press

Non-fiction category awards

History

This award ended in 2009. Before 2001, a single award was given for History and Biography.

2009 – Richard Boast, Buying the Land, Selling the Land. Victoria University Press

2009 (joint) – Kate De Goldi, The 10 pm Question. Longacre Press
2009 (joint) –Bernard Beckett, Acid Song. Longacre Press
2008 – Laurence Fearnley, Edwin & Matilda. Penguin Group (NZ)
2007 (joint) – Damien Wilkins, The Fainter. Victoria University Press
2007 (joint) – Nigel Cox, The Cowboy Dog. Victoria University Press
2006 (joint) – Fiona Kidman, The Captive Wife. Vintage
2006 (joint) – Nigel Cox, Responsibility. Victoria University Press
2005 (joint) – C K Stead, Mansfield. Vintage Books
2005 (joint) – Nigel Cox, Tarzan Presley. Victoria University Press
2004 (joint) – Maurice Gee, The Scornful Moon. Penguin Group (NZ)
2004 (joint) – Peter Wells, Iridescence. Vintage Books
2003 (joint) – Fiona Farrell, The Hopeful Traveller. Vintage Books
2003 (joint) – Owen Marshall, When Gravity Snaps. Vintage Books
2002 (joint) – Elizabeth Knox, Billie's Kiss. Victoria University Press
2002 (joint) – Lloyd Jones, Here at the End of the World We Learn To Dance. Penguin Group (NZ)
2001 (joint) – Charlotte Randall, The Curative. Penguin Group (NZ)
2001 (joint) – Damien Wilkins, Nineteen Widows Under Ash. Victoria University Press
2000 (joint) – Catherine Chidgey, Golden Deeds. Victoria University Press
2000 (joint) – C.K. Stead, Talking About O'Dwyer. Penguin Group (NZ)

Honour Award

2002 – Te Onehou Phillis, Eruera Manuera. Huia Publishers