About New Zealand Book Month

New Zealand Book Month is a non-profit initiative promoting books and reading – and as a result, literacy – in New Zealand.

One month each year we celebrate books and encourage all Kiwis to get involved. The next New Zealand Book Month will be in March 2013.

The clear goal of New Zealand Book Month is to form a North to South community of readers. Kiwis passionate about books, determined to share them with each other and spread the word. Telling and retelling stories, and recommending new books to read. From friend to neighbour, school bus to sporting field, workplace to playground.

New Zealand Book Month works alongside a wide range of organisations fundamental to books and reading in New Zealand. Publishers, booksellers, libraries, schools and activists provide the necessary support to make New Zealand Book Month a success.

Our history

Started in 2006 as a unifying vision by a group of authors, booksellers, publishers, and book clubs – people who just enjoy a good read – New Zealand Book Month is a non-profit Trust. We celebrate the power of all books to enrich, empower, inform – and even change – lives.

And of course, we are always looking for ways to champion New Zealand writers. Thanks to help from Creative New Zealand, we work to develop new and ever-increasing audiences for Kiwi authors and the rich variety and voice that New Zealand writers represent.

Thanks to our many sponsors, NZBM can deliver the information, publicity, people, ideas and energy necessary to support events and activities that bring books and reading alive.

Join us in the celebration of books in March 2013. Find heroes. Untangle mysteries. Hook up with personal and national histories. Have a good belly laugh. Shed blood and tears or discover true love. It’s all there between the covers...

New release of Footsteps through the Fog

The special story, written by acclaimed New Zealand children’s writer, the late Margaret Mahy with pictures by award-winning illustrator Gavin Bishop, takes children on a journey to experience the world in a different way and is enhanced by the music, ambient sound and sound effects synchronised to the text and pictures. Read more...

Rachael King for NZ Book Month

Rachael got the Books Change Lives slogan in early and talked about some books that changed her life. Rachael then read from Red Rocks, her own book for children, before answering some thoughtful questions from the audience.

See our photo...

Ain't no party like a learning party

Around 60 four-year-olds and their adults attended a Learning Party at South Library in Christchurch as part of NZ Book Month on Thursday, 7 March.

They listened to books, played alphabet games and did jig-saws, all designed to help with the skills necessary for starting school. See a photo...

Mangonui Musing by Donna Blaber.

Mmmm – what an enticing summertime aroma – as soon as I open the car door, fresh sea air bursts in. I’m here for NZ Book Month, a children’s event at the Mangonui Library, where they’ve recently opened a new children’s section. Diana Mills of Mangonui Stationery & Lotto and Sheila Wyeth, Head Librarian of Mangonui Library are my hosts. Read more...

Dame Fiona Kidman reports in...

This just in from Dame Fiona Kidman... "I'’ve just done a rail tour on the Main Trunk Line for NZ Book Month, stopping at small towns along the way for readings and conversation.

The tiny Taihape Library is tucked behind the Council office façade on the main street, a street built wide enough for bullock wagons to turn around. Read more...