Scholastic New Zealand Award
for Best Children’s Book 2026
Finalist
Designer: Kate Barraclough (Kate Frances Design)
Title: Rākau: The Ancient Forests of Aotearoa
Publisher: Te Papa Press
Format: 270 x 210 mm, 48pp, hardback. Printed on a sturdy yet tactile 140gsm woodfree (FSC) stock. Includes two vertical gatefolds to illustrate the magnificent tree giants, kāuri and rātā.
Typography: Title: Myster
Headings and labels: Aunt Mildred
Body: Tiempos Text
We wanted the headings to sit in harmony with the organic forms of the trees and vegetation, while keeping the body text clear and easy to read.
Publisher’s Brief:
“Ned Barraud (the author and illustrator) created his draft illustrations around placeholder text, so it needed the right font and placement for the text in the spaces. Once the edited text, font and sizing was confirmed, the illustrations could be amended further. In addition to the main text it needed to incorporate heading levels and factual labels.”
Judges’ Comments:
“A richly illustrated celebration of the New Zealand landscape, with each spread feeling like a piece of landscape art in its own right. The illustrations beautifully frame and interact with the text, flowing across pages and fading into the background to create a sense of depth and movement. The vertical folds are a clever addition, enhancing the scale and impact of the towering tree illustrations, especially the greatness of the giant Kauri, while creating an engaging interactive experience.”
