Random House New Zealand Award for
Best Illustrated Book
Shortlist 2011
Designer Sarah Elworthy Designers Spencer Levine (cover), Katrina Duncan (interior) Designers Spencer Levine (cover), Katrina Duncan (interior)
Title It’s in the Post: The Stories behind New Zealand Stamps by Richard Wolfe
Publisher Craig Potton Publishing
Format 148 × 210mm, 224pp, jacketed hardback, section sewn
Judges’ comments The brown packaging-paper cover introduces this fascinating little book about New Zealand postage stamps. Every detail of this book, from size and format to typographic hierarchies, has been thought about carefully.
Title Blue Smoke: The Lost Dawn of New Zealand Popular Music 1918–1964 by Chris Bourke
Publisher Auckland University Press
Format 280 × 234mm, 392pp, flexibind with 180mm flaps and belly band, matt lamination, section sewn
Judges’ comments The innovative yellow-ribbon-band across the cover is highly effective against the collage of black and white images. The internal design’s quiet yet inviting typography has an intimate feel that is vitalised by the interspersed tinted pages.
Title Group Architects: Towards a New Zealand Architecture edited by Julia Gatley
Publisher Auckland University Press
Format 285 × 235mm, 272pp, jacketed hardback with French folds, matt lamination with spot UV
Judges’ comments This solid book deploys a diverse yet complementary range of fonts, which are set into an effective and flexible grid layout that dynamically showcases text and images. The design of the folded dust jacket and tactile cover finish is elegant and understated.
