Upstart Press Award for Best Non-Illustrated Book 2024

Winner

Designer: Katie Kerr

Title: Past the Tower, Under the Tree: Twelve Stories of Learning in Community
Publisher: GLORIA Books
Format: 180 x 114mm, 216pp, perfect bound. GLORIA’s books are produced in Aotearoa by working closely with local printers and binders. The interior has two paper stocks: DCP Bulk for the text and Pop’Set Flame Orange for the chapter titles. The cover has a soft touch varnish coating.

Typography: Schoolbook by ParaType and Grotesque by Monotype.
Century Schoolbook was originally designed by Morris Fuller Benton in 1919 to fulfil the need for a solid, legible typeface in school textbooks, so it seemed fitting to use a version of this typeface for a book on alternative education.

Judges’ comments This lovely, compact book is a thoughtful and elegant work, blending academic rigour with a poetic touch. The package evokes a nostalgic feel, reminiscent of vintage pocket books, yet it’s refreshingly modern. The bold orange cover and matching section separators, each using variations on magnified cellular wood imagery contribute to a unique aesthetic that’s very much in line with Gloria’s house style. Inspired by 1970s political posters and a 1919 school textbook, this book masterfully embodies the publisher’s principles of care, community, and craft, making it a standout in the market.