Text would like to congratulate Maurice Gee on making the shortlist for this year’s NZ Post Book Awards with his gripping Young Adult novel Gool, volume 2 of the Salt Trilogy.

The first book in the trilogy is Salt, which won Best Young Adult Fiction Book in last year’s awards. Winners will be announced in Auckland on 20 May.

School-aged children and teenagers from all over New Zealand can vote for their favourite book from among the 20 finalists selected by the judges. The award winner is announced by young readers at the awards ceremony and the author and/or illustrator of this coveted award wins $1,000.

Voting has opened!

Voting has now opened for the winner of the 2009 Children’s Choice Award. Pick your favourite finalist and and have your say by completing a voting card or voting online. Voting closes at 5pm, Friday 1 May. Book lovers can vote only once, in any form. Every voting card or online vote that is received puts the voter’s nominated school in the draw to win $1,000 of Booksellers Tokens.

VOTE 1: GOOL!