29 Apr 2013

Book award named after Margaret Mahy

10:42 pm on 29 April 2013

A top book prize is being named after Margaret Mahy in recognition of the acclaimed author's work.

From this year, New Zealand Post Children's Book Award will be renamed the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year award.

The children's author died last year aged 76. She was a previous winner of the Children's Book Awards and her work Mister Whistler is a finalist in this year's picture book category.

Sam Elworthy, chair of the Book Awards Governance Group, says re-naming the top children's award is a way of remembering the huge impact Mahy had as one of New Zealand's most acclaimed literary figures.

The awards will be announced in the author's home city of Christchurch on 24 June.