Meyne Wyatt’s chapter book Maku is the winner of the inagural 2024 DANZ Children’s Book Award, a testament to its role in championing diversity within the realms of young readers’ fiction in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. The DANZ Award – representing Diversity in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand – aims to spotlight and celebrate children’s fiction that challenges stereotypes and embraces diverse and marginalised communities.

Maku stands out as a beacon of inclusivity, offering narratives that reflect the world’s profound diversity through its touching, perceptive storytelling. By winning the DANZ Award, Maku not only receives recognition for its exceptional narrative but also highlights the crucial need for stories that encompass the full spectrum of human experiences.

The inception of the DANZ Award reflects a broader movement within the literary industry to address and rectify the longstanding absence of representative diversity in children’s literature. While it adds to the literary landscape, it also serves a critical role in advocating for books that serve as mirrors, windows, and doors for young readers of all backgrounds.

Let us congratulate Meyne Wyatt on this prestigious acknowledgment, reflecting a collective aspiration for a diverse, inclusive literary world for our children. Read more about the Award and the other nominees and winners here.