Rena tale makes book awards

Debbie McCauley, author and librarian, has a book about the disastrous oil spill off Tauranga in the running for two awards.

A book by a Tauranga woman has been nominated for a second national award.

Motiti Blue and the Oil Spill: A story from the Rena Disaster, by Debbie McCauley, was announced yesterday as a finalist in the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. It is also a LIANZA Children and Young Adult Book Awards finalist.

The bilingual picture book was Ms McCauley's second book for children.

"It's fantastic to be nominated," she said.

Motiti Blue tells the story of a little blue penguin caught up in Rena's oil spill before being rescued and treated at the Te Maunga Oiled Wildlife Response Centre.

"The disaster was devastating, not only for the people of the area, but for the many thousands of birds and sea creatures who were covered in the toxic oil," she said.

Mauao Publishing has had orders for Motiti Blue from around New Zealand as well as Australia and Germany. Copies are also held at the International Youth Library in Munich.

The LIANZA Awards Ceremony will be held in Wellington on Monday and the New Zealand Book Awards announced on August 13, also in Wellington.