Mrs Burnside said she was really excited.
"I think this book is very important because of the current financial state," she said. "Anything that encourages teenagers to have a go in the business world is worth reading."
Both books are based in Hawke's Bay.
Just Jack is loosely based on Mrs Broadbent's grandfather and is about a young lad trying to prove himself to his family.
Set just before the 1931 Napier earthquake the story tells of Jack's loneliness away from his family, his growing independence and his courage.
Mrs Burnside's novel Yes has two main characters who are far from perfect. One has a brain "that's not wired right" and the other is missing part of a leg.
But these two high school students don't let little things like that get in their way when it come to making money.
Bay readers and those familiar with the region will recognise place names such as Duart, the Amazing Maze in Maize and the title of the book - which is an acronym for the Young Enterprise Scheme.
Deborah was lucky enough to watch the scheme in action at Napier Girls' High School during the research phase of the book.
The finalists were announced today by Gillian Candler, convenor of judges for the awards.
"The judges were excited to see the emergence of talented new writers and illustrators, with each category having at least one new author or illustrator short-listed," she said.
The judges considered not just the content, the story and illustrations, but also the quality of production.
"We're looking for great quality books that will grab children and make them want to read."
The finalists were selected from more than 130 children's books published in New Zealand in 2011 and submitted for the awards. Winners will be announced at a ceremony in Wellington on May 16. As well as winners in each category, the judges will also decide which author will earn the NZ Post Children's Book of the Year prize.
