150 Award Genres
Children
- Children - Action
- Children - Adventure
- Children - Animals
- Children - Audiobook
- Children - Christian
- Children - Coming of Age
- Children - Concept
- Children - Educational
- Children - Fable
- Children - Fantasy/Sci-Fi
- Children - General
- Children - Grade 4th-6th
- Children - Grade K-3rd
- Children - Mystery
- Children - Mythology/Fairy Tale
- Children - Non-Fiction
- Children - Picture Book
- Children - Preschool
- Children - Preteen
- Children - Religious Theme
- Children - Social Issues
Christian
- Christian - Amish
- Christian - Biblical Counseling
- Christian - Devotion/Study
- Christian - Fantasy/Sci-Fi
- Christian - Fiction
- Christian - General
- Christian - Historical Fiction
- Christian - Living
- Christian - Non-Fiction
- Christian - Romance - Contemporary
- Christian - Romance - General
- Christian - Romance - Historical
- Christian - Thriller
Fiction
- Fiction - Action
- Fiction - Adventure
- Fiction - Animals
- Fiction - Anthology
- Fiction - Audiobook
- Fiction - Chick Lit
- Fiction - Crime
- Fiction - Cultural
- Fiction - Drama
- Fiction - Dystopia
- Fiction - Fantasy - Epic
- Fiction - Fantasy - General
- Fiction - Fantasy - Urban
- Fiction - General
- Fiction - Graphic Novel/Comic
- Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
- Fiction - Historical - Personage
- Fiction - Holiday
- Fiction - Horror
- Fiction - Humor/Comedy
- Fiction - Inspirational
- Fiction - Intrigue
- Fiction - LGBTQ
- Fiction - Literary
- Fiction - Magic/Wizardry
- Fiction - Military
- Fiction - Mystery - General
- Fiction - Mystery - Historical
- Fiction - Mystery - Legal
- Fiction - Mystery - Murder
- Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
- Fiction - Mythology
- Fiction - New Adult
- Fiction - Paranormal
- Fiction - Realistic
- Fiction - Religious Theme
- Fiction - Science Fiction
- Fiction - Short Story/Novela
- Fiction - Social Issues
- Fiction - Southern
- Fiction - Sports
- Fiction - Supernatural
- Fiction - Suspense
- Fiction - Tall Tale
- Fiction - Thriller - Conspiracy
- Fiction - Thriller - Environmental
- Fiction - Thriller - Espionage
- Fiction - Thriller - General
- Fiction - Thriller - Legal
- Fiction - Thriller - Medical
- Fiction - Thriller - Political
- Fiction - Thriller - Psychological
- Fiction - Thriller - Terrorist
- Fiction - Time Travel
- Fiction - Urban
- Fiction - Visionary
- Fiction - Western
- Fiction - Womens
Non-Fiction
- Non-Fiction - Adventure
- Non-Fiction - Animals
- Non-Fiction - Anthology
- Non-Fiction - Art/Photography
- Non-Fiction - Audiobook
- Non-Fiction - Autobiography
- Non-Fiction - Biography
- Non-Fiction - Business/Finance
- Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food
- Non-Fiction - Cultural
- Non-Fiction - Drama
- Non-Fiction - Education
- Non-Fiction - Environment
- Non-Fiction - Genealogy
- Non-Fiction - General
- Non-Fiction - Gov/Politics
- Non-Fiction - Grief/Hardship
- Non-Fiction - Health - Fitness
- Non-Fiction - Health - Medical
- Non-Fiction - Historical
- Non-Fiction - Hobby
- Non-Fiction - Home/Crafts
- Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
- Non-Fiction - Inspirational
- Non-Fiction - LGBTQ
- Non-Fiction - Marketing
- Non-Fiction - Memoir
- Non-Fiction - Military
- Non-Fiction - Motivational
- Non-Fiction - Music/Entertainment
- Non-Fiction - New Age
- Non-Fiction - Occupational
- Non-Fiction - Parenting
- Non-Fiction - Relationships
- Non-Fiction - Religion/Philosophy
- Non-Fiction - Retirement
- Non-Fiction - Self Help
- Non-Fiction - Short Story/Novela
- Non-Fiction - Social Issues
- Non-Fiction - Spiritual/Supernatural
- Non-Fiction - Sports
- Non-Fiction - Travel
- Non-Fiction - True Crime
- Non-Fiction - Womens
- Non-Fiction - Writing/Publishing
Poetry
Romance
Young Adult
- Young Adult - Action
- Young Adult - Adventure
- Young Adult - Coming of Age
- Young Adult - Fantasy - Epic
- Young Adult - Fantasy - General
- Young Adult - Fantasy - Urban
- Young Adult - General
- Young Adult - Horror
- Young Adult - Mystery
- Young Adult - Mythology/Fairy Tale
- Young Adult - Non-Fiction
- Young Adult - Paranormal
- Young Adult - Religious Theme
- Young Adult - Romance
- Young Adult - Sci-Fi
- Young Adult - Social Issues
- Young Adult - Thriller
Illustration Award
Recommend this book:
Soccer is Fun without Parents
Peter M. Jonas
2019 Bronze Medal
166 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
As the sister of an ex-soccer player, I remember my father’s frustration about the behavior of other children’s parents during matches. These adults, though armed with good intentions, embarrass their children with some of the worst performances. They scream, protest, and coach when they should not. Drawing attention to themselves and pretending their child is a prodigy are the only concerns of these bizarre but not rare people. So, I enjoyed reading Peter M. Jonas’ book Soccer is Fun without Parents, where these types are humorously analyzed. A valuable and amusing handbook, it divides soccer parents into categories and informs them of the rules and lessons they very likely ignore.
The father of a soccer player himself, Jonas has collected many delightful anecdotes and instructions. The stories and types of parents are funny, and I often smiled and laughed while reading this book. The picture is realistic, and every kind of person I have met during a soccer match has a place here. However, the message is serious. The representation of soccer parents should make readers (especially adult readers) reflect. I appreciate that Jonas stressed how parents’ behavior is embarrassing for children. It seems they ignore that their offspring just want to have fun, and Jonas has done the right thing by reminding them of this. As he points out, parents are the only problem in this sport. The sooner they will learn the lesson of this book, the better it will be for their children.
Recommend this book:
What I've Learned From Attending Over 35 Indy 500's
Lessons in Sales, Motivation, Leadership, Management, and Life in General
Jeff Cowan
2019 Silver Medal
168 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
What I've Learned From Attending Over 35 Indy 500's by Jeff Cowan is a sports inspired guide to help readers kick into gear and get motivated with the tools required for roles in work, leadership, management, and everyday living. Throughout the book, Cowan uses a story based on experience, and in the context of a particular race or driver, and applies it toward business and personal growth. Each experience details a scene from an Indy 500 event and follows with a "Lessons Learned", "Personal Story", and "Points to Ponder" section with real-life utilization exercises that are sure to rev readers into action.
I really love Cowan's approach here and can see why he's been successful as a motivational speaker and trainer. The personal stories, in my opinion, were the best as they highlight his own struggles and successes in a way that makes our trials feel as normal as any other fan in the cheap seats. Of course, where the book excels is in the Indy tales themselves. Humanizing drivers in their races and delivering an underlying theme that all one might feel is impossible never is, Jeff Cowan speaks to the masses in a language we can understand.
Inspiration abounds in chapters like "Al Sr. Is A Badass", where the eldest Unser faces seemingly insurmountable odds with an untested but trustworthy car, going from a 20th starting position to qualify and, ultimately, win the final race. Cowan ties this in with, "The real lesson here is that it’s important to have the right tools to get the job done, but it is equally, if not more important, to have someone who knows what to do with the tools be in the driver’s seat." This is clearly a track that we all have the ability to be on, and I'd recommend this book to all who feel they've veered off course.
Recommend this book:
Fight to the End
Eric Hanna
2019 Gold Medal
180 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
Fight to the End is a nonfiction sports memoir written by Eric Hanna. In his prologue, Hanna describes basketball as having been “amusing, humbling, ego-building, inspiring, deflating, and above all, entertainingly addictive.” In his memoir, he describes how a sport that he ended up quitting before he had even begun turned out to be “my best friend, my therapist, my joy and my heartache.” Hanna was nine years old when he first considered playing basketball. The lake-effect snow and bitter cold of an Ohio winter made walking into that heated gym on a Saturday morning and getting involved with a youth basketball program tempting -- if nothing else, it would be better than trying to play out in the cold. As he entered the gym, however, he felt completely out of place. Everyone seemed to know what they were doing out there, even his friends. Hanna quietly turned around and left the gym. Then something completely out of the ordinary happened a few days later. Marty Paes, a family friend and the dad of one of Hanna’s friends, called and asked to speak with him. Marty had seen Hanna at the gym. He thought that maybe Hanna might want to try going there with Marty and his son, John, the next Saturday. Hanna swallowed the fear and indecision and decided to go. It changed his life.
Fight to the End is well written and inspirational. I marveled at his resilience throughout his years as a player and loved seeing how his heart has always been in the game. Hanna gives the reader insights into what it’s like being on the bench even as he shows that those waiting players are in many ways even more important than the superstars who get to play for more than just a minute or two late in the game. I especially appreciated how he introduces the reader to the strategy behind the game and how it’s played. Seeing the action through his eyes has measurably enhanced my appreciation for, and understanding of, the game. Hanna’s story is well written and reads like fiction; his excitement for and love of the game blazes forth on every page. You can feel his frustration as a vertically challenged teen, his exhilaration at the growth spurt that changed everything, and his ultimate triumphs as a scholarship athlete in college. Fight to the End is most highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
The Man Called Red
An Autobiography of a Guide and Outfitter in Northern British Columbia
N.B. "Red" Sorensen
2017 Honorable Mention
366 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
Wow! Where do I begin? First let me say that this is a good book. It is a snapshot of a time and a place and a life. To me it is fascinating. The Man Called Red by N.B. "Red" Sorensen takes place in another country (Canada). It is a different era than the one I grew up in. The environment, the weather, the climate, everything is different when compared to Alabama…and yet this life feels familiar. The people in it feel familiar and this style of jumping into life head on seems very much like something I would do. Red Sorensen is a unique individual and he writes about his life in a style that is fresh, interesting, and very easy and pleasant to read about. This is not the autobiography of someone at the center of world shattering events, but it is a very moving story about an interesting man.
From the incident where a runaway milk wagon causes the porch roof to come down on his baby carriage, to the terrible time of his wife’s illness, Red Sorensen tells the story of his life in a warm and very approachable manner. In this day and age, we are fond of saying that everyone is beautiful and that all lives are interesting. It seems to me that this devalues the life of someone like Red who has taken the road less traveled for most of his life. I highly recommend this autobiography. You don’t have to be famous to have had a powerful and meaningful life. Great writing and a great story.
Recommend this book:
Golfing Out Of Your Mind
Moving Beyond Swing Mechanics (Just Hit The Damn Ball ) - Volume 3
Dave Johnston
2017 Bronze Medal
121 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
On the way to his usual Wednesday golf game, Jonathan meets Dave, who is gathering material for a book about playing golf. Dave offers to observe how Jonathan plays over nine holes, and the skeptical Jonathan plans to show this chair expert how a pro plays. He bogeys the first hole, the easiest hole on the course, which doesn’t get him into a good mood for the next hole, where he makes a double bogey. Dave starts a discussion, analyzing Jonathan’s shots, choice of clubs, and his expectations with each shot. He introduces Jonathan to the idea of evaluating each shot out of ten, rather than concentrating on making par, which automatically sets the player into a life or death mental framework. Jonathan thinks the idea is crazy.
On the third par 5 hole, Dave urges Jonathan to use the 5 wood instead of the driver. Jonathan has more control with the wood and the driver shot usually goes into the rough. Jonathan believes that distance is more important, but reluctantly uses the 5 wood and still shoots a good distance. Dave tells Jonathan to use the club he is most comfortable with rather than using a club he has problems with simply to try to achieve greater distance. Concentrate on consistency. Jonathan bogeys the hole, but he hit solid shots. As they progress through the remaining six holes, Dave gradually introduces new ideas for Jonathan to consider, slowly bringing the skeptic around. At end of nine holes, Jonathan makes 42, far better than he expected, and admits that Dave’s observations and pointers really do make sense.
What can I say. Dave Johnston’s Playing Out Of Your Mind: Moving Beyond Swing Mechanics is an astonishing book that every part-time golfer should read. I know it will help me with my game – provided I stick to Dave’s tips. Instead of presenting his observations, conclusions and recommendations in a dry textbook style, by using a real event story, observing how Jonathan plays, immediately engages the reader in a way that educates and entertains. I sympathized with Jonathan, reflecting on my own golf play, nodding as I read the book, realizing I was caught in the same mental traps. Playing Out Of Your Mind: Moving Beyond Swing Mechanics is a brilliant analysis of golf play and the importance to approach every shot positively, banishing the negative demons.
Recommend this book:
Just Hit The Damn Ball!
How To Stop Thinking and Play Your Best Golf
Dave Johnston
2016 Finalist
137 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
In Just Hit the Damn Ball!: How to Stop Thinking and Play Your Best Golf, Dave Johnston writes an instructional manual that flies in the face of "conventional golfing wisdom." Based on Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), this book is much easier to understand than the concepts of NLP. Basically, Johnston's instructions are based on the assumption that every golfer has untapped natural ability -- and if you stop worrying about the things you are doing wrong, you can become a better golfer. The trick is to begin with the fundamentals -- know how to stand correctly, grip the club, and then swing it. After you have those three fundamental skills, you can then begin to concentrate on those things you are doing right. Reinforcing those habits and rituals when you hit a shot perfectly will encourage you to reproduce those actions instead of the actions that happen when you focus on a bad shot.
As a really average golfer, I found Just Hit the Damn Ball!: How to Stop Thinking and Play Your Best Golf by Dave Johnston very appealing. I have spent many hours on the golf course berating myself for every bad shot -- only to find that one bad shot typically leads to several more! The concept of keeping a journal of "good shots" and really dissecting what you did before and during those shots makes sense and seems almost too easy. I look forward to getting through those 30 days of improvement to see if the system really works!
Recommend this book:
Judo
Seven Steps to Black Belt, An Introductory Guide for Beginners
Rodolfo Tello
2016 Silver Medal
70 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
Judo: Seven Steps to Black Belt: An Introductory Guide for Beginners is a non-fiction sports education book written by Rodolfo Tello. The author is a Certified National Judo Coach as well as a black belt, and he’s been a practitioner for over twenty years. He introduces the history of judo, in particular, and martial arts, in general, which began in ancient Japan. Jujitsu, which is considered a forerunner of judo, was practiced by samurai. While originally martial arts were practiced for use in actual combat, in the nineteenth century, martial arts began to be introduced as a sport and for self-defense. Jigaro Kano developed judo as a martial art that would use efficiency in the application of mental and physical energy to subdue an opponent. Tello describes the fundamentals of judo, including the forms of etiquette involved in the sport, the uniform, and what to expect in a judo class. He discusses the four major types of judo techniques and how one can improve their performance in this martial art through conditioning, mental preparedness, competitions, and the practice of kata. Finally, he describes the seven steps of advancement and the challenges a judo student faces at each step. Tello provides an extensive set of appendices which include a glossary of terms, references, and a list of recommended readings.
I've long been interested in learning a martial art, so Rodolfo Tello's non-fiction work, Judo: Seven Steps to Black Belt: An Introductory Guide for Beginners, seemed the perfect place to learn about judo, and it was. This book gives the reader an historical and philosophical perspective as well as an introduction to the physical mechanics of judo, which in retrospect seems an essential approach. Tello demystifies what goes on in a class, and I found myself more and more drawn into the idea of exploring this martial art more fully. While there are not many illustrations, Tello provides plenty of links for videos, which he explains will be a lot more useful than static photos, and they were. Rodolfo Tello's coverage of his subject is enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and well-presented, and I recommend Judo: Seven Steps to Black Belt: An Introductory Guide for Beginners most highly.
Recommend this book:
The Fighter Within
Everyone Has A Fight - Insights into the Minds and Souls of True Champions
Christopher Olech
2016 Gold Medal
224 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
When it comes to the world of Mixed Martial Arts, I cannot envision anyone looking at a fighter who enters an octagon (cage) and not respecting that athlete who is about to engage with an opponent, not knowing if the match will result in a loss or a win. A world of knowledge regarding some of the most famous MMA fighters of our time awaits the reader who picks up Christopher Olech's novel The Fighter Within: Everyone Has A Fight. Christopher Olech has interviewed such MMA giants as Sean "The Muscle Shark" Sherk and Fedor Emelianenko. His novel aims to give readers a sense of what MMA is truly about, and also relates his own journey towards discovering the true meaning of martial arts and how it can be utilized in everyday life.
I will not go into detail about Olech's writing skill, because that is extraordinary in itself. Instead, I will delve into this novel's main subject (MMA) and what exactly Olech has done to give me a whole new perspective on the type of individual that I've always found myself intrigued about from a very young age: the fighter. Olech's own history, given to the reader before the eventual interviews, details his life before and after discovering the MMA world, making it relatively easy to envision him both as a fighter and as a human being, instead of just as a researcher relating some facts. Quite frankly, because of the wonderful insight his interviews have provided me with, I will never look at an MMA fighter the same way again. Olech makes MMA seem like it's more than sport.
Recommend this book:
Golf Made Easy!
A Backward Approach to Learning Golf... or Is It?
Jeffrey W. Kern
2014 Honorable Mention
70 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
Golf Made Easy! a Backward Approach to Learning Golf... or Is It? is an introductory reference for people considering taking up this sport. Author Jeffrey W. Kern starts the education process from the very beginning. He discusses the way courses are set up and the types of terrain a golfer will encounter in each one. Then he talks about golf clubs and any other equipment you may need. He shows how you can get started simply by borrowing a friend or neighbor's clubs and work towards getting the set best suited for you and your playing style later on. Kern then gives the reader clear and concise instructions for playing in every type of situation, as well as a series of exercises, practice drills, and warm-up sessions.
I've never played golf (except for the miniature variety as a child) and have always wondered about the sport. It's always appeared to be a sport that seemed inaccessible and required too much initial outlay. Golf Made Easy! helped me understand what getting into golfing actually entails and it did so in a way that was entertaining and informative. I love the many illustrations and tips for balancing balls, checking out the center of a club head, and even the benefits of getting a caddie. Jeffrey W. Kern's book won't make you into a good golfer if you don't put in the effort, but, if you do make the effort and follow the advice he gives in this deceptively slim volume, you've got the tools necessary to play a good game of golf.
Recommend this book:
Home Sweet Hardwood
A Title IX Trailblazer Breaks Barriers Through Basketball
Pat McKinzie-Lechault
2014 Honorable Mention
206 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Sports
Battling to make women’s basketball what it has become today was not an easy journey and Pat McKinzie’s story, Home Sweet Hardwood: A Title IX Trailblazer Breaks Barriers Through Basketball, shows exactly how difficult it was. From early in life, Pat was more comfortable running, jumping, throwing, and shooting, than she was playing with dolls and easy-bake ovens. In a time when there were both racial tensions and struggles with gender roles, Pat continued to fight for the game that she loved. After the passage of Title IX, which was the beginning of equalizing sports programs for women, Pat got her chance to move forward, doing what she loved. She was the first female athletic scholarship in Illinois and built upon that victory, though many challenges still lay in her path. Without faltering, Pat continued to pursue her dream and was one of the inaugural draftees in the Women’s professional basketball league. Her resilience and determination have been an inspiration to countless people through the years.
It is impossible to be anything but inspired by Pat McKinzie’s account of her battle as a pioneer of women’s basketball. Home Sweet Hardwood is an interesting, informative, and enlightening story. Observing the courage and determination with which Pat pursued her dream goes beyond gender and racial lines to reach a much deeper place within us all. This is a profound story of the strength of the human spirit in the face of extreme challenges. Inspiring, illuminating and awesome; Home Sweet Hardwood is certain to have a profound impact, not only on women of all ages, but upon anyone who has ever aspired to overcome all odds for something or someone that they love.