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:
The Messy Monster
A Children’s Book about Staying Organized and the Consequences of Messy Habits
Michelle Gilchrist Marcus
2024 Finalist
48 Pages
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Children - Concept
The Messy Monster by Michelle Gilchrist Marcus is a helpful and delightful children's picture book structured in two parts. The first part relates to all children across the globe. Children often lose things or forget where they put them, and when it's time to play with their favorite toys, they can't find them. The story reminds them how upsetting it can be to spend minutes or even hours searching for what they need and love. This book shows them the importance of cleaning up and not letting the mess become bigger and bigger because the Messy Monster can come and take their things away. The second part is about the 3-step Messy Monster plan. This 3-step plan is quite simple and helps children stay organized, so they will never again lose their favorite things to the Messy Monster.
The Messy Monster is a fantastic rhyming story for children and parents alike. Michelle Gilchrist Marcus delivers a practical, time-saving, and efficient routine to keep belongings in their proper places. This book is a must-read as it shows youngsters the importance of cleaning up after themselves and teaches them how to stay organized and always be ready to play, have fun, explore, go out, or go to school. Teaching young children to build this healthy routine will make them more independent, responsible, and confident over the long term. Children will develop new good habits and skills with the help of worksheets, labels, and the daily check chart found in this educational and wonderfully illustrated book. The Messy Monster is especially for young readers who struggle with executive functioning skills and ADHD.
Recommend this book:
The Pink Crayon
A Children’s Picture Book about Sharing, Empathy and Wit
Radhika Nair
2024 Honorable Mention
30 Pages
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Children - Concept
The Pink Crayon by Radhika Nair is a cute story that teaches kids a much deeper lesson: the beauty of sharing what they have with others. The story follows Mimi, a little girl who loves coloring almost as much as she loves her pink crayon. When some curious pigeons come to play, Mimi doesn’t hesitate to share her crayons with them, except for the pink one, of course! But when the pink crayon is the only crayon left, and one more pigeon would like to play, what will Mimi do?
Sharing is hard. Sharing is even harder when it comes to our very favorite things. Radhika Nair uses the medium of storytelling to discuss a valuable skill with her young audience in a way that a child can easily understand. At the same time, the lesson isn’t shoved into the child’s face in a preachy way. It simply models the behavior through Mimi’s actions and leaves the young reader to determine how Mimi’s actions affected those around her. This method allows for a more natural development of positive behaviors in children, similar to how they learn other behaviors by mimicking the people in their lives. The illustrations are beautifully done! Noor Alshalabi is a talented artist who brought The Pink Crayon to life. The vibrant colors and detailed backgrounds work perfectly with the book’s text to capture the attention of young readers and keep them engaged. I look forward to seeing more work by both the author and the illustrator in the future.
Recommend this book:
Yanni The Yawning Yak
The Must Have Bedtime Book for Toddlers
Ethan Pilkenton-Getty
2024 Bronze Medal
Kindle Edition
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Children - Concept
In Yanni the Yawning Yak, a children's book by Ethan Pilkenton-Getty, Noah is having trouble sleeping when he sees a Yak in his backyard. After Noah comments on the Yak's interesting yawn, Yanni tells him about his other animal friends and their yawns. The Yak names an animal for every letter of the alphabet, stating their species and where they are located in the world. As they learn about the animals' yawns, the author encourages children to yawn in the same manner, and, at the end of the story, Yanni asks them to demonstrate their yawns.
Ethan Pilkenton-Getty has a godson named Noah and wrote the book with him in mind. The author hopes caregivers will benefit from the sleep-inducing elements in the story that may bring little ones closer to their nightly slumbers. The colorful images by iNDOS Studio burst from the pages, drawing children's eyes. The book is educational, linking each animal with a certain letter of the alphabet and its geographical position on the planet. In the corner of each picture, the author shows an image of the world with the location of the animal pinpointed on it. The book is interactive, so after you read about each animal, the text prompts you and the child to yawn like the showcased animal. I read the book in the morning, but my son and I were yawning frequently, even without the suggestions. Caregivers who hope to send their children into a peaceful sleep will enjoy reading Yanni the Yawning Yak to them.
Recommend this book:
The Mirror Box
Wade Warren Bergner
2024 Silver Medal
Kindle Edition
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Children - Concept
It’s always hard to lose someone we love. Christopher is close to his grandfather, whom he calls Papa. They do all kinds of fun things together: sharing adventures, stories, and laughter. Then, one day, Papa is no longer around. Christopher is very sad, but Papa had already prepared for this unhappy occasion. A few months earlier, he’d given Christopher a mirror box with strict instructions to keep it secret until the right moment. Tucked underneath the boy’s bed, the mirror box is almost forgotten until Christopher’s tears are spent. Pulling it out, the box covered in mirrors reveals the first surprise. The face looking back at Christopher is as much Papa as it is the little boy. And there are more surprises to be shared to help Christopher manage his grief.
Wade Warren Bergner’s picture book, The Mirror Box, is a sweet, endearing story about love and loss. The plot follows young Christopher as he enjoys time with his special grandfather, Papa, until that sad day when Papa passes away. The discovery of the mirror box opens the young boy’s eyes to the realization that Papa will always be with him in so many ways, but mostly in his heart and his memories. The treasure inside the box is a message from Papa to persevere, to carry on, and, most importantly, to “love, laugh and learn.” Told in simple language and with spectacular illustrations, this story will touch the hearts of all who read it; it'll make readers both laugh and cry and it will help those struggling with grief of their own. A powerful story!
Recommend this book:
Dilly Duck Plays All Day
Holly DiBella-McCarthy
2024 Gold Medal
32 Pages
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Children - Concept
Written by Holly DiBella-McCarthy and illustrated by Pradyut Chatterjee, the children's counting book Dilly Duck Plays All Day takes readers on a day in the life of a pond duck named Dilly. Dilly finds herself on the edge of a lake alone and bored, and decides to find “her friends, her flock, her crew!” The lake is big so finding each friend takes some time but one is added to the crew with the turning of each page. DiBella-McCarthy writes in a classic rhyme scheme where the prose dances on the pages like the swish, swish, swish of a friend's tail. From one to ten, the ducks come together by a different approach and before the next one comes along, the group plays or eats or glides in tandem. Chatterjee uses a digital pencil art method to illustrate the activities of the crew with vibrant colors.
Dilly doesn't have to sit feeling bored for very long before her first friend joins her so the counting lesson Holly DiBella-McCarthy weaves into the book hits the water swimming. At the end of the book, there's an interactive section with two distinct question and answer parts. In a sad but important lesson within the story, one of Dilly's friends falls victim to lake debris which traps them under a littered net. This is made into a conversation topic at the book's conclusion and asks, “Why isn't play time with friends happy all the time?” I am always mentally tabulating conversation prompts for my kids so the pleasant surprise of having the work done for me, and done so well, was amazing. Pradyut Chatterjee's illustrations are bright and simple, enhancing the story in an even stride that adds to the writing without drowning it out. The turquoise hue of the water is divine. Counting, social studies, environmental nods, and a fun reading experience are all a parent looks for, and Dilly does deliver.
Recommend this book:
How I Wonder Where You Are
Anna Maria DiDio
2023 Finalist
37 Pages
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Children - Concept
It's natural for all humans to think about where we come from. Especially for adopted children, it can be pretty difficult to come to terms with their own identity, making them wonder who they are. How I Wonder Where You Are is a moving picture book for kids by Anna Maria DiDio that celebrates the distinct heritage of children raised by adoptive parents. Carla is a curious child with two loving parents and a sister named Sarah. However, despite her otherwise happy life, she can't help but wonder about her birth mother and feel a connection to her Colombian heritage. After an assignment from the school regarding her family tree, she becomes a bit sad thinking about where she came from. But her caring mother understands her situation and prepares a pleasant surprise to make her feel close to who she is.
A heart-warming children's book filled with the themes of empathy and understanding, How I Wonder Where You Are is a story about the search for one's identity. Parental love can come in many forms, and Anna Maria DiDio demonstrates that in spades through this book. Illustrator Tatiana Lobanova brings the characters to life by splashing the pages with colors and some beautifully drawn artwork, making the tale all the more immersive. Carla is an adorable child who has to overcome the challenges of adapting to a different country and culture, and many kids will find that relatable. Overall, a beautiful story for children and parents alike.
Recommend this book:
Snoodles in Space
A Snoodle, the Zoodle Kidoodles, and One Happy Schmoodle
Steven Joseph
2023 Honorable Mention
59 Pages
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Children - Concept
Snoodles in Space: A Snoodle, the Zoodle Kidoodles, and One Happy Schmoodle by Steven Joseph is a humorous book in the sci-fi genre for children from 6 to 10 years of age. Set in the future, a great scientific breakthrough awaits humanity. Herbie Snoodleman will introduce the Snoodlemobile as a replacement for the Krautmobile, the creation of his now estranged brother Sour Croodleman and fueled by sauerkraut. The Snoodlemobile uses noodles to run, making everybody happy, thanks to the popularity of this product and its appealing smell. Herbie and Sour have a third brother. Norman Noodle is married to Sally Stroodle, with two talented kids, Briana Brainy Broodle and Ricky Rockadoodle. Herbie and Sour dream about space travel, but their animosity prevents them from working together on a magnificent spaceship named Snoodle Zoomadoodle. When Norman and Sally are abducted by an extraterrestrial force, Herbie and Sour had to find common ground to save their family.
Snoodles in Space is a wonderful introduction for young readers to the thrilling genre of science fiction. Steven Joseph's humorous writing style borders on goofiness. Andy Case has created amazing illustrations with a vintage style, reminding us of the classic picture books of our childhood. The imagery is unusual and will stimulate creative thinking. The adventure aspect is impressive, and the plotline provides many unexpected twists. Joseph touches on important topics such as family values, mutual understanding, and willingness to help despite disagreements, leading his young readers in a positive direction. I highly recommend this second book in the series to those readers who love humorous prose with an adventurous element and lovable characters.
Recommend this book:
The Circle of Hugs
Heather Cosimo
2023 Bronze Medal
32 Pages
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Children - Concept
The Circle of Hugs is a children’s picture book by Heather Cosimo with illustrations by Hiruni Kariyawasam. The book explores the power of giving and receiving a hug. A little girl reflects on the hugs and memories she shared with her family. Whenever she felt scared, anxious, or alone, she always wished for a hug. Even in good times, she wanted to be hugged. Every special moment requires a hug that will make them memorable. The little girl realizes that spreading the power of hugs is vital to showing love and support, and she shares her various experiences when she offers a hug.
The Circle of Hugs is a heartwarming book with a lovely message. Heather Cosimo has taken a simple concept and built a powerful lesson around it. Hugs from loved ones are something that we take for granted, but when they are gone, we realize their significance and value. A hug will always brighten your day, whether sad or happy. Every child deserves a hug because of the feelings these bring. Hugs will make them feel loved and safe, which is good for their mental health. It also teaches them about caring for others and being kind. The book also contains beautiful illustrations that depict adorable characters. They tell the story perfectly, are bright and colorful, and are ideal for grabbing children’s attention. I recommend parents and guardians read this book with their children and teach them about the power of hugs.
Recommend this book:
Edgar Allan Know and his Big Busy Brain
Rahni Varieur-Davies
2023 Bronze Medal
39 Pages
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Children - Concept
Edgar Allan Know knows many interesting things. His brain is always busy gathering and processing information. His rooms are full of books on a variety of subjects. You could ask him anything from a mathematical concept to a fun fact. He will give you the correct answer every time. However, there is one thing that Edgar cannot seem to manage. He can tell you the dictionary definition of a bicycle or the stages of its evolution, yet his buzzing brain will not allow him to keep his balance whenever he tries to ride one. Will Edgar ever learn cycling? Find out in Edgar Allan Know and his Big Busy Brain, a children’s picture book by Rahni Varieur-Davies, illustrated by Barbara Owczarek.
Despite being a short and easy-to-read book geared toward children, this book had a lasting impact on me. Rahni Varieur-Davies sketched Edgar’s character distinctively. We can marvel at his brilliance yet feel sorry when he tries to fit in with his friends. I loved everything from the allusion to a famed author to the clever illustrations featuring ravens. Each page included intriguing facts that would enrich the knowledge of the reader. The way Varieur-Davies gently guides the young audience to practice mindfulness was admirable. I could also vouch for the book’s usefulness from first-hand experience. I started reading this book to distract myself on a day my brain had been in overdrive. Simply reading it helped me to calm down. With the fun activities and mindfulness audio at the end, Edgar Allan Know and his Big Busy Brain is a complete package.
Recommend this book:
Gomer the Gassy Goat
Hayley Rose
2023 Silver Medal
28 Pages
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Children - Concept
Help your child develop language skills in a fun way through Hayley Rose's Gomer the Gassy Goat. In this amusing children's picture book, we meet Gomer, a happy and friendly goat. He likes trying new things, making new friends, and having lots of fun. However, he has one problem. He is a very gassy goat. Whether in the fields grazing or while practicing goat yoga, Gomer always passes gas. Nevertheless, he always apologizes for his toots and makes funny and silly faces that'll have you laughing out loud.
Most children are fascinated by animals and love it even more when the animals are as cute and funny as Gomer. Even more exciting is that as readers get deeper into the tale, they find more animals that live nearby Gomer in the book's vibrant illustrations. From the colorful birds flying above a meadow to the little yellow chicks playing beside the goat, the animals featured are adorable. Young readers aged five and older will have no difficulty reading this book independently due to the author's simple and clear writing style. Children may even role-play different parts to enhance their enjoyment. The book's captivating imagery and tongue-twister storytelling style will hold their attention. If you are looking for an entertaining read for your child, Gomer the Gassy Goat by Hayley Rose is just the perfect book. I read it to my five-year-old brother, and he kept laughing every time he saw Gomer's funny face.