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:
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle with Liam, the Smart Rabbit
Azaliya Schulz

2023 Finalist
32 Pages
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Children - Social Issues

Liam, a young rabbit, lives in the deep wood and cultivates his land diligently. Then, one night, a box tumbles out of a truck passing by the woods onto Liam’s veggie farm. The contents of the box are plastic wrappers. They’re so bright and colorful but equally dangerous because they are pollutants, so his mom says. Liam goes about asking other animals about plastic pollution. How can dolls, balloons, and cups possibly be harmful? In Reduce, Reuse, Recycle with Liam, the Smart Rabbit by Azaliya Schulz, you’ll learn about the effects of plastic, impressive alternatives to plastic items, and how to conserve plastic properly. “Plastic is in so many things; it’s quite scary.”
Azaliya Schulz’s Reduce, Reuse, Recycle with Liam, the Smart Rabbit is a lovely educational children’s book on plastic pollution. Its colorful illustrations make it outstanding and more relatable, and its unique subject matter makes for an engaging read. It uses a conversational narrative with rhyming verses, which I think is very creative. I liked Schulz’s choice of simple words and use of everyday objects to explain plastic pollution; it made me aware of all the little things I had previously overlooked. Another thing I liked about this short story is that so many animal characters are used to convey crucial information. There is much to learn; I believe children will like it, so I recommend it.
Recommend this book:
Loving the YOU That You Are
Kristin Blomberg, Saoirse Lou

2023 Honorable Mention
42 Pages
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Children - Social Issues

Loving the You That You Are by Kristin Blomberg features relatable parents who wonder what life choices their children will make and how their children will react to the world. The parents convey their love for their children by being accepting, encouraging, and understanding. When a child is small, it is hard to tell what the future will hold. It is extremely important to nurture their ideals, ambitions, and choices, so they know that their parents will always love and support everything about them and their personality. The child’s choice of being identified by their preferred gender, the clothes they wear, and how they choose to show love does not change the way that their parents feel about them.
I loved how this story projects such an accepting and understanding view of children’s choices. I find it amazing that the author decided to write a story that shows how much love she has for her children regardless of the choices they make for themselves. Children can benefit from reading this book and learning that loving themselves for who they are is the most important thing they can do. The illustrations by Saoirse Lou are beautiful images that the reader can easily enjoy while following the story and the different life scenarios. I recommend Loving the You That You Are by Kristin Blomberg to anyone with small children that are at an age where they are ready to start discovering who they are.
Recommend this book:
Dogfish, Just be YOU!
Rita Reed

2023 Bronze Medal
38 Pages
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Children - Social Issues

Dogfish Just Be You! by Rita Reed celebrates individuality. Dogfish is enjoying his time in the ocean off the coast of California when he hears the songs of humpback whales. He asks if he can join them in their journey northward. Dogfish is hoping to see the northern lights. As he swims with the whales, they meet more marine mammals. Each animal has a unique talent or trait that makes Dogfish wish to be more like them, but then he reminds himself that he is exceptional. Dogfish has a special talent that is handy as they near the north pole. How will Dogfish use his particular skill? Will Dogfish get to see the Aurora Borealis?
Rita Reed has added another delightful tale to her Dogfish series. Dogfish Just Be You! will encourage kids to recognize that everyone, including them, is perfect. The world would be a boring place if we were all the same. Kids will love seeing all the aquatic mammals that inhabit the northern oceans, especially the unicorn of the sea, the narwhal! Reed does a superb job showing kids that acknowledging others' talents doesn't diminish their gifts. That's what makes the world a wonderfully diverse place. Craig Cartwright's illustrations are colorful and full of movement and wonder. Dogfish's expressive face and spotted star-like sea tail are especially distinctive. The northern lights are magical. It will delight ocean lovers everywhere while reinforcing the message that we all have worth.
Recommend this book:
The Clumsy Chicken
A funny heartwarming tale for children 3-5
Sue Elias, Remesh Ram

2023 Silver Medal
35 Pages
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Children - Social Issues

The Clumsy Chicken by Sue Elias is a charming children’s book about a red fluffy chicken named Chickie who is sweet, but clumsy. All her animal friends at the cozy barn would laugh when she fell or did something clumsy. Chickie continued being her clumsy self, but one day she packed up her bag and surprised all her animal friends by saying she was going to explore the world. She encountered many new animal friends like a fox, a squirrel, and a big rabbit band as her new friends taught her many new things like climbing and spreading her wings. Not once did her new friends laugh at her as she continued being her clumsy self. Returning back to her cozy barn, Chickie felt stronger and wiser as her old friends welcomed her back where she belonged.
Author Sue Elias and illustrator Remesh Ram spin a very delightful story that engages the reader with cute and colorful animals on every page. The scenes are very eye-catching throughout the whole book. The rhyming of the sentences brings giggles and fun for the whole family. At the same time, children are being taught how to value themselves. The Clumsy Chicken teaches very important lessons to young children about self-acceptance and self-love, despite being laughed at by your peers. Self-acceptance and self-love help foster self-esteem and self-confidence which are vital for developing a strong sense of identity and self for young ones.
Recommend this book:
Zoey Lyndon's Big Move to the Lou
Micheal Anderson

2023 Silver Medal
116 Pages
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Children - Social Issues

Zoey Lyndon and her family, consisting of her mom, dad, and older sister Jasmine, move from their home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to St. Louis, Missouri due to her father’s job. Of course, the move had to take place right at the beginning of a new school year, which made Zoey extremely nervous. Entering the 4th grade without her old friends would be hard enough, but what if she could not make any new friends, or what if she went into the wrong bathroom and ended up in the boys' bathroom? Despite being nervous, she makes it through her first couple of days, even though she eats alone at lunch. Then, suddenly everything changes when she meets Tomasina, or Tommi, at lunch one day. The two become good friends, join the science fair together, and hang out with other friends as well. Fourth grade is beginning to look a whole lot brighter to Zoey in Micheal Anderson's Zoey Lyndon's Big Move to the Lou.
Zoey Lyndon’s Big Move to the Lou by Micheal Anderson is a wonderful children’s chapter book with a well-developed plot and relatable characters. Designed to give the reader the perspective of the main character Zoey, a fourth grader, a reader can easily imagine themselves, or someone they have known being in similar situations as described in the story. Micheal Anderson does an incredible job of portraying the emotions of a young girl entering an unfamiliar environment for the first time. A parent or guardian who knows their child will have to go through a similar situation would benefit from obtaining a copy.
Recommend this book:
Charlie the Champion - (Mom's Choice Silver Award Recipient)
K.R. King

2023 Gold Medal
46 Pages
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Children - Social Issues

Charlie the Champion by K.R. King is a story about hard work and a mindset change written for a young audience. In the African savannah, Charlie the Cheetah watches his father win races and daydreams that he could one day win one too. However, he is not fit and strong like his father, and the other animals bully him by calling him chubby until Charlie thinks of himself as a failure. One day, after the other animals overwhelm Charlie with their taunts, he decides to fight against their meanness and chase his dreams. Charlie begins to train for his goal with regular practice and only allows himself to say kind and positive things about who he is. When the big race arrives, Charlie is tempted to give up when he slips behind the lead, but he keeps fighting and believing to the finish line.
K.R. King’s Charlie the Champion is an excellent way to help children understand the power they have to reach their dreams. I loved seeing Charlie grow from resignation that he would never win a race and would always be what the bullies said he was, to believe that he had value, was worthy of positive self-talk, and was capable of making his dream come true. The illustrations of Charlie and his world are vibrant, clear, and so much fun, with familiar animals and lovely settings that children will adore. Even as an adult, I felt motivated to speak more kindly to myself and work harder for my dreams after meeting Charlie. This is a fantastic educational book for early readers to tackle alone, but an even better one to read and discuss with the grown-ups in their lives.
Recommend this book:
Melody the Unicorn and the Beauty Within
Subani Maheshwari

2023 Gold Medal
35 Pages
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Children - Social Issues

“She was different but not in the way she’d thought. And, it turned out, “different” wasn’t so bad.” Aren’t we all different? Don’t we all have something unique and beautiful to share with the world? Melody the unicorn thought she wasn’t beautiful because she didn’t have all the bright colors the other young unicorns had. She was just white. It made her sad not to be rainbow-colored like the others. Try as she might, she just couldn’t make herself colorful. But she did have something else, something the others didn’t have, and that really did make her beautiful. She just didn’t realize what her unique beauty was. It was a difficult lesson to learn that being different was okay. After all, differences make us not only unique but beautiful inside and out.
Subani Maheshwari’s picture book story, Melody the Unicorn and the Beauty Within, is all about differences and the beauty we all have within us. Melody has a difficult lesson to learn. It’s about accepting who she is, something we all have difficulty doing at times. Told in simple language so young readers can easily follow along, this charming story will lighten the hearts of readers of all ages. The spectacular, bright, and colorful illustrations help move the story forward, as Melody tries one trick after another to change her appearance so she can be colorful like the other unicorns. The plot follows Melody’s journey to self-discovery, self-love, and accepting who she is. This is a powerful lesson for all readers to learn. Loved it!
Recommend this book:
Daddy Is Cool Like That
Mary McMahon and Jennifer Bucciero Boyles

2023 Gold Medal
32 Pages
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Children - Social Issues

Daddy is Cool Like That by Mary McMahon and Jennifer Bucciero Boyles is a children’s picture book that depicts a young family who has recently had their father diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Partly inspired by Boyles's familial journey with the disease, it shows other young children and their families how to cope and to realize that there can still be moments of enjoyment to be shared, as well as the happy memories that follow. Though there might be specific faculties that deteriorate or are ultimately lost, new abilities are gained as well. The illustrations created by Ros Webb feel warm and enveloping. Both the storytelling and the pictures form a book that transcends other children’s books. It stands as a platform for discussions to be had by families that are struggling with a similar diagnosis.
Jennifer Bucciero Boyles and Mary McMahon’s Daddy is Cool Like That stirred up so much emotion in me. The reader cannot help but be moved by the story, the message that it delivers, and the hope that it instills in the hearts and minds of loved ones. Children’s books are always teaching lessons of some kind, some as simple as learning how to tie a shoelace. This book doesn’t just teach; it shows what a family is, it shows memories, whether those memories were inspiring or not. Everything feels incredibly authentic. To say that you will be touched by this book is an understatement. You might even be transformed by it.
Recommend this book:
Jake the Growling Dog Shares His Trail
A Children's Picture Book about Sharing, Disability Awareness, Kindness, and Overcoming Fears
Samantha Shannon

2022 Finalist
61 Pages
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Children - Social Issues

Jake loves wandering through the woods. He growls at everything and everyone – in a friendly sort of way, of course. He enjoys meeting all of nature’s wonderful creatures and he’s made friends with many of them, especially Neet the squirrel. While Jake dashed through the forest trails, Neet would keep pace flying through the tree branches above. Then, one day, Jake and Neet discovered some unusual tracks. Neither one of them knew what to make of these tracks. Could it be an alien from outer space? Jake is quite worried and sleeps restlessly, fearful of what strange creature might be roaming through his woods. Jake enlists all his friends, doggy and others, to help solve the mystery. One of the new doggy friends, Tuck, helps solve the mystery, only Jake discovers that Tuck is the mystery because he’s different.
Samantha Shannon’s picture book, Jake the Growling Dog Shares His Trail, is another entertaining story in the Jake the Growling Dog series. This charming, inquisitive dog loves to share his life experiences, all while teaching both himself and his young readers some very important lessons. I like the way the author weaves a fantastic story, cleverly using rhyming verse, its lyricism making the message clear and familiar. In this story, Jake and his readers learn about empathy, equality and inclusion, vital concepts that simply mean accepting everyone for their differences and making everyone feel the value of their own self worth. In previous stories, other dogs and living creatures had to get used to Jake’s growl, something he does without thinking and certainly not to be malicious. His friends learned to accept Jake for this unique quality of his. Now Jake must learn to accept Tuck for his unique qualities (even Tuck admits that Jake’s growl frightened him at first until he got to know Jake). The colorful illustrations are endearing and help carry the story along. This is another classic to add to the Jake the Growling Dog series. Well done again!
Recommend this book:
In My Home We Believe
Odessa Stevens

2022 Honorable Mention
24 Pages
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Children - Social Issues

In My Home We Believe by Odessa Stevens is a children's picture book that teaches about improving the world we live in. Children will learn a lot of important subjects by reading this incredibly informative book. There are seven topics that the author has included, some of which are Black lives matter, women's rights, and love is love. So what are you waiting for? Grab a copy of In My Home We Believe to discover what else the author has to teach young minds.
In My Home We Believe brought a tear to my eye when reading. The author has covered everything on how we can make the world a better place, and it is done by using colourful and creative illustrations that will grab young readers' attention, and allow them to learn more easily. The world can be a scary place, but with books like In My Home We Believe, children will feel comfortable navigating their way through life. I also feel that they will be confident in having their own opinions, and not allow other people to decide for them.
I honestly can't praise this book enough. I find it to be extremely important and vital in educating children about the world we live in at the moment because there is so much going on that could be improved but isn't. Children are the future and we need to continue working together to provide them with the skills and mindset they will need to succeed. Keep up the good work, Odessa Stevens! I look forward to reading more of your work.
