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/Novella
- 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 - Science/Technology
- Non-Fiction - Self Help
- Non-Fiction - Short Story/Novella
- 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:
How to Be a BAD Cook
The Ultimate Quick Guide (Home Guide)
Ruth H Finnegan, Jose Sépi
2024 Silver Medal
110 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food

Ever since humans discovered fire, cooking has been an intrinsic part of humanity, with different cultures having distinct palates that have turned cooking into an art form. However, modern living doesn't provide everyone with the time and resources to delve into the art of cooking. With How to Be a BAD Cook, Ruth H. Finnegan offers readers a practical cooking guide to help those who lack the know-how to prepare a meal. The book contains the knowledge to create some of the most accessible dishes with ingredients widely available to most of the general populace. After finishing the book, you will have learned to cook potatoes, make soup, roast chicken with a slice of apple or orange, casseroles, fish and other seafood, traditional hot family puddings, the various ways to use eggs, cheese, sauces, spices, seasonings, and more.
How to Be a BAD Cook is a must-read for anyone who has never cooked or is a beginner cook wanting to learn the fundamentals of cooking. This book is an absolute godsend for someone like me, who is usually intimidated by the recipes for most dishes. Ruth H. Finnegan forgoes the recipes of time and resource-consuming exotic dishes. Instead, the author focuses on healthy and easy-to-make homecooked meals whose ingredients can be found almost anywhere in the world. Every item and dish is complemented by a brief snippet about its origins and history. The cartoon illustrations by Jose Sépi add a light-hearted tone, which I found very amusing. With hectic schedules and the rising costs of dining out, cookbooks like these have become more relevant than ever. Highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
My Southern Table
Recipes from a Georgia Kitchen
Lana Taylor Stuart
2024 Gold Medal
346 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food

“Food is more than sustenance, it’s a shared language of love, history, and community.” I love these opening lines in the Introduction to Lana Taylor Stuart’s My Southern Table. Food is much more than what we eat to survive: it defines who we are and the heritage we carry with us throughout our lives. Food is meant to be savored and enjoyed with family, friends, and community. This is particularly evident in the culture of the southern states of the United States. From Corn Dodgers to Chicken Jallop and from Angel Biscuits to Polly’s Pink Stuff and so much more, southern food speaks of history, community, traditions, and love.
Lana Taylor Stuart’s cookbook, My Southern Table: Recipes from a Georgia Kitchen, is a testimony to the charm and beauty, the distinct flavors and history of southern cuisine. The author declares: “Each recipe in this book carries a piece of my heart and tells a story from my life.” Indeed food speaks to all of us and countless stories are often shared with good food, stories about the food itself as well as stories of special moments when the food was served. The book is well organized into sections from Appetizers to Desserts and more. Each recipe is accompanied by a sumptuous color photograph of the finished dish. The recipes have a footnote story and some key points to help make the dish. The ingredients are listed with care and the instructions are easy to follow. This is a real gem of a cookbook that will inspire many food connoisseurs as well as those who just enjoy perusing a good recipe book.
Recommend this book:
Irresistibly Vegan
Gourmet Dining
Elvira Rodriguez Alonso
2023 Finalist
Kindle Edition
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Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food

Irresistibly Vegan: Gourmet Dining by Elvira Rodriguez Alonso is a full-color cookbook with a wealth of recipes. The book offers a virtual encyclopedia of incredible eats that are vegan but will genuinely appeal to a broad audience given its diversity of choice and exceptional offerings. The layout of the cookbook is as to be expected, with an introduction to the chef, a bit of backstory, some helpful tips and tricks, and recipes broken down by traditional categories: appetizers, mains and sides, and desserts. The author also provides complete three-course menus for optimal pairings and notations on recipes that are gluten-free or accommodate similar food intolerances.
I remember a dinner at my father-in-law's house where two of his daughters had returned from college and told him that they were now vegan. His response? “You never think it will happen in your own family.” Fast forward ten years and he is a vegan too, which is why Irresistibly Vegan by Elvira Rodriguez Alonso piqued my curiosity. The recipes are incredible and the full-color, full-page spread photography enhances the reading experience and, mercifully, shows us how the result should look. The standouts to me were the Broiled Asparagus with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, Lemony Rice Bread Crumbs, and Tarragon Butter, and the Moroccan Orange-Cardamom Cake. I have made both with rave reviews from even the pickiest little eater in my home. This is the vegan cookbook for everyone and will no doubt have pride of place on the most respectable countertops. Highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
Seafood
Johanna Harlen
2023 Honorable Mention
245 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food

Seafood by Johanna Harlen is a full-color cookbook that zeroes in on the delights of the sea, complete with crisp and glossy photography by both the author and her son, Chef Craig. The cookbook begins with an overview of Harlen's inspiration and how the composition came to be. Readers and aspiring seafood home chefs are then given a spectacularly detailed recipe collection that is broken down into several parts and includes items most might not anticipate in a seafood cookbook, such as cocktails, alongside a bounty of dishes as wide-ranging as the sea itself. These include recipes such as conch fritters and fish pies, lemon coconut squares, and mojitos.
I feel like I hit the cookbook lottery with Seafood by Johanna Harlen for a couple of reasons. The first is that I live in the British Isles and seafood is not only one of the most plentiful proteins available but also because I am South Asian and was wonderfully surprised to find dishes that tasted like home to me. The first thing I made, before I'd even gone through Seafood in its entirety, was Paratha. For those who do not know, it is a pastry-like flaky 'tortilla' that we use as a 'scooper', as my wife likes to say. The recipe is simple but the execution has always eluded me, and Harlen made my heart and belly happy when I finally made my first homemade Paratha! Another we quickly whipped up was the Mauritian fish samosas, perfectly seasoned exactly as the recipe called for and so good that we made them two nights in a row. The recipes are perfect. The writing is exceptional. The photography is smart and, overall, this is a cookbook worthy of pride of place on any countertop.
Recommend this book:
Yvonne's Cookbook "Let's Eat!"
Authentic Neapolitan Recipes & World Travel Inspired Meals
Yvonne Hendricks CFN CPT
2023 Bronze Medal
262 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food

Yvonne's Cookbook Let's Eat! by Yvonne Hendricks is a book that will delight all those who love to cook and eat. In this book, the author shares her recipes and tips with readers, but in addition to this, she tells personal stories and introduces us to some family members. Richly illustrated, Yvonne's Cookbook Let's Eat! includes appetizers, baked goods, entrees, homemade wine, and drinks. Hendricks also provides recipes for the most significant holidays —Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving. The recipes are inspired by the Polish and Italian traditions of the author's family and her travels worldwide.
I am not a great cook, but I always look for easy-to-prepare dishes, which I found in Yvonne's Cookbook Let's Eat! I liked that Yvonne Hendricks has included dishes for all tastes, even indicating when they suit people with food intolerances. Besides the variety, I appreciated the quality of the recipes; some are delicious just by reading the ingredients. I also liked that the author shared stories of her family and explained when a dish is linked to a specific episode. This makes the book even more enjoyable to read (as if the many beautiful images were not enough!) and much more personal. I highly recommend Yvonne's Cookbook Let's Eat! to those interested in cooking and who like to make their dishes from scratch. I am sure they will find something to their liking.
Recommend this book:
The Kitchen and the Studio
A Memoir of Food and Art
Mallory M O'Connor, John A O'Connor
2023 Silver Medal
296 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food

The Kitchen and the Studio: A Memoir of Food and Art is a fascinating memoir by Mallory M. O'Connor and John A. O'Connor. It is about the authors' experiences in the world of food and art. Mallory is a food writer and art historian, while her husband John is a painter and professor of fine arts. It is divided into two parts, People, Places and Parties, and The Ancestors. It also has a hundred recipes, each illustrated with John’s paintings. The story unravels with Mallory and John's meeting at the University of California, Davis, in 1962. The couple fell in love and got married. What follows is a meaningful journey that spans fifty years as they share their life and celebrate with family and friends.
Mallory M. O'Connor and John A. O'Connor’s The Kitchen and the Studio is a unique memoir about a couple with a healthy dose of passion for art, good food, and life in general. It is a beautifully written story that celebrates creativity and family tradition. Narrated in the first-person point of view, we get an intimate glimpse of Mallory's and John’s lives where food and art are woven together. I find the illustrations visually pleasing and effective tools in relating to the narrative on a deeper level. This is a wonderfully written memoir that celebrates the joys of creativity, relationships, and lives filled with passion. It is a must-read for those who appreciate the connection between food and art and it should inspire us to create our memories and follow our hearts’ desires.
Recommend this book:
Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door
50 American Chefs Chart Today's Food Culture
Emmanuel Laroche
2023 Gold Medal
318 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food

We all have our favorite restaurants and we all enjoy certain foods. How many of us consider the work that goes into preparing those foods? This embraces the person who creates a masterpiece for our culinary enjoyment, the years of training undergone to become the best food artist they could be. In the Foreword to Emmanuel Laroche’s book Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door: 50 American Chefs Chart Today's Food Culture, chef and author Elizabeth Falkner writes, “Food does tell the truth about a society.” How we enjoy our food, and how chefs create culinary classics all speak profoundly about who we are and how we fit into this world. Food also teaches respect, at least for the chef, and it should for the connoisseur as well. Chefs must show respect for the produce they use, the food they create, the people they work with, and the customers that they serve. As those who enjoy their creations, we could learn a lot about respect from these food geniuses.
Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door takes segments from Emmanuel Laroche’s podcasts to feature the powerful, creative, and competitive world of working in kitchens. Arguably, it’s more than a kitchen. It’s an artist’s studio where food is the medium and the customer is the critic. The book features anecdotes from some of the nation’s most renowned chefs, including Gabriel Kreuther, Antonio Bachour, Johnny Spero, Elizabeth Falkner, Edward Lee, Jose Garces, and Dan Kluger. Taking the reader through the stories of professionals, the author aims to encourage us to enjoy being in the kitchen and not to be afraid of experimenting with the foods we prepare. Like any other art form, food and the recipes we use and create are only as inspirational as the imagination we allow to take root. Enjoy the stories, follow the journey, and allow your passion to take control of all you make in the kitchen. A fascinating read.
Recommend this book:
Simple S.A.L.A.D.S.
A Salad Recipe Book with a Twist
Bridget McCray
2022 Finalist
106 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food

What is your specific health goal and what are you willing to do to reach your mark? Tough questions? Well, we always need a plan in life, that is if we want to live a healthy, sustainable life. Simple S.A.L.A.D.S.: A Salad Recipe Book with a Twist by Bridget McCray shows that it all starts with the food we eat. After all, the proverbial saying says it all: we are what we eat. If you’re looking for a healthy change of diet, perhaps you need to consider eating fresh, wholesome vegetables and fruits. What better way than to create a tasty salad! Have you considered making a salad with spinach, blueberries, and celery? It may sound like an unusual combination; it certainly did to me. But think of all the health benefits packed into each one of the ingredients: antioxidants, fiber and so much more.
Bridget McCray’s cookbook, Simple S.A.L.A.D.S. is a creative and innovative collection of some pretty snazzy salad recipes. Packed with lots of helpful (and healthful) advice, this book will lead readers on the path to a sustainably healthier diet. Each section is introduced with some key points to consider. The recipes are accompanied by a mouth-watering photograph, an orderly list of ingredients, instructions on how to ‘toss’ the salad, and some health-wise tips on the ingredients. The author doesn’t claim medical expertise. She insists everyone consult with a medical professional before making a drastic dietary change. Her recipes, stories, and insight are well thought out from years of experience and experimentation. This makes an interesting recipe book to inspire readers to think creatively while preparing healthy foods.
Recommend this book:
Fresh
Johanna Harlen
2022 Honorable Mention
222 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food

Fresh by Johanna Harlen is an extraordinary cookbook since it incorporates an incredible amount of health information. The pictures are absolutely beautiful and make your mouth water. We would like you to cook for us, Johanna! The dedication is very moving and everything that the author shares about her own reasons for writing these books and about her own life is interesting. The various parts complement each other and we are given thirty days of healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas. What else could we ask for?
Fresh by Johanna Harlen is indeed a gem and a book I am going to use regularly (even though I hardly ever use cookbooks!) because my husband’s and my own health do matter to me too! I have already perused most of the recipes and feel inclined to test quite a lot. They are part of an alkaline diet which is based on the idea that replacing acid-forming foods with alkaline foods can improve your health. In fact, we all know that acid-forming foods are bad for us but we always find good reasons (lack of time mostly) not to address this essential issue. Having a whole book of perfect (alkaline) recipes and not having to worry about which types of food we may or may not eat is a real gift and I could not be more grateful to Johanna. I am going to treasure it and advise readers on my blog with pleasure. Thank you so much. We'll never forget again that "we are what we eat."
Recommend this book:
Love, Peace and Vegetables
Recipes for Conscious Living
Marcela Benson
2022 Bronze Medal
422 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food

Marcela Benson’s Love, Peace, and Vegetables: Recipes for Conscious Living is an enticing, appetizing, and visually appealing cookbook that promotes healthy eating and the healing properties of a well-structured meal. This is a collection of 150 recipes that are conceived from the heart with the intent to provide healthier alternatives to the common meals we have been accustomed to consuming. Benson has mastered the craft of low-glycemic cuisine through her understanding of Live-Food preparation that brings us to a profound understanding of the vegan lifestyle. The book begins with the story of the author’s personal life and struggles, and how it led her to discover the merits of a healthy diet. Moreover, the book also shows you how to willingly choose the path toward positive change and adapt transformational steps to health according to your own pace.
With her devotion to Live-Food and veganism, Marcela Benson is revolutionizing the cookbook industry with recipes that are not only honest but are prepared with love as seen through her artistic and scientific details. Having a sweet tooth, I particularly enjoyed preparing two of her Live-Food desserts—the vanilla thumbprint cookies and spice chocolate cream pie. The preparation of these recipes feels like a sacred act in itself. Try the recipes for yourself and you realize that you are experiencing the fusion of science, art, and love through eating. Love, Peace, and Vegetables is an indispensable reference for any culinary scholars, chefs, homemakers, and even food critics, as it strongly weighs in on recognizing the role of food in our holistic view of the human body. Reassuring and easy to follow, this is the cookbook to consider for healthy appetite and pleasure.