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:
How My Husband Keeps Me Happy
Sercets to a Low Maintenance Marriage
Karen Gordon, Evan Myshrall
2017 Finalist
208 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Parenting
Karen Gordon and her husband, Evan Myshrall, know what the pain of divorce is like. But they also know that a second chance of happiness is possible. In How my Husband Keeps Me Happy: Secrets to a Low Maintenance Marriage, they share their secret to a fulfilling and happy marriage. Whether you are starting again (like they did) or trying to boost a struggling marriage or about to start for the first time, Karen and Evan have something for you! Each chapter focuses on something, like “Listen (And Prove It)” or “Make Each Other Laugh”; Karen and Evan talk about that topic from personal experience as a couple and individually, as well as give general tips; then the chapter ends with “Rating” (on a scale of 1-10, how good are you or your partner at the concept presented in the chapter?), a “Question” (What/how could you do better at this concept?), and “Making this work” (ideas for how to incorporate the concept into your life).
Although my husband and I have a great marriage, I love to read marriage guidance books to see if there is anything else I can learn. Reading Karen Gordon and Evan Myshrall’s story in How My Husband Keeps Me Happy: Secrets to a Low Maintenance Marriage was actually quite encouraging. Their second marriage is a lot like our first marriage: both partners are committed to loving and supporting each other, and open conversation about pretty much everything. Karen and Evan’s style is so easy to read. Their anecdotes are encouraging and fun. How My Husband Keeps Me Happy is a great book to tuck into a bride-to-be’s bridal shower gifts. And for those who have gone through a divorce, I’m sure the book can be an encouragement for the future. Some of the ideas can even be incorporated (on a less intimate level) with others as a way to be a very good friend. This is one of those “unforgettable books” that you wish you could buy in bulk and hand out to other people. Loved it!
Recommend this book:
I Promised Not to Tell
Raising a transgender child
Cheryl B. Evans
2017 Bronze Medal
230 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Parenting
In the closing pages of I Promised Not to Tell by Cheryl B. Evans, the author says she wonders if she has made a mistake in publishing this book. Let me begin by assuring her the only mistake would have been to not publish it. I Promised Not to Tell is quite possibly one of the most important books to date on a very controversial and little understood social issue: transgenderism. And what makes it even more valuable is that the focus is on helping parents recognize, and whether they like it or not, accept that their daughter might actually be a son or vice versa.
To enlighten others about some of the dreadful problems associated with a child being transgender, since she promised not to tell, Cheryl B. Evans has had to use fictitious names for real people. The real people in this story are members of her own family. I Promised Not to Tell is about Cheryl’s daughter, Jordan, whose transition from female to male begins around the time of puberty. Had the parents ignored or dismissed the warning signs that things just weren’t right for Jordan at that time, this story would most likely have had an unwanted and tragic ending.
But as Cheryl B. Evans states early in I Promised Not to Tell, and repeats throughout the book, what she and her husband wanted most for her children was their happiness. And everything these parents do in this book proves they mean what they say. They listened to and trusted in what Jordan believed was right for her; they educated themselves on transgenderism; they located knowledgeable therapists and doctors, and stood united and strong beside their daughter when faced with religious ignorance that claims such children are “not of God.”
Cheryl B. Evans has documented each life-changing step of Jordan’s transition from female to male so that others who may be facing the same issues and don’t know where to turn have a place to start, coupled with the knowledge they are not alone. Cheryl addresses issues like washroom use, dating in later years, and the gender affirming surgeries more frequently called sex reassignment. At the end of the book she includes a list of resources and contacts, including the names of doctors her family worked with.
Other issues raised by Cheryl are the complications that arise with simple day to day things like passports, birth certificates, driving licences etc. Think of all the official forms we fill out daily that ask us to identify ourselves as M or F. Well, what happens when F is now M? This paperwork can take months, even years to change over. And on deeper levels, Cheryl makes one look at the ramifications of dating, falling in love, and falling out of love with someone who knows your secret, and then tells all your mutual friends. Again, we face another social situation where people are forced to hide their true selves. As if there isn’t enough cover up of so much in our world already.
I’m sure it’s Cheryl’s hope that, if nothing else, I Promised Not to Tell will open a few more minds, clarify the myths and falsehoods, and get more people talking openly about what being transgender really means. If you are facing such a situation with your child, I urge you to read this book. Both you and your child need what Cheryl has so kindly shared with readers and parents. And when you do, I’m sure you will come away impressed not just by the courage shown by Jordan in this book, but by the love Cheryl and her husband have for their children and their compassion for all people. That love affirms what I’ve always believed: true love has nothing to do with gender. Love is love. I loved I Promised Not to Tell. Couldn't put it down. Highly recommended reading
Recommend this book:
Make A Wish For Me
A Family's Recovery From Autism
LeeAndra Chergey
2017 Bronze Medal
300 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Parenting
Make A Wish For Me by LeeAndra Chergey is the story of the author’s son, Ryan, and the struggles of the family as they come to terms with the diagnosis of autism. Told from the mother’s point of view, LeeAndra begins her story with the confusion when, at the age of two, Ryan loses the ability to speak. There follow many meetings with professionals, endless discussions, a long period of therapy, many disagreements, and much frustration with those in ‘the system’ who are supposed to have the child’s best interests at heart, but appear to be desperately wanting. There is also the stigma of the label of ‘autism’ to cope with, and the uncompromising attitudes of both the public and private schooling system.
The author, LeeAndra Chergey, really manages to evoke empathy in her heart-breaking story of her family’s struggle to get Ryan properly diagnosed and the help he needs. The determination of LeeAndra and her husband, Dan, to make the right decisions and find the answers to their questions is clear and they are to be admired for their steadfast loyalty to their son, despite their own despair at times. Apart from the educational obstacles, LeeAndra strives to make home and family life a happy place for Ryan, and not let him be burdened by the things or people that might make life difficult for him. This is not just Ryan’s story, but a story of one family’s determination to overcome every obstacle thrown at them to give their child a normal life. This is a story about a family’s love for their child and for each other. A well written story, told with emotion; every parent should read this.
Recommend this book:
Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood
Firsthand Advice, Tips and Stories from Lesbian and Gay Couples
Eric Rosswood
2017 Gold Medal
240 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Parenting
Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood: Firsthand Advice, Tips, and Stories From Lesbian and Gay Couples by Eric Rosswood is an informative book that has good tips and advice for same-sex couples who want to have children. Being a parent is a rewarding experience and all the stories in the book are touching and amazing. The book gives valuable information to LGBT persons wanting to become parents and enter the next wonderful stage of their lives. What are the challenges and emotional complexities faced by LGBT parents? How do they get a birth certificate for the child?
The real stories, the trials, struggles, tribulations, and celebrations of starting a family by same-sex couples are insightful and inspiring. The book is divided into sections, making it easy for readers to find the topics they are interested in. Same-sex parents will have a better understanding about the thoughts, emotions, and difficulties they might face in their journey of becoming a parent once they read this book. They will also get more information on the topic, which might not be revealed by the agencies and organizations they are planning to use to adopt a child. The author covers the topics of legal issues that need to be considered, and also lists questions one needs to ask before deciding to take the step. The subject is not something which one deals with often. That makes the book original and resourceful for many LGBT parents. Whether it is about adoption, fostering, surrogacy, assisted reproduction, or co-parenting, the book has all the information for LGBT couples so that they can choose the path that best fits their family.
Recommend this book:
Busy Mom's Cheat Sheet
Raising Happy Healthy Kids
Lilly Cadoch
2016 Finalist
162 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Parenting
Busy Mom's Cheat Sheet by Lilly Cadoch is an uplifting book for readers where the author speaks about the goals of parents and how children are expected to perform well right from a very young age. The book addresses the importance of mind, body and spirit, and how balancing them will help us achieve enriching and fulfilling lives. It also tells how to address the problems revolving around the body, mind and soul separately, helping readers to look into their lives and make the necessary changes; thereby discovering the purpose of their lives.
The author handles the topic of body, mind and soul extensively in a manner that can be comprehended by any reader. The balance and harmony that can be achieved after reading this book will bring about the theory of abundance without being wasteful or excessive. The 45 bonus recipes are a treat, simple and easy to try out, helping balance food habits and healthy eating. The positive affirmations shared by the author are motivational and encouraging and will help in making positive changes in one's outlook towards oneself and life in general.
I found the tips, techniques and ideas in the book easy to incorporate into daily living. The method of teaching meditation to kids is simple and easy, and the book is a good tool for readers to guide their kids onto a good and holistic path which will be always be beneficial to them.
Recommend this book:
Finding The Rainbow
Rachel McGrath
2016 Honorable Mention
179 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Parenting
Finding the Rainbow by Rachel McGrath is a chronicle of the timing of cycles and waiting for good news, with the hope and excitement of finding out positive results. However, this is followed by the pain and grief of miscarriage, which often leads to starting the same actions all over again. It begins with Rachel’s desire to have a baby and repeated instances of natural abortion. They consult doctors again and, after many instances of heartbreak, the doctors point out to her that she has a serious medical condition that can rule out pregnancy.
Finding the Rainbow by Rachel McGrath is an absorbing story. Rachel’s desire to conceive and the pain she felt can be seen quite clearly in these pages. The emotional stress she was under and the helpful while understanding approach of her husband in enabling her to withstand it is another visible facet that comes out beautifully. In addition, this book shows that she also appreciates sardonic humor. As this is the way the book ends, ‘I also know my own emotions and limits. We are ready to try again, and I know that I will always remain hopeful for what the future may bring,’ I can’t wait for the sequel. This is an excellent read with a moving narrative.
Recommend this book:
In the Line of Fire
Raising Kids in a Violent World
Jan Arnow
2016 Honorable Mention
240 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Parenting
In the Line of Fire: Raising Kids in a Violent World by Jan Arnow is an insightful book on a relevant topic - bringing up kids in a society filled with violence. The book is useful to parents, grandparents, therapists, counselors, and educators as it gives them valuable tips on how to cope with daily violence and give kids a saner and better world to live in. The topics covered range from cyber bullying to sexting to sexual harassment to creating a safe environment for kids to grow where they feel peaceful and secure.
The book is an excellent resource that is helpful in understanding children and how they can be affected by the increasing violence around them. Every chapter has been well presented and has a lot of useful information for readers. We live in violent times now where it's important to protect kids from being abused and manipulated into doing something bad. The book will help to overcome the fears in the minds of parents on how to raise kids in a violent world. Books like these definitely raise awareness in the minds of adults on how to protect kids from feeling insecure while living in a society marred by violence and unrest. The statistics shared by the author are vital and all parents, grandparents, teachers, educators, therapists, and counselors can identify with the topics and the sub topics covered.
Recommend this book:
The Mommy-Go-Round
Eleanor D Alspaugh
2016 Bronze Medal
170 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Parenting
I honestly loved The Mommy-Go-Round by Eleanor D. Alspaugh. I have already been through the child raising years, and it confirmed for me that it’s not easy to raise kids, and that the most important things you can bring to the process are love, patience, and perspective. Eleanor D. Alspaugh does a great job of drawing on the lessons and experiences of her own childhood, and those of her time as a mother, to create a wonderful picture of the American family as it should be. This is not a “How to” book or an instruction manual on raising kids, but I think it would make a great gift for young mothers. I think there are a lot of things a young mother or father can learn from this book and it is very entertaining.
The Mommy-Go-Round is well written, well organized, and very humorous. It covers almost every situation a parent will encounter on the long journey called parenthood. I enjoyed the essays on Christmas and other special days the most. These are the times that stick out in my mind when I think about my own childhood or my time as a young parent. I wish The Mommy-Go-Round had been available when my son was born. I would have had a little bit of a heads up on some of the joys and trials that would come, and I could have been a little better and more understanding helper to his mother. I applaud Eleanor D. Alspaugh for writing The Mommy-Go-Round and, looking at all the beautiful pictures of her happy family taken through the years, I can understand why she had to.
Recommend this book:
A Father's Guide to Raising Daughters
How to Boost Her Self-Esteem, Self-Image and Self-Respect
Michael T Wilkinson
2016 Silver Medal
153 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Parenting
A Father's Guide to Raising Daughters: How to Boost Her Self-Esteem, Self-Image and Self-Respect by Michael T. Wilkinson is 153 pages of awesome advice for dads on how best to support their daughters as they grow up. Covering topics like why a father's presence means so much in a daughter's life, the self-esteem and self-respect issues of girls, and helping your daughter keep going when she wants to quit, Wilkinson has covered some of the most important topics for father-daughter relationships. This book includes real life stories of fathers and daughters and how their relationships changed and improved. Wilkinson even discusses gender disappointment when some expectant fathers have a girl when they wanted a boy, which might be a key to some father-daughter relationships if they can accept the wonderful gift of their daughter.
A Father's Guide to Raising Daughters: How to Boost Her Self-Esteem, Self-Image and Self-Respect by Michael T. Wilkinson should be mandatory reading for new fathers. The highlight for me was the line, "If you don't teach her, you fail her" because so many fathers (and mothers) think that just feeding and housing a child is enough. A Father's Guide to Raising Daughters is well-written, encouraging, and provides both easy-to-follow steps as well as personal stories to help fathers better understand what a relationship should be like with their daughters. My father is long gone, but I wish he could have read A Father's Guide to Raising Daughters when I was a child.
Recommend this book:
From Pain to Parenthood
A Journey Through Miscarriage to Adoption
Deanna Kahler
2016 Gold Medal
212 Pages
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Non-Fiction - Parenting
When I chose this book to read, I knew it would bring out feelings I thought were gone from a corner of my mind. I was right. So many things resonated with me as I read the author’s experience of losing a baby. I know this book will resonate with many women that have experienced this trauma in their lives. I also remember that “The hard part of it was grieving alone with no one to share my sorrow.” The author recognizes that this is often a problem for women who miscarry. “You feel so sad and devastated, but many times your friends and family don't get it. They don't realize how much love you can feel for a baby you never saw, met or held.”
It truly is a devastating experience in the life of a woman. It is a trauma that you carry all your life, no matter how long ago it happened to you. I still remember the pain and anguish that I felt. The author also mentions that the pain will lessen and the hurt subside. I know this and am also a witness that it is true. Do you forget? No, but it all becomes an experience of faith and love. You do keep going and become whole.
I enjoyed this book as it helped me in a way to heal a little bit more. I know it will help other women who have had or are suffering from this sad experience. This book was written to tell you that you are not alone and that there is hope. From Pain to Parenthood also shares the author’s experience through adopting. It will bring you new hope and ideas of what to expect from the system. Great job.