Thinking ahead to summer and your child’s summer reading program? Want to keep up with what’s happening in Christian publishing for children?

Just like movies, music, and general market books receive awards each year, so do books from Christian publishers—and that includes children’s books. Following the award contests within the industry each year is one way to connect with the best of the best.

The winning titles and other finalists provide an overall look at what’s happening with Christian children’s publishing and the specific attributes that make these top books stand out.

Two of the three major awards for Christian children’s books announced finalists this week, and judging for the third is taking place.

Now’s a good time to check out these books and choose your favorites!

The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Christian Book Awards®
Books are entered by their publishers in this competition. Judging is done by panels of two retailers, two authors, and two experts related to the specific category. Books must include explicit Christian content, an overtly Christian message, and/or a distinctively Christian world view. Each category also has its own judging criteria.

The five top-scoring books in each category are announced as finalists, and the top scoring book receives the award for that category.

The children’s category includes fiction and nonfiction and all types of books—from board books to Bible storybooks to devotionals and everything in between—for preschool and elementary ages.

Winners will be announced in Nashville at the Industry Awards Celebration on May 3. Here are the finalists in the children’s category for 2016:

•    The Bible is My Best Friend-Family Devotional, Sheila Walsh, illlustrated by Sarah Horne (B&H Publishing Group)
•    Lucado Treasury of Bedtime Prayers, Max and Denalyn Lucado, illustrated by Lisa Alderson (Thomas Nelson Publishers)
•    Our Daily Bread for Kids, Crystal Bowman and Teri McKinley, illustrated by Luke Flowers (Discovery House)
•    Peter’s Perfect Prayer Place, Stephen Kendrick and Alex Kendrick, illustrated by Daniel Fernandez (B&H Publishing Group)
•    PrayerWorks, Stephen Kendrick and Alex Kendrick with Amy Parker
(B&H Publishing Group)

Christian Retailing’s Best Awards
Sponsored by Christian Retailing magazine since 2001, the Best awards recognize significant new books and products in the Christian retail industry. Nominations must include clear Christian content, message or worldview. Books are to be judged on their impact, including their ability to
•    speak to people’s hearts and evoke emotion
•    open people’s minds to new ways of thinking
•    encourage and affirm Christlike living
Companies and authors are eligible to nominate books and products (the award categories also include gift products).

Voting takes place using an online ballot. Along with Christian retailers, others who work in the industry are invited to vote, including authors, publishers, literary agents, gift company employees and book packagers.

Best award winners will be announced during the International Christian Retailing Show in Orlando in late June. Here are the finalists in the children’s categories:

Children’s Fiction
•    Meet My Best Friend, Sheila Walsh (B&H Publishing Group)
•    Peter’s Perfect Pray Place, Alex Kendrick and Stephen Kendrick (B&H Publishing Group)
•    The Plans I Have for You, Amy Parker (Zondervan)

Children’s Nonfiction
•    The Hiding Place, Young Reader’s Edition, Corrie ten Boom with John and Elizabeth
Sherrill (Baker Publishing Group)
•    Little Words Matter Bible Storybook (B&H Publishing Group)
•    VeggieTales: God Is With Me—365 Daily Devos for Boys (Worthy Publishing Group)

The Selah Awards
The Selah Awards are open industry wide and internationally to authors published by traditional and nontraditional houses during the previous year. Most of the entry fee amounts go toward scholarships to the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference at Ridgecrest Conference Center near Asheville, North Carolina. Both authors and publishers can submit books for consideration.

Judging for the Selah awards is underway. Winners will be announced at the Blue Ridge conference in May.

DIANE

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