The Moonbeam Children's Book Awards are intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to celebrate children’s books and life-long reading.
Many of our award-winning books encourage children to be generous and compassionate, to stand up to bullies, and to believe in fulfilling their dreams. The diversity of the winning publishers proves that promoting childhood literacy knows no boundaries, as medal-winners came not only from long-established publishers and university presses, but from small presses, foundations, and self-published entrepreneurs.
“This year’s Moonbeam award winners confirm that books can change children’s lives,” says Moonbeam Awards founder Jerrold Jenkins, father of four children ranging in ages 11 to 21. “They’ve already had a big impact on the judges and the kids that read them, so we know these books were created to enrich childrens’ lives. The Moonbeams are all about rewarding these books and bringing them to the attention of parents, booksellers, librarians – and to the kids themselves.”
This year's Moonbeam Awards medal ceremony will be held in conjunction with the 5th annual Traverse City Children’s Book Festival, November 8, 2014. Each year the festival features children’s book authors, illustrators and storybook characters, games and activities meant to inspire children’s interest in books.
To learn more about the Traverse City Children’s Book Festival, visit www.TCChildrensBookFestival.com or become a fan of the festival on Facebook, www.facebook.com/tccbf.
Visit the Moonbeam Merchandise Page.
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Feature
2014 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards Results
“Celebrating Youthful Curiosity, Discovery and Learning through Books and Reading”
Jenkins Group is proud to announce the winners of the 2014 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards. Launched in 2007, the awards are intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary children’s books and their creators, and to celebrate children’s books and life-long reading. Congratulations to all the winners!
This year's Moonbeam Awards medal ceremony was held in conjunction with the 5th annual Traverse City Children’s Book Festival, on Saturday, November 8, 2014. To view pictures from the awards ceremony, click here.
Listed below are the Moonbeam Spirit Award winners, followed by the 2014 Moonbeam Awards results, listed by category, and Ebook category winners. There are 166 medalists in all, representing 37 U.S. States plus the District of Columbia; 5 Canadian provinces; and 7 other countries: Australia, Brasil, Ireland, Japan, Scotland, Singapore and Spain.
Creating books that inspire our children to read, to learn, and to dream is an extremely important task, and these awards were conceived to reward those efforts. Each year's entries are judged by expert panels of youth educators, librarians, booksellers, and book reviewers of all ages. Award recipients receive gold, silver and bronze medals and stickers depicting a mother and child reading and silhouetted by a full moon.
Congratulations to all the winners!
Moonbeam Spirit Awards
For dedication to children’s books and literacy and for inspired writing, illustrating and publishing. This year we chose books in four different areas. All recipients will receive gold medals.
Creativity
A Child’s Introduction to Art: The World’s Greatest Paintings and Sculptures, by Heather Alexander; illustrated by Meredith Hamilton (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers)
“Art is a way to express yourself. You can tell a story or record what someone looks like. You can share your feelings or communicate ideas or opinions. You can even take a closer look at the world and explore your dreams and nightmares.”
Compassion
Sprinkle Your Sparkles: Show Your Love and Kindness,
by Kirsten Tulsian; illustrated by Mary Gregg Byrne
(Ferne Press)
“When the sun rises in the morning or sets at night,
give thanks for the love that flows into your life.
Sprinkle your sparkles of love and light;
make your beauty shine endlessly bright!”
Imagination
Owl’s Dream: A Story Told in Poems for the Young and the Young at Heart, by Valentina Atton; illustrated by Sophia Johnson (Joyful Wonder Kids Press)
“Fly high!
In your dreams,
like a butterfly...”
Introspection
Digging Deep: A Journal for Young People Facing Health Challenges, by Rose Offner, MFA & Sheri Brisson, MA (Resonance House)
“It is normal to feel angry and frustrated, given all you are dealing with. Unexpressed anger can take up a lot of energy that could be used for healing. Expressing anger in healthy ways helps clear the air and will give your immune system a boost. What makes you angry? The next time you are angry or frustrated, start by writing, ‘I am angry/frustrated because ____________________.’”
2014 Moonbeam Results
1. Board Book / Cloth Book
GOLD: Can’t Wait to Show You, by Jacqueline Boyle and Susan Lupone Stonis (Preliteracy Partners)
SILVER: Nap-A-Roo, by Kristy Kurjan; illustrated by Tyler Parker (KPO Creative)
BRONZE: Little Lightworm, by Morgan Evans; illustrated by Holly Stover (Orogeny Press)
2. Alphabet / Counting Book
GOLD: Mama, How Does the Wind Start to Blow? by Jeanne Styczinski (JeanneKay Publishing)
SILVER: ABC’s from the Whippety Wood, by Pamela Harden (The Whippety Wood)
BRONZE: Albert the Muffin-Maker, by Eleanor May; illustrated by Deborah Melmon (The Kane Press)
3. Books Arts / Pop-up / Cut-out
GOLD: Press the Button: Baby Bear’s Bedtime, by Sharon Streger; illustrated by Melanie Mitchell (Devrian Innovations)
SILVER: What Is It? Safari, by Bob Metropulos (Artistic Images)
BRONZE: Fun to Match: Dress Up Fun, by John Brown Jr. (Devrian Innovations)
4. Activity Book 1 - Games, Arts & Crafts, etc.
GOLD (tie): And Then… Story Starters: 20 Imaginative Beginnings, by M.H. Clark; illustrated by Alexandra Ball (Compendium)
Story Lines: Illustrate-Your-Own-Books, by M.H. Clark; designed by Julie Flahiff (Compendium Kids)
SILVER:Your Kids: Cooking! A recipe for turning ordinary kids into extraordinary cooks, by Barbara Brandt, M.ED. (Pukka Publishing)
BRONZE (tie): The Tall Tales of Talbot Toluca: Quest for the Ore Crystals, by Kenneth Kit Lamug (Rabblebox)
Clay Play! 24 Whimsical Projects, by Terry Taylor (Dover Publications)
5. Activity Book 2 - Educational, Science, History
GOLD (tie): Hotham Street Ladies: A Book for Kids (National Gallery of Victoria)
Master the Arts! A Kids' Activity Book About Italian Masterpieces, by Kate Ryan (National Gallery of Victoria)
SILVER: Cities: Discover How They Work, by Kathleen M. Reilly; illustrated by Tom Casteel (Nomad Press)
BRONZE (tie): Chickasaw Journeys Activity Book (Chickasaw Press)
My First Book About the Brain, by Donald M. Silver and Patricia J. Wynne (Dover Publications)
6. Book with Music / Theatrical
GOLD: Springtime Dance, by Valerie Leonhart Smalkin; illustrated by Kimberly Hopkins (Small Kin Music)
SILVER: Weirdo Calhoun and the Odd Men Out, by Secret Agent 23 Skidoo; illustrated by Stu Helm (Eifrig Publishing)
BRONZE: You and Me: You are My Best Friend, by Chihiro; illustrated by Yuka Kobayashi
7. Picture Book - Preschool
GOLD: Your Red Shoes, written by John Hutton; illustrated by Leah Busch (Blue Manatee Press)
SILVER: I Wonder...What Could It Be? by Charlotte Babler; illustrated by Kim Siebold (Kids For Thought)
BRONZE: Bucket Filling from A to Z: The Key to Being Happy, written by Carol McCloud and Caryn Butzke; illustrated by Glenn Zimmer (Bucket Fillers, Inc.)
8. Picture Book - 4-8 Year Old
GOLD: Before We Eat, by Pat Brisson; illustrated by Mary Azarian (Tilbury House Publishers)
SILVER (tie): The Swamp Where Gator Hides, by Marianne Berkes; illustrated by Roberta Baird (Dawn Publications)
The Cow in Patrick O’Shanahan’s Kitchen, by Diana Prichard; illustrated by Heather Devlin Knopf (Little Pickle Press)
BRONZE: Jack the Boogey is My Real Name, by Davon Washington and Chase Washington; illustrated by Ana-Gabriela Stroe (Bedford House Books)
9. Picture Book - All Ages
GOLD (tie): Classic Bedtime Stories, illustrated by Scott Gustafson (The Greenwich Workshop Press)
What Do You Do With an Idea?, by Kobi Yamada; illustrated by Mae Besom (Compendium Kids)
SILVER: Ida May’s Borrowed Trouble, by Pat Hall; illustrated by Emmeline Hall (Crow’s Foot Books)
BRONZE: There Are No Moose On This Island, by Stephanie Calmenson; illustrated by Jennifer Thermes (Islandport Press)
10. Juvenile Fiction - Early Reader / 1st Chapter books
GOLD: Odus and the Long Way Home, by Dare DeLano (Pink Chicken Press)
SILVER (tie): The Pinkaboos: Bitterly and the Giant Problem, by Jake Gosselin & Laura Gosselin; illustrated by Billy Kelly (Wildfire Stories)
The Case of the Buried Bones: The Milo & Jazz Mysteries Book 12, by Lewis B. Montgomery; illustrated by Amy Wummer (The Kane Press)
BRONZE: Izzy and Poe, by Anita Felicelli; illustrated by Lindsay Merrill (Henflower Press)
11. Pre-Teen Fiction – General
GOLD: Red River Raging: Disaster Strikes! Book 8, by Penny Draper (Coteau Books)
SILVER: Christmas Nevermore: An Ecological Christmas Fable, by Marc Cadieux and Herve Bastien; illustrated by Christina Zakhozhay (SRF)
BRONZE: In His Father’s Footsteps, by Bev Irwin (Black Opal Books)
12. Pre-Teen Fiction - fantasy
GOLD: The Silver Rings, by Samuel Valentino (Brattle Publishing Group)
SILVER: The Circle: Book One of the Sidhe, by Cindy Cipriano (Odyssey Books)
BRONZE: Orion Poe and the Lost Explorer, by Will Summerhouse (Shake A Leg Press)
13. Pre-Teen Fiction - Mystery
GOLD: Camp Secret, by Melissa Mahle & Kathryn Dennis (SpyGirls Press)
SILVER: Deadwood, by Kell Andrews (Spencer Hill Middle Grade)
BRONZE: Dagger & Dash: Enter the Three Witches, by Peggy Schaedler (Turtle Hill Books)
14. Pre-Teen Fiction – Historical / Cultural
GOLD: A Bird on Water Street, by Elizabeth O. Dulemba (Little Pickle Press)
SILVER: Red Wolf, by Jennifer Dance (Dundurn Press)
BRONZE: The Boy Who Ran, by Michael Selden (Woodland Park Press)
15. Pre-Teen Fiction – Mature Issues
GOLD: Spillworthy, by Johanna Harness (Spillworthy Press)
SILVER: Eleven, by Tom Rogers (Alto Nido Press)
BRONZE: Bird Face, by Cynthia T. Toney (Port Yonder Press)
16. Young Adult Fiction - General
GOLD: Damsel Distressed, by Kelsey Macke (Spencer Hill Press)
SILVER: Drifting, by Lisa R. Nelson (Tiny Satchel Press)
BRONZE: 84 Ribbons, by Paddy Eger (Tendril Press)
17. Young Adult Fiction - Fantasy/Sci-Fi
GOLD (tie): Rebel Wing, by Tracy Banghart (Alloy Entertainment)
The Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim, by E.K. Johnston (Carolrhoda Lab)
SILVER: Merlin’s Blade, by Robert Treskillard (Blink)
BRONZE: Martyr: The Hunted Book One, by A.R. Kahler (Spencer Hill Press)
18. Young Adult Fiction – Horror / Mystery
GOLD: Vision, by Lisa Amowitz (Spencer Hill Press)
SILVER: Spelled, by Kate St. Clair (Black Hill Press)
BRONZE: Forest of Whispers, by Jennifer Murgia (Spencer Hill Press)
19. Young Adult Fiction – Historical / Cultural
GOLD: Is It Night or Day? by Fern Schumer Chapman (Square Fish)
SILVER: Morven and the Horse Clan, by Luanne Armstrong (Great Plains Teen Fiction)
BRONZE (tie): Desta: To Whom the Lions Bow, by Getty Ambau (Falcon Press International)
The Comic Book War, by Jacqueline Guest (Coteau Books)
20. Young Adult Fiction – Religion / Spirituality
GOLD: Fields of the Fatherless, by Elaine Marie Cooper (Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas)
SILVER: Feathers & Trumpets: A Story of Hildegard of Bingen, by Joyce Ray; illustrated by Lisa Greenleaf (Apprentice Shop Books)
BRONZE: Shanti and the Magic Mandala, by F.T. Camargo (Lodestone Books)
21. Young Adult Fiction - Mature Issues
GOLD: Teeny Little Grief Machines, by Linda Oatman High (Saddleback Educational Publishing)
SILVER: Jamie’s Got a Gun, by Gail Sidonie Sobat & Spyder Yardley-Jones (Great Plains Teen Fiction)
BRONZE: Bereft, by Craig Laurance Gidney (Tiny Satchel Press)
22. Children's Poetry
GOLD: Earf, written and illustrated by Mark and Leaf Bailen (Splendid Benedict Inc.)
SILVER: Found All Around: A Show-and-Tell of Found Poetry, by Krishna Dalal; illustrated by Karen Heathwood (One Word Publishing)
BRONZE: Silly Shoes: Poems to make you smile, by Lawson Gow; illustrated by Mike Guillory (Bright Sky Press)
23. Non-Fiction - Picture Book
GOLD: The Pullman Porter, by Vanita Oelschlager; illustrated by Mike Blanc (VanitaBooks)
SILVER: Curious Critters Volume Two, by David FitzSimmons (Wild Iris Publishing)
BRONZE: The Little Girl Who Wanted to Fly, by Corinne Van Meter (Victoria Press)
24. Non-Fiction – Animals / Pets
GOLD: National Wildlife Federation’s World of Birds: A Beginner’s Guide, by Kim Kurki (Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers)
SILVER: Who Pooped in the Cascades? Scat and Tracks for Kids, by Gary D. Robson; illustrated by Robert Rath (Farcountry Press)
BRONZE (tie): Looking for Tula, by Catherine Kirkwood (Azro Press)
On Kiki’s Reef, by Carol L. Malnor; illustrated by Trina L. Hunner (Dawn Publications)
25. Non-Fiction
GOLD: Eugene Bullard: World’s First Black Fighter Pilot, by Larry Greenly (NewSouth Books)
SILVER: The Owner’s Manual for Driving Your Adolescent Brain, by JoAnn Deak, Ph.D. and Terrence Deak, Ph.D.; illustrated by Freya Harrison (Little Pickle Press)
BRONZE: The Civil Rights Movement: Martin Luther King Jr. and the 1963 March on Washington, by David Aretha (Morgan Reynolds Publishing)
26. Multicultural - Picture Book
GOLD: How Chile Came to New Mexico, by Rudolfo Anaya; illustrated by Nicolas Otero; translated by Nasario Garcia (Rio Grande Books)
SILVER: Tasunka: A Lakota Horse Legend, by Donald F. Montileaux; translated by Agnes Gay (South Dakota State Historical Society Press)
BRONZE: Walking Eagle- The Little Comanche Boy, by Ana Eulate; illustrated by Nivola Uya (Cuento de Luz)
27. Multicultural Non-Fiction
GOLD: Sankofa: Black Heritage Collection, series edited by Tom Henderson (Rubicon Publishing)
SILVER: Out in Front: Malala Yousafzai and the Girls of Pakistan, by David Aretha (Morgan Reynolds Publishing)
BRONZE: Kamehameha: The Rise of a King, by David Kāwika Eyre (Kamehameha Publishing)
28. Religion / Spirituality
GOLD: When God Was a Little Girl, by David R. Weiss; illustrated by Joan Hernandez Lindeman (Beaver’s Pond Press)
SILVER (tie): Ilyas and Duck Search for Allah, by Omar S. Khawaja; illustrated by Leo Antolini (LBK Books)
Why Dogs Are…, by Tana Thompson; illustrated by Marita Gentry (Kendall Neff Publishing)
BRONZE (tie): The 50 Word Bible, by Dan Miley (Legacy Press)
And So You Were Born, by Mona Parsa; illustrated by Nidra N. Kilmer (Twin Peacocks Publishing)
29. Holiday
GOLD: Santa’s (Zany, Wacky, Just Not Right!) Night Before Christmas, by DK Simoneau and David Radman; illustrated by Brad Cornelius (AC Publications Group)
SILVER: A Magical Journey to Nana-Tucket, by Jean Dapra; illustrated by Deb Binnig (Three Bean Press)
BRONZE: Lollipop Seeds that Sprout for Kind Deeds (An Easter Tradition), by Cherri Prince; illustrated by Marco Bester (Unleash Your Mind Products)
30. Book with Merchandise
GOLD:Tator’s Swamp Fever (plush alligator and placemat), by Diane Shapley-Box (Apple Pie Publishing)
SILVER: Hello Numbers (plush numbers), by Dr. Rebecca Klemm (NumbersAlive! Press)
BRONZE: Tooth Fairy Chronicles, Books 1 & 2 (t-shirts), by Tina Cambio (Banana Peel Press)
31. Spanish Language – Picture Book
GOLD: Boy Zorro and the Bully/El Nino Zorro y El Peleon, by Kat Aragon; illustrated by Noel Ill (Lectura Books)
SILVER: Batatita Encuentra a Su Familia, by Katie Godfrey; translated by Sarai Gutierrez Rodriguez; illustrated by Julia Gootzeit (Green Frog Publishing)
BRONZE: La noche de los ruidos / Los ruidos de la noche, by Mar Pavón; illustrated by Maria Jose Olavarria (Cuento de Luz)
32. Spanish Language – Chapter Book: CATEGORY CANCELLED
33. Environmental Issues
GOLD: River Life: A Journey from Headwaters to the Sea, written and illustrated by Marianne D. Wallace (Butler Books)
SILVER (tie): Jimmy’s Gone Green, by Kathy Crane; illustrated by Tracy La Rue Hohn (Kids Smart Books and Toys)
The Cardboard Sisters Save the World, Written and illustrated by L.A. Ocampo (Dover Publications)
BRONZE: The Soda Bottle School, by Seno Laura Kutner and Suzanne Slade; illustrated by Aileen Darragh (Tilbury House Publishers)
34. Health Issues
GOLD: Woolfred Cannot Eat Dandelions: A Tale of Being True to Your Tummy, by Claudine Crangle (Magination Press)
SILVER: All About Poop, by Kate Hayes; illustrated by Brenna Vaughan (Pinwheel Books)
BRONZE: Every Turtle Counts, by Sara Hoagland Hunter; illustrated by Susan Spellman (Peter E. Randall Publisher)
35. Mind-Body-Spirit/Self-Esteem
GOLD: How the Trees Got Their Voices, by Susan Andra Lion (Satiama)
SILVER: The Incredible Flexible You™, by Ryan Hendrix, Kari Zweber Palmer, Nancy Tarshis, and Michelle Garcia Winner (Social Thinking Publishing)
BRONZE: If You Tell Me, I Can Fly! by Sharon Thayer; illustrated by Linda Nagy (Carousel Publishing)
36. Reading Skills / Literacy
GOLD: ABC Trace & Say Alphabet Book, by Karen Fernandez (Self-Published)
SILVER: The Word Burglar, by Chris Cander; illustrated by Katherine Tramonte (Bright Sky Press)
BRONZE (tie): Spaghetti Makes Words! by Paula Hollins; illustrated by Joseph Madres (PHD Ink)
My Dad Couldn’t Read, by Carey Rigby-Wilcox (See a Book Take a Look)
37. Best First Book - Picture Book
GOLD: Pairs - Twins and Other Twosomes, by Evan Welty; illustrated by Hsinping Pan (Ammonite Films Publishing)
SILVER: The Cow that Mooed Boo, by Catherine Leininger; illustrated by MikeMotz.com (CreateSpace)
BRONZE (tie): No Cell Phone Day, by Delfeayo Marsalis; illustrated by Reginald William Butler (Kidstown Press)
Miranda’s Journey, by Leslie Breiner; illustrated by Emily Smith (Bluebird Publishing)
38. Best First Book - Chapter Book
GOLD: The Sword of Demelza, by J.E. Rogers (Acadia Publishing Group)
SILVER: The Illuminator’s Gift, by Alina Sayre (CreateSpace)
BRONZE: Call of the Sun Child, by Francesca G. Varela (Homebound Publications)
39. Best Illustrator
GOLD: Catherine Dawgert, for A, B, C, Disgusting, by Catherine Dawgert (Woodland Way)
SILVER: Jason Doll, for Would Someone Please Answer the Parrot! by Beryl Young (Peanut Butter Press)
BRONZE: Erwin Madrid, for My Yellow Balloon, by Tiffany Papageorge (Minoan Moon Publishing)
40. Best Book by Youth Author (under 18)
GOLD: Remember Me, by Melanie Batchelor (Bold Strokes Books Soliloquy)
SILVER: The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets, by Stanley & Katrina (CreateSpace)
BRONZE: Where’s My Football? by Mairead Nye (Bristlecone Publishing)
41. Best Book Series – Picture Book
GOLD: The Goblin’s Story: A Tale of the Uncrossable Canyon, by James Dongweck; illustrated by Sean Bixby (Golden Monkey Publishing)
SILVER (tie): Arlo Series, by Karisa Lowe; illustrated by Edmund Boey (Early Ink Press)
The Chicken Cha Cha Series, by Anna Phang; illustrated by Debbi P. (Apricott)
BRONZE: Fred the Snake, by Peter B. Cotton; illustrated by Bonnie Lemaire (PeterCottonBooks)
42. Best Book Series – Chapter Book
GOLD: Pack-n-Go Girls Adventures, by Janelle Diller and Lisa Travis (WorldTrekPublishing)
SILVER: Blackwater Novel Series, by Allen Johnson Jr. (Premium Press America)
BRONZE (tie): Midnight at Moonglow’s, by K.C. Sherwood (Abbott Press)
Hometown Hunters, by Lane Walker (Evergreen Press)
43. Best Book Series – Non-Fiction
GOLD: Issues 21, series edited by Jeffrey David Wilhelm (Rubicon Publishing, distributed in Canada by Scholastic Education)
SILVER (tie): Discovering Dinosaurs, by Aaron Carr (AV2 by Weigl)
Exploring Countries, by various authors (AV2 by Weigl)
BRONZE: What Do the Grown-Ups Do? by Mairi McLellan (Matador)
Ebook Categories
E1. Children's Picture Book
GOLD: Daydreams & Nightdreams, by Corydon J. Doyle; illustrated by Jeffrey L. Karl (Self-Published)
SILVER: The Bees Are Gone, by Jim Wohlbach; illustrated by Josh Wohlbach (Stellar Publishing LLC)
BRONZE: Terrance The Trapezoid, by Hilary & Drew McSherry; illustrated by Drew McSherry (Archway Publishing)
E2. Children's Picture Book - Enhanced and Apps
GOLD: iKnow ABC: iKnow Series (Take Pride Learning)
SILVER: A Train Story, by Dolores Mosser; illustrated by Nathan Jensen; narrated by Levar Burton (Adrian Street Books)
BRONZE: Perseus, by Dr. Simon Spence (Early Myths)
E3. Fiction – Pre-Teen
GOLD: Curse of the Scarab (Big Honey Dog Mysteries #1), by H.Y. Hanna
SILVER: Dark Enough to See the Stars, by Cindy Noonan (Helping Hands Press)
BRONZE: ElsBeth and the Call of the Castle Ghosties, by J Bean Palmer and Chris Palmer (Ebookit.com)
E4. Fiction – Young Adult
GOLD: Camp Utopia and the Forgiveness Diet, by Jenny Ruden (Köehler Books)
SILVER: The Essence- A Ghost Story in 3 Days, by Vel Grande (Crystal Wolf Publishing)
BRONZE: Winter in the Soul, by Jennifer Novotney (Anaiah Press)
E5. Non-Fiction
GOLD: When Hurricane Katrina Hit Home, by Gail Langer Karwoski (The History Press)
SILVER: The Inspiring Life of Eudora Welty, by Richelle Putnam (The History Press)
BRONZE: Global Cultural Trivia, by Ramona Moreno Winner (Brainstorm 3000)
E6. Languages/Cultural
GOLD: Un Pato Llamado Ganso, by Amber Nieves; illustrated by Danyol Murphy (Mama Picky Pants Publishing)
SILVER: Good Night Captain Mama/ Buenas Noches Capitain Mama, by Graciela Tiscareño-Sato (Gracefully Global Group, LLC)
BRONZE: Oliver in the Bath, by L.B. Kovetz and J.P. Kovetz (Flying South Productions)