2015 Winners
Grand Prize Winner
Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina by Michaela and Elaine DePrince
Activity Books
1st Place: My Very Own Bucket Filling from A to Z Coloring Book by Carol McCloud and Caryn Butzke, illustrated by Glenn Zimmer
Activity Kit
1st Place: Nickerbacher, The Funniest Dragon by Terry John Barto, illustrated by Kim Sponaugle
Animals/Pets
1st Place: CougaMongaMingaMan Meets Maggie by Nancy Scalabroni, illustrated by Terri Kelleher
2nd Place: The Crumbles Chronicles: Battle of the Paper Bags (Book 1) by Laura Scott Schaefer
Honorable Mentions:
Sashi: The Scared Little Sheltie by Linda Greiner, illustrated by Morgan Spicer
Josephine: A Tale of Hope and Happy Endings by Roni McFadden & Bunny McLeod, illustrated by Sierra Gaston
Pigs & Peacocks by Jenni Garrick, illustrated by Joshua Allen
Buttermilk by Fat Hendrick, illustrated by Jamil Adler
Super Smart Sugar by Barbara Freeman, illustrated by Caitlin Welsh
Arts/Music
1st Place: When the Sun Goes Down by Nannette Nocon, illustrated by John Kastner
2nd Place: Gollywood Here I Come! by Terry John Barto, illustrated by Mattia Cerato
Best Cover Design
1st Place (tie): Gollywood Here I Come! by Terry John Barto, illustrated by Mattia Cerato
1st Place (tie): The Eel Hunt by Jennifer Somervell, illustrated by Margery Fern
2nd Place: Muddy Madeleine Meets an Arach-A-Doo by Amanda Stone Norton, illustrated by Veronica V. Jones
Best Illustrations
1st Place (tie): A Colorful Journey Through the Land of Talking Letters by Mary Jo Nyssen, illustrated by Mike Motz
1st Place (tie): Nickerbacher, The Funniest Dragon by Terry John Barto, illustrated by Kim Sponaugle
2nd Place: A Girl Like Me by Deborah K. Moore & Gbolu Mulbah-Bondo, illustrated by Michelle Guthrie
Honorable Mentions:
When the Sun Goes Down by Nannette Nocon, illustrated by John Kastner
Angels, Angels, Everywhere by Michelle Beber, illustrated by Susan Shorter
The Eel Hunt by Jennifer Somervell, illustrated by Margery Fern
It's a Piece of Cake by Laurie Lunsford, illustrated by Brittani Gothard
Buttermilk by Fat Hendrick, illustrated by Jamil Adler
Bye-Bye Butterflies: Seven Ways to Breathe Out Worry by Lilita Matison, illustrated by Tija Kinens
Gollywood Here I Come! by Terry John Barto, illustrated by Mattia Cerato
The Great Danbury State Fair by Theresa Buzaid, illustrated by Steve Dasgupta
Best Interior Design
1st Place: The Eel Hunt by Jennifer Somervell, illustrated by Margery Fern
Board Books
1st Place: The Lucky Chipmunk by Sirui Li, illustrated by YingMing Zhao
2nd Place: Hey, Baby, Look! by Kate Shannon, illustrated by Morgan Owens
Chapter Books
1st Place: Muddy Madeleine Meets an Arach-A-Doo by Amanda Stone Norton, illustrated by Veronica V. Jones
2nd Place: The Ghost of the Frozen North by Roberta Hoffer, illustrated by Madison Gaines
Honorable Mentions:
The Life and Times of Birdie Mae Hayes by Jeri-Anne Agee
William of Arlington by Christopher Wiederkehr
Sir Princess Petra's Talent by Diane Mae Robinson, illustrated by Samantha Kickingbird
Parents for Sale by Dr. Nicole Audet
Charity/Making a Difference
1st Place: Wilson & Bella's Christmas Wish! by Susan Castriota
2nd Place: It All Starts With You! by K.W. Wilson, illustrated Josh Flanigan
Honorable Mention: Mark My Footsteps: The Good King at Christmas by Frederick L. Schuszler, illustrated by Gaye Frances Willard
Children's Nonfiction
1st Place: Hey, Baby, Look! by Kate Shannon, illustrated by Morgan Owens
2nd Place: The Adventures of Paka The Lion Cub by Mary N. Keown, illustrated by Yvonne L. Martin
Cultural Diversity
1st Place: The Eel Hunt by Jennifer Somervell, illustrated by Margery Fern
2nd Place (tie): Angels, Angels, Everywhere by Michelle Beber, illustrated by Susan Shorter
2nd Place (tie): Gabrielle's Gift by Lerone Landis, illustrated by Bill Young
Educational/Instructional
1st Place: Super Smart Sugar by Barbara Freeman, illustrated by Caitlin Welsh
2nd Place: The Adventures of Paka The Lion Cub by Mary N. Keown, illustrated by Yvonne L. Martin
Honorable Mentions:
Queen Vernita Visits Gator Country by Dawn Menge, illustrated by Pamela Snyder
The Paci Fairy by Melissa Burnett, illustrated by Chrisann Zaubi
Family Matters
1st Place (tie): It's This Monkey's Business by Debra Mares, illustrated by Taylor Christensen
1st Place (tie): Just Because by Chiquita Camille Payne, illustrated by Jerry Craft
1st Place (tie): Sugar: A Princess Pit Bull Finds Her Family by Barbara Freeman, illustrated by Caitlin Welsh
1st Place (tie): That Mama is a Grouch by Sherry Ellis, illustrated by Don Berry
2nd Place: vA Brand New Day: A Banana Split Story by A.S. Chung, illustrated by Paula Bossio
Fiction: Collection of Short Stories
Honorable Mention: Paisley or Plaid … being your very best you! by Jennifer Kuhns, illustrated by MiCK
General
1st Place: CougaMongaMingaMan Meets Maggie by Nancy Scalabroni, illustrated by Terri Kelleher
2nd Place: Floppy Lop-Ears Tries to Get "Off the Spectrum" by Rochelle Caruso Flynn, illustrated by Joshua Allen
Green Books/Environmental
1st Place: The Rain Forest Dance by Sandra Fernandez-Achenbach
2nd Place: Sara to the Rescue by Susana Sanchez
Growing Pains
1st Place: Your Awesome Brain by Edwin Lee, M.D., F.A.C.E and Jim Huth, illustrated by Bryan Burright
Health
1st Place: Your Awesome Brain by Edwin Lee, M.D., F.A.C.E and Jim Huth, illustrated by Bryan Burright
Historical Fiction
1st Place: Powder Monkey by Donna M. McDine, illustrated by K.C. Snider
2nd Place: The Eel Hunt by Jennifer Somervell, illustrated by Margery Fern
Middle Grade Fiction
1st Place (tie): A Place to Call Home: Toby's Tale by G.A. Whitmore
1st Place (tie): The Gift of Sunderland by J.E. Rogers, illustrated by Guy Atherfold
1st Place (tie): The Gift of Sunderland (ebook) by J.E. Rogers, illustrated by Guy Atherfold
2nd Place: The Sorrow of a Crescent Moon by J. Wagoner, illustrated by Mar Fandos
Honorable Mention: The Big House by Paul Ellis
Outdoor Recreation
Honorable Mention: How Perfectly You! (And Peabody Too!) by Beth McCarthy Marks, illustrated by Pamela Cinnamon
Picture Books 5 & Younger
1st Place (tie): Eden and Her Happy by Tracy Schlepphorst
1st Place (tie): If I Could Reach the Sky by Abbe Reichman, illustrated by Charles Berton
1st Place (tie): It's a Piece of Cake by Laurie Lunsford, illustrated by Brittani Gothard
1st Place (tie): Noisy Bird Sing-Along by John Himmelman
1st Place (tie): The Adventures of Paka The Lion Cub by Mary N. Keown, illustrated by Yvonne L. Martin
2nd Place: Hey, Baby, Look! by Kate Shannon, illustrated by Morgan Owens
Honorable Mentions:
Over on a Mountain by Marianne Berkes, illustrated by Jill Dubin
Hurry Harry! Hurry! by Lilly Waters, illustrated by Valerie Quinn
Pigs & Peacocks by Jenni Garrick, illustrated by Joshua Allen
Luna Luna by Sam Ryan, illustrated by Hazel Mitchell
Can You Buy Me the Wind? by Steven Schoenfeld, illustrated by Chuck Gonzales
Explorations of Commander Josh Book One: In Space by Donna LeBlanc, illustrated by Anton Servetnik
The Lonely Loon by Margaret Ball Ottman
Angels, Angels, Everywhere by Michelle Beber, illustrated by Susan Shorter
Sashi: The Scared Little Sheltie by Linda Greiner, illustrated by Morgan Spicer
Buttermilk by Fat Hendrick, illustrated by Jamil Adler
Night to Day by Leah C. Fabian
Gollywood Here I Come! by Terry John Barto, illustrated by Mattia Cerato
When the Sun Goes Down by Nannette Nocon, illustrated by John Kastner
Lonnie the Loon Learns to Call by Barbara Renner, illustrated by Davina Kinney
The Great Danbury State Fair by Theresa Buzaid, illustrated by Steve Dasgupta
Picture Books 6 & Older
1st Place (tie): An Amazing Circus of Phonograms: Act 1 by Mary Jo Nyssen, illustrated by Mike Motz
1st Place (tie): Explorations of Commander Josh Book One: In Space by Donna LeBlanc, illustrated by Anton Servetnik
1st Place (tie): Gollywood Here I Come! by Terry John Barto, illustrated by Mattia Cerato
1st Place (tie): Queen Vernita Visits Baja Quail by Dawn Menge, illustrated by Pamela Snyder
1st Place (tie): Sashi: The Scared Little Sheltie by Linda Greiner, illustrated by Morgan Spicer
1st Place (tie): The Dandelion Seed's Big Dream by Joseph Anthony, illustrated by Chris Arbo
1st Place (tie): The Great Danbury State Fair by Theresa Buzaid, illustrated by Steve Dasgupta
2nd Place (tie): The Adventures of Paka The Lion Cub by Mary N. Keown, illustrated by Yvonne L. Martin
2nd Place (tie): Mi Abuela is Sick by Jennifer Bisignano, illustrated by Gaston Hauviller
Honorable Mentions:
Angels, Angels, Everywhere by Michelle Beber, illustrated by Susan Shorter
Can You Buy Me the Wind? by Steven Schoenfeld, illustrated by Chuck Gonzales
Hockey Agony by Donna M. McDine, illustrated by Julie Hammond
Charming Chirp by Marlene Bischoff, illustrated by Ron Wheeler
Wilbur's Birthday House by Andy Nicholaw, illustrated by E. Crowley
Apple Annie: Small is Special by T.W. Krueger, illustrated by Lisa Bohart
The Fancy Shirt Finds Friendship by Abbe Reichman, illustrated by Charles Berton
Hurry Harry! Hurry! by Lilly Waters, illustrated by Valerie Quinn
Daddy is a Conundrum! by Dr. N. Tran-Davies, illustrated by Stephanie Parker
Jesse True's First Day of School by Jodi Healy, illustrated by Beck Goguen
Just Because by Chiquita Camille Payne, illustrated by Jerry Craft
The Eel Hunt by Jennifer Somervell, illustrated by Margery Fern
The Lucky Chipmunk by Sirui Li, illustrated by YingMing Zhao
A Girl Like Me by Deborah K. Moore & Gbolu Mulbah-Bondo, illustrated by Michelle Guthrie
Nickerbacher, The Funniest Dragon by Terry John Barto, illustrated by Kim Sponaugle
The Wiggles All Started With Me by Julia Randall, illustrated by Addie Storm
When the Sun Goes Down by Nannette Nocon, illustrated by John Kastner
The Lonely Loon by Margaret Ball Ottman
Poetry
1st Place: Angels, Angels, Everywhere by Michelle Beber, illustrated by Susan Shorter
2nd Place: When the Sun Goes Down by Nannette Nocon, illustrated by John Kastner
School Issues
1st Place: The Lonely Loon by Margaret Ball Ottman
2nd Place: Great Things To Be by Kenin O'Connor
Honorable Mentions:
Boy Zorro and the Bully (El Nino Zorro y el Peleon) by Kat Aragon, illustrated by Noel Ill
Floppy Lop-Ears Tries to Get "Off the Spectrum" by Rochelle Caruso Flynn, illustrated by Joshua Allen
Science Fiction/Fantasy/Paranormal
1st Place: The Visitor's Choice by Alexander Davidson
2nd Place: The Adventures of Biker Frog and Lady White Bear by C. Kindler
Spiritual/Religious
1st Place (tie): If Jesus Lived Inside My Heart by Jill Roman Lord, illustrated by Amy Wummer
1st Place (tie): Pancakes with Papa: Five Ways to Remember by Dena Albergo Jayson, illustrated by Rainer M. Osinger
2nd Place (tie): Angels, Angels, Everywhere by Michelle Beber, illustrated by Susan Shorter
2nd Place (tie): Mark My Footsteps: The Good King at Christmas by Frederick L. Schuszler, illustrated by Gaye Frances Willard
Honorable Mentions:
Josephine: A Tale of Hope and Happy Endings by Roni McFadden & Bunny McLeod, illustrated by Sierra Gaston
A Girl Like Me by Deborah K. Moore & Gbolu Mulbah-Bondo, illustrated by Michelle Guthrie
The Dream Doctor by Kathryn Andries, illustrated by Kathleen Beening
Unpublished Manuscript
Honorable Mention: The Adventures of Jay & Max "The Garden" by Melissa Burnett, illustrated by Chrisann Zaubi
Honorable Mention: Patch the Paci Pirate by Melissa Burnett, illustrated by Chrisann Zaubi
Young Adult Fiction
1st Place: A Place to Call Home: Toby's Tale by G.A. Whitmore
2nd Place: The Visitor's Choice by Alexander Davidson
Young Adult Nonfiction
Honorable Mention: Tails of Sweetbrier by Deanie Humphrys-Dunne, illustrated by Holly Humphrys-Bajaj