Independent Publisher Books Awards: 2015

The IPPY Awards. The Independent Publisher Book Awards were created in 1996 in recognition of independent authors and publishers. Since then there have been thousands of IPPY Awards, and the number is growing. Included are genres reviewed here, but there are plenty more at their site.


Fiction: Juvenile

GOLD: Jack the Castaway, by Lisa Doan; illustrated by Ivica Stevanovic (Darby Creek Publishing)

SILVER: Project Superhero, by E. Paul Zehr (ECW Press)

BRONZE: My Brother's Story, by Allen Johnson Jr. (Premium Press America)

Fiction: Young Adult

GOLD (tie):
-The Belief in Angels, by J. Dylan Yates (Chenery Press)
-Words and Their Meanings, by Kate Bassett (Flux Books / Llewellyn Worldwide)

SILVER (tie):

-Spirit Legacy: Book 1 of the Gateway Trilogy, by E.E. Holmes (Lily Faire Publishing)
-Spelled, by Kate St. Clair (Black Hill Press)

BRONZE: Melt, by Selene Castrovilla (Last Syllable Books)

Fiction (Multicultural): Young Adult

GOLD: The Clever Swallow, by Christopher Lee, illustrated by Yoom Thawilvejakul (Ammonite Films Publishing)

SILVER: Walking Two Worlds, by Joseph Bruchac (7th Generation)

BRONZE: The Parrot Matchmaker: An African Lovers Tale, by Felix Adeoti Oguntoye (Asalako Press)

Nonfiction: Young Adult and Juvenile

GOLD: Smile & Succeed for Teens, by Kirt Manecke (Solid Press, LLC)

SILVER: How to be a Space Explorer: Your Out-of-this-World Adventure, by Mark Brake / Lonely Planet Kids (Lonely Planet Pub)

BRONZE: The Electrifying Story of Multiple Sclerosis, by Vanita Oelschlager; illustrated by Joe Rossi (Vanita Books, LLC)

Nonfiction (Multicultural): Young Adult and Juvenile

GOLD: Amazing World Atlas: Bringing the World to Life, by Lonely Planet Kids (Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd)

SILVER: All About China, by Allison Branscombe (Tuttle Publishing)

BRONZE: Because I Am a Girl, by Rosemary McCarney with Jen Albaugh and Plan International (Second Story Press)

Picture Books: Children (7 and under)

GOLD: The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm, by LeVar Burton and Susan Schaefer Bernardo; illustrated by Courtenay Fletcher (RR Kidz Inc)

SILVER: The Great Googly Moogly, by Courtney Dicmas (Child’s Play International Ltd.)

BRONZE (tie):

-The Night Before My Birthday Book, by Joni Rubinstein; illustrated by Juana -artinez-Neal (Three Hearts Presents LLC)
-Luna Luna, by Sam Ryan; illustrated by Hazel Mitchell (Mascot Books)

Picture Books: All Ages

GOLD (tie):
-Cyparissus, by Marta Sanmamed; illustrated by Sonja Wimmer; translated by Jon Brokenbrow (Cuento de Luz)
-T.L.C., by M.H. Clark (Compendium Inc.)

SILVER: Fred and the Monster, by Scott Sussman; illustrated by Yves Margarita (Octopus Ink Press)

BRONZE: The Coal Thief, by Alane Adams; illustrated by Lauren Gallegos (Rodina Press)

Young Reader's Choice Awards: 2015

The Young Reader's Choice Award [YRCA] is the oldest children's choice award in the U.S. and Canada. Sponsored by the Pacific Northwest Library Association (rep. Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Washington; Alberta and British Columbia), the award was first established in 1940 by Harry Hartman, a book seller in Seattle. He believed that every child deserved the opportunity to read a book that gave them pleasure. Award nominations come from children, teachers, parents and librarians.



Winners:

--Wonder by R.J. Palacio (2012)

  

--Drama by Raina Telgemeier (2012)

--The Fault in Our Stars by John Green (2012)

Nominees for 2015:

Junior: 

Wonder by R.J. Palacio - WINNER!

Ungifted by Gordon Korman

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage

Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin

Who Could That Be at This Hour? by Lemony Snicket

Fairest of All by Sarah Mlynowski

Intermediate:

Drama by Raina Telgemeier - WINNER!

The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen by Susin Nielsen-Fernlund

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Son by Lois Lowry

Liar and Spy by Rebecca Stead

Bomb: The Race to Build-and-Steal the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin

Cinder by Marissa Meyer

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

Senior:

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green - WINNER!

Dodger by Terry Pratchett

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult

Bitterblue by Kristin Cashore

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

The Selection by Kiera Cass

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

YALSA Awards for Young Adult Literature 2015

Here are some of the YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) book awards honoring young adult writers and their books in 2015. Among its missions, YALSA strives to evaluate material of interest to teens (12-18) and to expand the library's outreach. Additional awards and book summaries can be found at their website. Check it out! 


Morris Award (honors best YA Debut Books)
Winner:

--Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero, published by Cinco Puntos Press.

Finalists:

--The Carnival at Bray by Jessie Ann Foley, published by Elephant Rock Books.

--The Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim by E.K. Johnston, published by Carolrhoda Lab™, an imprint of Carolrhoda Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group.

--The Scar Boys by Len Vlahos, published by Egmont Publishing.

--The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton, published by Candlewick Press.

Michael L. Printz Award (honors literary excellence in YA)

Winner:

--I’ll Give You the Sun By Jandy Nelson
Published by Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Group, (USA) LLC, a Penguin Random House Company

Honor Books:

--And We Stay By Jenny Hubbard
Published by Delacorte, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc., a Penguin Random House Company.

--The Carnival at Bray By Jessie Ann Foley
Published by Elephant Rock Books.

--Grasshopper Jungle By Andrew Smith
Published by Dutton Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA), LLC, a Penguin Random House Company.

--This One Summer By Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Jillian Tamaki
Published by First Second


Nonfiction Awards (honors best YA nonfiction)

Winner:

--Popular: Vintage Wisdom for a Modern Geek written by Maya Van Wagenen and published by Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group

Finalists:

--Laughing at My Nightmare by Shane Burcaw, and published by Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan’s Children’s Publishing Group

--The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming, and published by Schwartz & Wade, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books

--Ida M. Tarbell: The Woman Who Challenged Big Business—and Won! by Emily Arnold McCully, and Published by Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers

--The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights by Steve Sheinkin, and published by Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan’ Children’s Publishing Group

National Book Awards: Young People's Literature 2015

 

(WINNER) 

Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman. 

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

(Young Adult)

(FINALISTS)

 
--The Thing About Jellyfish  
by Ali Benjamin. Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 
(Middle Grade)

--Bone Gap by Laura Ruby. Publisher: Balzer+Bray/Harper Collins Children's Books

 (Age 10 up)

 --Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin. Publisher: Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan Children's Publishing Group (Middle grade)

 

 

 --Nimona by Noelle Stevenson. Publisher: 

HarperTeen/HarperCollins Children's Books
(Young Adult)

Longlist:

 

--Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, Publisher: Balzer+Bray/HarperCollins Children's Books

--Symphony for the City of the Dead: Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad by M.T. Anderson, Publisher: Candlewick Press

--Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson, Publisher: Greenwillow/HarperCollins Children's Books

--This Side of Wild: Mutts, Mares, and Laughing Dinosaurs by Gary Paulsen, Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

--X: A Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz, with Kekla Magoon, Publisher: Candlewick Press