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Book Award Categories

01Adult Fiction: Adventure—Books in this category are action-packed, often centered around a trip, journey, or quest, usually in an unfamiliar or dangerous environment.


02 Adult Fiction: Anthology/Collection—Books in this category include any collection of selected writings or
short stories by one or more authors.


03 Adult Fiction: Fantasy/Occult—Books in this category include magical, mythical, paranormal, or supernatural creatures or beings, and/or other unusual characters, settings, or experiences that lack scientific explanation.


04 Adult Fiction: Historical—Books in this category draw the reader into a fictional experience based on real
people or events of the past.


05 Adult Fiction: Mystery/Suspense—Books in this category are centered around crime or detective work;
tension and apprehension are created by unpredictability.


06Adult Fiction: Romance—Books in this category showcase a central love story where two characters overcome adversity in an attempt to obtain their happily ever after.


07Adult Fiction: Sci-Fi—Books in this category involve other-worldly or futuristic societies and advanced technology.


08Adult Fiction: Thriller/Horror—Books in this category are scary and terrifying with an action-packed plot and seemingly impossible situations, which may include violence and gore.


09 Arts/Entertainment—Books in this category explain topics such as visual art, film, music, and dance histories, critiques, materials, methodology, etc.


10 Autobiography/Memoir—Books in this category recount a true story of the author's life or a portion of the
author's life.


11 Biography—Books in this category chronicle a true story about another real person's life, career, or
accomplishments.


12 Business/Technology—Books in this category focus on organizing and improving business operations,
utilizing technology, and/or business leadership.


13 Coffee Table—Books in this category are large (minimum 8"x10") hard-cover books with aesthetically-pleasing covers, ideal for display on a table. Contents include photographs, images, and/or stand-alone chapters.


14 Coloring/Activity Book—Books in this category consist of pages for adults or children to color or complete word games, puzzles, or other activities.


15 Cookbook/Home& Garden—Books in this category include recipes, gardening, or other related topics.

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16 Education/Pedagogy—Books in this category detail methodology and techniques ofteaching,theoretical
aspects of education, or practical advice for parents, teachers, or administrators.


17 Fitness/Health—Books in this category encompass ideas, plans, or breakthroughs regarding diet/weight loss,
exercise, mental health, medical advancements, or other related topics.


18 History—Books in this category describe factual accounts about events or people of the past.


19 How-To/Instructional/Self-Help—Books in this category instruct readers on how to do a craft, hobby, or other specific task.


20 Humor/Comedy—Books in this category are funny or comical narratives and may include parody, irony, jokes, gags, etc.


21 Inspirational/Motivational—Books in this category are positive messages or stories that include uplifting and encouraging advice.


22 Poetry—Books in this category primarily consist of poems by one or more authors.


23 Political/Current Events—Books in this category address current politicalsituations or other newsworthy
events.


24 Reference—Books in this category provide guidance for research, historical study, genealogy, writing and
grammar, and other informational sources.


25 Religion/Spirituality—Books in this category pertain to religious or spiritual topics.


26 Science/Nature—Books in this category deal with any of the sciences (physics, biology, astronomy, etc.) or the natural world (animals, plants, rivers, etc.).


27 Sports/Recreation—Books in this category discuss teams, rules, techniques, or sports histories and/or
individual and group activities involving competitive games or physical recreation.


28 Travel/Geography—Books in this category contain travel guides, reviews of destinations, travel hacks, or
detailed information about specific places.


29 Children: Pre Reader/Picture Book—Books in this category are 50 to 1,000-word narratives told in a visual and verbal book format (pictures are necessary to propel the story) intended to be read to children ages 2–4 or read by children ages 5–8. Winning medals will be awarded to the author and the illustrator.


30 Children:Beginning Reader—Books in this category are 200 to 1,500-word easy-to-read books with
illustrations,simple words, and short sentences (words stand on their own, but pictures help to remind the reader
of the story), relevant to beginning readers ages 5–8. Winning medals will be awarded to the author and the
illustrator.

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31 Children: Chapter Book—Books in this category are 1,500 to 15,000-word stories using language and content relevant to readers ages 7–10 and divided into short chapters. May contain illustrations to enhance the story. May be fiction or nonfiction.

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32 Middle Grades: Fiction—Books in this category are 15,000 to 50,000-word fictional stories including age-
appropriate, imaginary content and charactersrelevant to readers ages 9–13. May include some illustrationsto

engage or entertain the reader.


33 Middle Grades: Realistic/Historical Fiction—Books in this category are fictional stories that are based on real people or events. May contain illustrations or photographs to entertain the reader or to clarify perceptions.
Content is relevant to readers ages 9–13.


34 Middle Grades: Nonfiction—Books in this category present real-world facts and information relevant to
readers ages 9–13. May contain illustrations or photographsthat help to explain concepts.


35 Young Adult: Fiction—Books in this category include any Young Adult fictional story, including sci-fi/fantasy, romance, historical fiction, etc., relevant to readers ages 13–18.


36 Young Adult: Non-Fiction—Books in this category are true stories relevant to readers ages 13–18.


37 Cover Design: Children—This is the cover design category for any genre of children's book. Winning medals
will be awarded to the author and the cover designer.


38 Cover Design: Middle Grades—This is the cover design category for any genre of Middle Grades book.
Winning medals will be awarded to the author and the cover designer.


39 Cover Design: Young Adult—This is the cover design category for any Young Adult book genre. Winning
medals will be awarded to the author and the cover designer.


40 Cover Design:Adult—This is the cover design category for any Adult book genre. Winning medals will be awarded to the author and the cover designer.

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