Phoenix, AZ — The Evangelical Christian
Publishers Association (ECPA) is pleased to announce the Finalists for the 2011 Christian Book Awards. Out of 226 entries of
books and Bibles published in the past year, five finalists in six categories
were chosen to represent Christian publishing’s finest books and Bibles for
2011. Many of the titles have enjoyed the success of industry bestseller
lists – with four* appearing in the past year on the New York Times bestseller list – while other titles and authors are
receiving the industry’s highest award attention for the first time.
“This year’s pool of finalists includes
a great mix of authors. It
includes those who have enjoyed bestseller success and whose titles have earned
Christian Book Award finalist and winner status for their ongoing literary contributions
to our culture; along with a group of authors brand new to our list, but whose
contributions are equally excellent and significant,” states Mark Kuyper,
President & CEO of ECPA.
Max Lucado is the first author to
appear on the Christian Book Award finalist list three times in the same year,
all in different categories (Bibles, Inspiration and Non-Fiction). Since 1978,
Lucado has earned 12 wins and 32 finalist placements in the Christian Book
Award program.
This year’s list also features 17
authors who have made finalist standing for the first-time, including two
first-time authors: Gina Holmes for Crossing
Oceans (fiction, submitted by Tyndale House Publishers) and Mosab Hassan
Yousef with Ron Brackin for Son of Hamas (non-fiction,
also submitted by Tyndale House Publishers). While other authors appearing this year are not new to
Christian Book Award finalist and winner accolades: Max Lucado, Joni Eareckson Tada, Hayley DiMarco, Joel
Rosenberg, Lee Strobel, Vicki Courtney and Elizabeth George.
The 2011
Christian Book Awards finalists are:
Category: BIBLES
· Apologetics Study Bible for Students, Sean McDowell, General Editor, B&H Publishing Group, 9781586404932
· ESV Seek and Find Bible, Crossway, 9781433521980
· HCSB Study Bible, Jeremy Royal Howard and Ed Blum, General Editors, B&H
Publishing Group, 9781586405069
· The Case for Christ Study Bible, NIV, Lee Strobel, Zondervan,
9780310938941
· The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible, NKJV, Max Lucado, Thomas Nelson, 9781418543969
Category: BIBLE REFERENCE
· A Visual Guide to Gospel Events, James C. Martin, John A. Beck, and David G. Hansen, Baker Books 9780801013119
· Crossway ESV Bible Atlas, John D. Currid and David P. Barrett, Crossway, 9781433501920
·
The Story of the Bible, Larry
Stone, Thomas Nelson, 9781595551191
· Zondervan Atlas of the Bible, Carl G. Rasmussen, Zondervan,
9780310270508
· Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary, John H. Walton, General Editor, Zondervan, 9780310255727
Category: CHILDREN
· A Girl After God’s Own Heart, Elizabeth
George, Harvest House Publishers, 9780736917681
· Asking For Trouble, Sandra Byrd, Tyndale House Publishers, 9781414325972
· Between God and Me, Vicki Courtney, B&H Publishing Group, 9780805449853
· The Action Bible, Sergio
Cariello, Illustrator; Doug Mauss, General Editor, David C Cook, 9780781444996
· This Little Prayer of Mine, Anthony DeStefano, Mark Elliott,
Illustrator, WaterBrook Multnomah 9780307458049
Category: FICTION
·
Almost Heaven, Chris Fabry. Tyndale House Publishers, 9781414319575
· Crossing Oceans, Gina
Holmes, Tyndale House Publishers, 9781414333052
· Petra, T.L. Higley, B&H Publishing Group, 9781433668562
· Secrets of Harmony Grove, Mindy
Starns Clark, Harvest House Publishers, 9780736926256
· The Twelfth Imam, Joel C. Rosenberg, Tyndale House Publishers, 9781414311630
Category: INSPIRATION
· Amish Proverbs, Suzanne
Woods Fisher, Revell/ Baker Publishing Group,
9780800719531
· Life Saver – The
Ultimate Devotional Handbook for Teens, Todd Hafer, Vicki Kuyper, Michael Klassen, Vicki Caruana, Outreach Publishing, 9781935541219
·
Prayers For Those Who Grieve, Jill
Kelly, Harvest House Publishers, 9780736929349
·
Praying Through Your
Pregnancy, Jennifer
Polimino, Carolyn Warren, Regal Books, 9780830748082
·
You Changed My Life, Max Lucado, Thomas Nelson, 9781404187832
Category: NON-FICTION
· A Place of Healing, Joni Eareckson Tada, David C
Cook, 9781434765321
· Bonhoeffer, Eric Metaxas, Thomas Nelson, 9781595551382
·
God Girl, Hayley
DiMarco, Revell/ Baker Publishing
Group, 9780800719401
· Outlive Your Life: You Were Made to Make a Difference, Max Lucado, Thomas Nelson, 9780849920691
· Son of Hamas, Mosab
Hassan Yousef with Ron Brackin, Tyndale
House Publishers, 9781414333076
One title from each category will be chosen as the Christian Book Award
winner. In addition, one title
will be chosen among all the finalists to receive the highest honor of 2011 Christian Book of the Year.
These winners will be announced at the upcoming ECPA Awards Banquet held May 2
in Colorado Springs in conjunction with the ECPA Executive Leadership
Summit. For more information on the event, click here.
ECPA is
partnering with Christianity Today Inc. (CTi) to promote winning titles to its
consumer base. ECPA has also confirmed support from national retail outlets to
create in-store and consumer promotions to build awareness of the Christian
Book Awards. They include Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, CBD
/ Christianbook.com, Berean, Family Christian Stores, LifeWay, Munce and the
Parable stores.
“We trust
that the recognition these titles will receive as “best of the year” – will
honor these industry authors, whose standout contributions in Christian literature
and study are profound and superior in quality,” states ECPA’s Kuyper.
The Christian Book Awards, established in 1978 as the Gold Medallion Book
Awards by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, recognize the
absolute highest quality in Christian books. Based on excellence in content,
literary quality, design and impact, the Christian Book Awards are the oldest
and among the most prestigious in the religious publishing industry.
For more
information and to view each finalist, click here.
* Three
non-fiction titles (Bonhoeffer, Outlive Your Life, Son of Hamas) and one fiction title (The Twelfth Imam) were featured on the New York Times bestseller list in the past year.
# # #
The
Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) is an international
non-profit trade organization, comprised of nearly 150 member companies
worldwide, representing a combined revenue of nearly $2 billion. Founded in
1974, ECPA is dedicated to serving the Christian publishing industry through
equipping its members through cutting-edge technology, meaningful data, dynamic
educational opportunity and unprecedented access to markets.