The world as it was and is. Not as it could, or would, or should be. Send the dystopias and space operas, the fairies and angels, the blood-suckers, zombies, and alternate realities to SFF. In YA Fiction we are looking for realistic fiction, be it contemporary or historical, funny or mysterious, romantic or adventurous. We want the real world of …

Poetry is tiny but mighty in nominations. From words that rhyme, words that flow and shape emotions on all different topics to poetic forms, the Poetry Genre is home to a veritable stew of entries. These books will appeal to the very young, middle grade and/or young adults. What belongs in Poetry? Anthologies and poetry collections written by various authors …

Part of a series to introduce each genre, written by the category chair. I mean come on!  A famous pilot missing for years, all about crocodiles, the guy with the insane hairdo, creepy bugs, green solutions for our planet, plunging to the depths of the icy sea, riding the first bicycle, feeling the anger and triumph as women win the …

Part of a series to introduce each genre, written by the category chair. You're never too young for nonfiction! Nonfiction Picture Books are the perfect way to introduce kids to the amazing world around them, from history and biography to art and nature. Science? Math? Animals? Sports? It's all here and more besides! We're looking for titles that make great …

Part of a series to introduce each genre, written by the category chair. Middle grade fiction encompasses a wide range of stories that do not have magical elements and are geared toward the 8 to 12 year old age group. Mysteries, histories, humor, sports, adventure and other tales set in the real world are all part of this category. Readers …

Part of a series introducing each genre, written by the organizer. Comics FTW! The graphic novels category covers a wide range of stories–everything from wordless picture books appealing to the very young to intense, issue-based young adult novels–all of which tell their stories through serial artwork. All of these stories are welcome. We give an award for both the younger …

Part of a series introducing each genre, written by the organizer. The category of Fiction Picture Books would appear clearcut: books that are fictional with pictures. Oh, but that simplicity is deceptive. The genre contains titles for toddlers and third graders, funny stories and moving tales, history and fantasy, traditions and diversity, elegance and silliness, education and entertainment. An amazing …

Part of a series to introduce each genre, written by the category chair. Science fiction and fantasy take us to realms of the imagination: places and times and realities where the rules of life may be different than our own and where the impossible and improbable become real. But good science fiction and fantasy does more than that: it asks, …