Literary Classics Announces Youth Media Top Book Winners

SOUTH DAKOTA - Literary Classics announced its 2013 selection of top books for children and young adults today.  Award recipients were selected from entries received from around the globe.  The Literary Classics selection committee is proud to recognize the following titles in children’s and young adult literature which exemplify the criteria set forth by the Literary Classics Awards committee.

A list of the 2013 recipients follows:

TOP HONORS BOOK AWARDS:

Enchanted Page Book Award  -  Quinn’s Search for the Samurai,  by Gene and Iris Rotberg, illustrated by Bryn Barnard  - Tower View Press

Eloquent Quill Book Award  -  Finding My Place,  by Margo L. Dill - White Mane Kids

Lumen Award  -  Eagle of Delight, by Dr. Jean A. Lukesh - Field Mouse Productions

BEST IN CATEGORY:

Best Illustrator  -  Quinn’s Search for the Samurai, illustrated by Bryn Barnard, written by Gene and Iris Rotberg - Tower View Press

Best First Picture Book  -  Bink and Slinky’s Ark Adventure, by Donna Arlynn Frisinger, illustrated by Monica Gutierrez - Standard Publishing

Best First Chapter Book  -  About a Farm, by Marc Kuhn, illustrated by Lynda Mangoro - CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Best First Novel  -  Living with Your Past Selves, by Bill Hiatt - CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Best Series  -  The Bella & Harry Book Series, by Lisa Manzione, illustrated by Kristine Lucco  - Bella and Harry, LLC

PRESCHOOL/EARLY READER:

Picture Book Preschooler - ​Gold,  Over in the Forest Come and Take a Peek, Marianne Berkes - Dawn Publications

Picture Book Preschooler - Silver, Little Isaac’s Big Adventure, by Tracy Schuldt Helixon, illustrated by Jack Foster - Guardian Angel Publishing

Picture Book Early Reader - Gold, Quinn’s Search for the Samurai, by Gene and Iris Rotberg, illustrated by Bryn Barnard - Tower View Press

Picture Book Early Reader - Silver, Greet the Dawn, written and illustrated by S.D. Nelson - S.D. State Historical Soc. Press

General Early Reader - Gold, Deputy Dorkface. How Mannerland Got its Manners Back, by Kevin D. Janison, illustrated by Eldon Doty  - Stephens Press

General Early Reader - Silver,  Noisy Bug Sing-Along, by John Himmelman - Dawn Publications

Educational Early Reader - Gold, What’s in the Garden, by Marianne Berkes, illustrated by Cris Arbo - Dawn Publications

Educational Early Reader - Silver, Nature’s Patchwork Quilt, by Mary Michè, illustrated by Consie Powell - Dawn Publications

Environmental Issues Early Reader - Gold, Nature Recycles, How About You?  by Michelle Lord - Sylvan Dell Publishing

Environmental Issues - Silver, Fairminded Fran, and the Three Small Black Community Cats, by Linda Elder, illustrated by Kathy Abney - ​Foundation for Critical Thinking

PRE-TEEN / TWEEN

Fantasy Pre-teen  -  Gold, The Wicked Passage, N.M. Singel - Mitchell Morris Publishing

Fantasy Pre-teen - Silver, Loogie the Booger Genie, by N.E. Castle - N.E. Castle

Historical Fiction Pre-teen - Gold, Dear Frank: Babe Ruth, The Red Sox, and the Great War, by W. Nikola-Lisa - Gyroscope Books

Historical Fiction Pre-teen - Silver,  Woody’s World, by E. Renee Heiss - Character Publishing

Historical Nonfiction Pre-teen  -  Gold, Eagle of Delight, by Dr. Jean A. Lukesh - Field Mouse Productions

Historical Nonfiction Pre-teen  -   Silver, Evelyn and the Two Evas, by Evelyn Rothstein - Marble House Editions

Nonfiction Pre-teen  -  Gold, Bullies, Cyberbullies and Frenemies, by Michele Elliott - Wayland

Nonfiction Pre-teen  -  Silver, Katrina and Winter, Partners in Courage, by Nancy Stewart - Guardian Angel Publishing

YOUNG ADULT

Fantasy Fiction Young Adult  -  Gold, Owlet, by Emma Michaels - Tribute Books

Fantasy Fiction Young Adult - Silver, Living with Your Past Selves, by Bill Hiatt - CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Fiction Young Adult   -  Gold, The Trial of Misella Cross, by Catherine Witek - Sky Parlor Press

Fiction Young Adult - Silver, Life on Hold, by Beverly Stowe McClure - 4 RV Publishing LLC

Nonfiction Young Adult   -   Gold, Have Fun & Get It Done, by Jenée Dana - My Focus Book, LLC

Nonfiction Young Adult  -  Silver, The Grief Recovery Kit, by Tanya Kilgore - Aepisaurus Publishing, LLC

Faith Based Young Adult  -  Gold, The School of Ministry: The Windgate, by Braxton A Cosby - Keith Publications

Faith Based Young Adult  -  Silver, Love the Wounded, by Lynn Dove - Word Alive Press

SPECIAL INTEREST

Historical Non-Fiction  -  Gold, Windjamming to China, by Gustave Tjgaard - Strategic Book Group

Inspirational / Motivational   -  Gold, The Modern Man, Cristiane Serruya - CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Faith Based   -  Gold, Bink and Slinky’s Ark Adventure, by Donna Arlynn Frisinger, illustrated by Monica Gutierrez - Standard Publishing

Environmental Issues  -  Gold, Arlene the Rebel Queen, by Carol Liu, with Marybeth Caldarone - Emerald Book Company

Health and Well Being  -  Gold, Jack Teaches his Friends..., by Sally Berenzweig MEd, MA & Cherie Benjoseph LCSW, illustrated by Lilah Cohen - Kidsafe Foundation

Male Audience  -  Gold, Dear Frank, Babe Ruth, the Red Sox and the Great War, by W. Nikola-Lisa - Gyroscope Books

Female Audience  - Gold, Molly the Mermaid, written and illustrated by Cari Lyn - Lapis Moon Publishing

Literary Classics, an organization dedicated to furthering excellence in literature, takes great pride in its role to help promote classic literature which appeals to youth, while educating and encouraging positive values in the impressionable young minds of future generations.  Judging is based upon the criteria set forth by Literary Classics’ highly selective awards committee which honors books promoting character, vision, creativity and learning, through content which possesses key elements found in well-crafted literature.

The Literary Classics judging committee consists of experts with backgrounds in publishing, writing, editing, design, illustration, and book reviewing.   To learn more about Literary Classics, visit their website at www.literaryclassicsawards.com.

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Reviews & Awards http://literaryclassicsreviews.com

Author Spotlight - Marianne Berkes

Author, Marianne Berkes

​Animalogy, Animal Analogies

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WRITING? 20 years, professionally
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WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BEGIN WRITING? As a child, I loved to write plays and perform them with my friends every summer. I especially liked rhythm and rhyme and often would write poems for special occasions. My parents always encouraged me. Music, theater and reading have been a constant in my life. I’ve always had a good imagination and lots of ideas for stories. I like making music with words, but it wasn’t until I moved to Florida that I became an aspiring children’s author. I read many children’s books in the ten years working as a children’s librarian that I decided I could write one too. I eventually published my first book in 2000 called “Marsh Music” about frogs performing a concert in a marsh.
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WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE?
I love to write about animals and nature, combining fact with fiction. In “Animalogy” though, I decided to try something a little different. As a former early childhood educator in New York, I wanted to make learning about analogies fun! “Animalogy” is a rather simple book, but can lead to lots of discussion as kids compare and contrast different animals. And of course Cathy Morrison’s vibrant animal images bring my words to life.
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IS THIS YOUR FIRST BOOK?
No, but it’s quite different from my others, which have an interactive story, followed by a glossary so the reader can learn more about what he/she has just read about. I love doing research and all my books are vetted by experts in their fields, from frogs, birds, seashells,
Planets, to name a few, so everything is accurate.
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WHAT OTHER BOOKS HAVE YOU PUBLISHED?
Marsh Music (2000)
Seashells by the Seashore (2002)
Marsh Morning (2003)
Over in the Ocean, in a Coral Reef (2004)
Over in the Jungle, a Rainforest Rhyme (2006)
Going Around the Sun: Some Planetary Fun (2008)
Over in the Arctic, Where the Cold Winds Blow (2008)
Going Home, the Mystery of Animal Migration (2010)
Over in Australia, Amazing Animals Down Under (2011)
Animalogy, Animal Analogies (2011)
Over in the Forest: Come and Take a Peek (2012)
The Tree that Bear Climbed (2012)
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DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW BOOKS IN THE WORKS?
My fourteenth book, Anybody Home? will be released by Sylvan Dell Publishing in August 2013. In this book, a ‘possum is looking for a new home to raise her expected babies. Along the way, she meets a wide variety of forest animals and learns about the homes they build and live in.
Also in fall 2013, another of my habitat books, Over in a River, Flowing Out to the Sea, will be released by Dawn Publications.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF: I’ve been a teacher, a children’s theater director and a children’s librarian. Now as a children’s author I visit schools and libraries sharing my publishing adventures. I hope I inspire students to write their own stories sharing their ideas, thoughts and feelings, as they inspire me.
I have a great love of nature and get outdoors as often as I can. Living in Florida now, I enjoy walking the beach and have a huge seashell collection. I love the ocean; there is peace and serenity as I look out on the water. In our hectic and busy lives today, I hope kids can still feel that too and get outdoors more.
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TELL US SOMETHING FUN THAT OUR READERS MIGHT FIND FASCINATING ABOUT YOU:
When I laugh about something really funny, tears start streaming down my face and I look like I’m crying, but I’m really very happy.
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WHAT DO YOU MOST ENJOY DOING IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
Reading, going to a movie or theater, enjoying a nice meal
at a fine restaurant, walking the beach, swimming, traveling and
meeting people of all ages—that includes kids, of course!
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WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SHOW?
I love Broadway shows. It’s hard to decide whether my favorite is Mama Mia, Phantom of the Opera or Les Miserables.
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HAS YOUR BOOK RECEIVED ANY OTHER AWARDS?
Animalogy also has received a Teacher’s Choice Award and an
IPPY Award (Independent Publishers’ Award)
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WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE AS AN AUTHOR?
There are so many of us and in today’s world it’s harder than ever to get published, unless you are already a well-known children’s author. But even well-known authors still deal with rejection sometimes, which we all have to accept. You might think a manuscript is really good, but come to find out something like it has already been published or it’s not quite right for that particular press and you’ve already waited a year.
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These days, many publishers do not accept unsolicited manuscripts, so that’s another challenge-- to get your manuscript in the hands of a publisher you think might like your book.
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DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR OTHER ASPIRING AUTHORS?
Hemingway said that an author is a writer that never quit, so keep keeping on. Don’t give up. While it’s more difficult these days to get published, there are still many opportunities. You just have to try harder and before you submit something, do your homework. Make sure you submit to a press that is right for the genre you’ve written in.
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CAN YOU OFFER ANY TIPS ON GETTING PUBLISHED? Join SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), go to critique meetings and writers’ conferences. Network as much as you can. You never know who will be there.
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IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR READERS?
Thanks so much for this honor and for the opportunity to share my thoughts and feelings. To learn more about me and my books, please go to: www.Marianneberkes.com.

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Reviews & Awards http://literaryclassicsreviews.com

Eagle of Delight Earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval

There is a portrait in the White House of a young Otoe Indian girl.  The girl, who was called Eagle of Delight, journeyed to Washington D.C. with her husband and other Plains Indian Chiefs to discuss peaceful relations with military leaders in 1821.  While few people are familiar with the story of Eagle of Delight, this young lady made quite an impression during her brief time in Washington D.C.

Author Jean A. Lukesh has crafted a fascinating work of non-fiction in which she has skillfully compiled fact and conjecture to piece together a glimpse into the life of a teenage Plains Indian girl who became "the Darling of Washington D.C. Society" in the early 1800s.

Eagle of Delight is a quick read which is as fascinating as it is informative.  Eagle of Delight comes highly recommended and has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Reviews & Awards http://literaryclassicsreviews.com

Quinn's Search for the Samurai, by Gene and Iris Rotberg, Earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval

 Quinn's Search for the Samurai, by Gene & Iris Rotberg, explores the wonder of a child through the eyes of a young boy.  -Quinn loves to hear stories of castles and knights and other such things from medieval times.  But then he wonders, perhaps there are other men covered in armor from head to toe who still walk the earth today just like the knights from long ago.  So he decides to go to Japan in search of a samurai warrior. 

Quinn discovers all sorts of fascinating  places and people in his search for the samurai.  While on his journey he sees a noodle shop, a temple garden and thousands of Japanese kites flying high up in the sky.  But will his quest for adventure lead him to a find a samurai?

Quinn's Search for the Samurai  beautifully captures the curiosity and wonder of a young child.  Enchanting and expressive illustrations are perfectly paired with this book which is sure to delight young readers.



LITERARY CLASSICS Book Reviews & Awards http://literaryclassicsreviews.com

Bella Saves the Beach by Nancy Stewart earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval

Bella and Britt, best friends, share a love for the beach where they enjoy  splashing in the surf and building sand castles.  But when they begin to notice trash on their favorite beach they become concerned; not only for the pristine beauty of the beach, but for the well-being of the wildlife with whom they share the beach.  The girls agree something must be done, but since Britt is leaving for vacation, that leaves Bella to take on the task by herself.  But that doesn't stop her.  Armed with the determination to save their beach, she succeeds in raising awareness while helping to restore the beach to a clean and safe place that can be enjoyed by people and animals.

Bella Saves the Beach, by Nancy Stewart, teaches kids to care for their environment while arming them with a can-do attitude.  This book comes highly recommended and earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Reviews & Awards http://literaryclassicsreviews.com

Katrina and Winter, Partners in Courage, Earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval

Katrina and Winter, Partners in Courage is the heartwarming true story of a young girl who found inspiration in the most unlikely place.  -Katrina, who was born with a birth defect, was able to walk with the aid of a prosthetic leg.  But she was extremely self conscious about her "helper leg" which she did her best to hide from people.  One day, while on a family vacation, Katrina visited a marine aquarium in Florida.  Katrina was amazed to see Winter, a dolphin with a tail that had been maimed in a crab trap incident.  When Katrina learned that Winter was able to swim with the assistance of a prosthetic similar to her own she felt a sudden connection to the dolphin.  

Through the strong connection Katrina found, she became inspired.  With a new outlook on life she no longer felt the need to hide behind her limitations.  Instead, she became an inspiration to others in her unwavering determination to never letting her disability hold her back.

Katrina and Winter, Partners in Courage is sure to inspire young readers to overcome limitations and reach for their dreams.


LITERARY CLASSICS Book Reviews & Awards http://literaryclassicsreviews.com

Windjamming to China earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval

Imagine visiting with your grandfather as he shares the most incredible tales of voyaging at sea aboard the Vigilant, a wind-driven vessel.  Well you need not imagine.  You can live vicariously through Gustav Tjgaard as he shares his memoirs of a time long since forgotten by most in Windjamming to China.  As one reads Tjgaard's gripping memoir it seems you can nearly hear his audible voice as it resonates from the pages of this gripping  autobiographical novel.   His memories of sailing the North Pacific in the 1930s are interspersed with commentary on various details within the story as they emerge within a beautifully penned narrative.  Drifting from regaling his personal experiences as a young sailor, to knot tying, to his thoughts on chess and women and then back again, the author skillfully weaves a tale that is both fascinating and enlightening.  To read Windjamming to China is to catch a glimpse into the mind of a man whose thoughts are rich in memories, steeped in history and intertwined with wisdom and experience.

Windjamming to China comes highly recommended and has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.


LITERARY CLASSICS Book Reviews & Awards http://literaryclassicsreviews.com

The School of Ministry by Braxton A. Cosby earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval

Ziv is a genuinely likeable young man who has struggled his whole life to find a sense of belonging.  Having been tossed in and out of foster homes following the murder of his parents at the tender age of six, he has known his share of insecurities.  When Ziv shows up at his best friend Stephanie's house with flowers, determined to profess his love for her, he discovers her home has been vandalized and that she is missing.  Then just as quickly, he is kidnapped by members of a secret society who promise to help him find Stephanie on one condition; he must join them in fighting the forces of evil which plague the world. 

This action-packed supernatural thriller is a highly engaging read.  With many plot twists and creative spins, readers will be intrigued and entertained by this compelling novel.  

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Reviews & Awards http://literaryclassicsreviews.com

2013 International Book Awards for Children and Young Adults - Finalists Announced

Literary Classics announced its 2013 selection of top book finalists for children and young adults today.  The list includes finalists from entries received all over the world.  The Literary Classics selection committee is proud to recognize the following titles in children's and young adult literature which exemplify the criteria set forth by the Literary Classics Awards committee.

A list of the 2013 award finalists follows:

Donna Arlynn Frisinger - Bink and Slinky's Ark Adventure

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Sally Berenzweig & Cherie Benjoseph - Jack Teaches his Friends to be KidSafe!

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Marianne Berkes - Over in the Forest

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Marianne Berkes - What's in the Garden?

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N. E. Castle - Loogie the Booger Genie

Braxton A. Cosby - School of Ministry

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Jenèe Dana - Have Fun & Get it Done

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Margo L. Dill - Finding My Place

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Lynn Dove - Love the Wounded

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Linda Elder - Fairminded Fran

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Michele Elliott - Bullies, Cyberbullies and Frenemies

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Renee Heiss - Woody's World

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Bill Hiatt - Living with Your Past Selves

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John Himmelman - Noisy Bug Sing-Along

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Kevin D. Janison - Deputy Dorkface

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Tanya Kilgore - The Grief Recovery Kit

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Marc Kuhn - About a Farm

Carol Liu - Arlene, the Rebel Queen

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Michelle Lord - Nature Recycles, How About You?

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Dr. Jean A. Lukesh - Eagle of Delight

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Cari Lyn - Molly the Mermaid

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Lisa Manzione - The Bella & Harry Series

Emma Michaels - Owlet

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Mary Michè - Nature's Patchwork Quilt

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S.D. Nelson - Greet the Dawn the Lakota Way

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W. Nikola-Lisa - Dear Frank

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Gene & Iris Rotberg - Quinn's Search for the Samurai

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Evelyn Rothstein - Evelyn and the Two Evas

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Tracy Schuldt Helixon - Little Isaac's Big Adventure 

Cristiane Serruya - The Modern Man
 

N. M. Singel - The Wicked Passage

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Nancy Stewart - Katrina and Winter

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Beverly Stowe McClure - Life on Hold

Gustav Tjgaard - Windjamming to China 

Catherine Witek - The Trial of Misella Cross

 

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All final award levels and categories will be announced October 15, 2013. 

Literary Classics, an organization dedicated to furthering excellence in literature, takes great pride in its role to help promote classic children's literature which appeals to youth, while educating and encouraging positive values in the impressionable young minds of future generations.  Judging is based upon the criteria set forth by Literary Classics' highly selective awards committee which honors books promoting character, vision, creativity and learning, through content which possesses the key elements found in well-crafted literature.

The Literary Classics judging committee consists of experts with backgrounds in publishing, writing, editing, design, illustration, and book reviewing.   To learn more about Literary Classics, visit their website at www.literaryclassicsawards.com.

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Reviews & Awards http://literaryclassicsreviews.com