2023 ABC AWARDS
Awesome Books for Children (ABC Award)
ABC Award Application Guidelines
The "ABC" Awards were created to highlight the classic, moral stories for children!
Let's bring back classic, fun books for kids and remove all the political agenda they face each day!
Children's book authors that write fun, classic-style books for kids deserve to be awarded for their excellence in story telling and their focus on the child's needs instead of societal agendas.
Submissions are open to all members of the Children's Publishing Industry--including authors, and publishers worldwide who produce children's books written in English.
Children's books range from picture books to young adult. See categories HERE.
WHO MAY ENTER
Independent publishers & traditional publisher who publish children's books, independent and traditionally published authors throughout North America, as well as overseas publishers and authors who publish children's books intended for an English-speaking audience are eligible. Authors are welcome to enter their books themselves--we also take nominations. Nominations and self-submitters use the same form.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants are to choose the category in which they are to be judged.
ENTRY FEES
$50/per title per category entry fee.
For example, for 1 title and 2 categories, you would send 2 books of the same title and 2 entry fees.. For 1 title and 1 category, you would send 1 book and 1 entry fee.
Submission for more than one category is acceptable, but each requires a fee. Per title, per category.
When entering a title into more than one category, please pay a fee and send a copy of the book for each category entered.
Multiple entries can be sent in one shipment, and entry fees paid by check or money order can be combined into one check amount. Acceptance of submission depends on validity of check and any check fees will be paid by the applicant. If you pay online please enter confirmation on form and submit with book.
Please include completed entry form or online registration receipt in the same package as the books.
Note: Due to new banking policies, we only accept personal checks from outside the United States that are drawn from a U.S. currency account and have U.S. DOLLARS permanently printed on the check or money order. MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE TO: INSCRIPTIONS
WHAT TO SEND
Send one copy of the book for each category entered with the entry for tucked inside the front cover. If you paid online, make sure to write order # on the form so we don't look for a check. For example, when you enter two categories, please send 2 books. You will have the option to upload electronic submissions after you pay online and in a confirmation email. All books entered become the physical property of Inscriptions Books and will eventually be donated to libraries and charities. We accept ebooks, too. email them to: andrea@inscriptionsbooks.com and pay online through the application process.
Please send Audiobook entries as gifts from Libro to us at andrea@inscriptionsbooks.com
HOW WE COMMUNICATE
We will send a confirmation email upon receiving your payment and another upon receiving your books. We send correspondence to the email address listed in your entry, as well as any judging updates, and the final results announcement. Please add these email addresses to your contacts: andrea@inscriptionsbooks.com and inscriptionsbooks@gmail.com in order to receive our updates. Please make sure contact info is the address at which you would like to receive updates and announcements.
DEADLINES
All entries must be posted online or postmarked by the final deadline of June 30, 2023.
RESULTS ANNOUNCEMENT
One GOLD winner and one runner-up per category will be named on July 28, 2023.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Each announced GOLD winning book will receive:
- a packet containing: an engraved gold medal ,a personalized ABC Gold winner certificate, and 20 embossed foil award book seals. (More seals can be re-ordered.)
- a front page highlight on inscriptionsbooks.com
- a free book review
- social media congratulations posts on all inscriptions books pages (Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook)
- a winners seal for their website
- and all winners will also be chosen for staff picks at Inscriptionsbooks.com
Runners up will receive:
- a front page highlight on inscriptionsbooks.com
- a free book review
- social media congratulations posts on all inscriptions books pages (Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook),
- a winners seal for their website
- and all winners will also be chosen for staff picks at Inscriptionsbooks.com.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Andrea Comparato, Awards Director
Phone: 1-855-BOOKJOY
Email: andrea@inscriptionsbooks.com
JUDGING CRITERIA
ABC judging is based on quality of content, originality, design, and production with an emphasis on morally, and child-friendly based content.
Our judging panel includes experts from the fields of design, editing, bookselling, reviewing, and of course, children's books.
Judges will give numerical ratings in each of these six criteria:
FIRST IMPRESSION
We look at the front, the back and the inside. Is this appealing to the child/YA reading it?
DESIGN
Cover design, Description, and front & back typeface – does the cover make the potential reader want to look inside?
Interior layout, typeface, illustrations – is it an easy to read format? is it appealing to the eye?
ORIGINALITY
Is this a copycat new version of an already published book or is it original and unique?
USE OF LANGUAGE
Story outline / information outline for non-fiction. Does it flow? Is there a professional formation of writing? Is it grammatically correct with smooth flowing readability?
MESSAGE DELIVERY
Does the book description and cover match the actual book? Does it have depth? Does it carry through with the description and follow through with its purpose in a moral way?
RELEVANCE
Will children love this book? Is this a message that should be heard? Is there anything immoral in this book that may be questionable for children?
CATEGORIES FOR SUBMISSION:
Picture Book
Children's Fiction (Age 4-7)
Children's Non-Fiction (Ages 4-7)
Middle Grade Fiction (ages 8-12)
Middle Grade Non-Fiction (ages 8-12)
MAIL BOOKS to:
ABC Awards Director
3001 Shelley Lynn Dr
Arnold, MO 63010
TUCK THIS COMPLETED APPLICATION (PRINT HERE) INTO BOOK WITH PAYMENT, IF YOU DID NOT APPLY ONLINE. APPLY ONLINE AND SENDING A BOOK? TUCK IN PAID RECEIPT/APPLICATION.
email books to:
andrea@inscriptionsbooks.com
Have Libro? Gift a book to: andrea@inscriptionsbooks.com
PLEASE DO NOT CALL FOR A STATUS ON YOUR SUBMISSION. ALL WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED FRIDAY, JULY 28, 2023
NO REFUNDS OR ENTRY WITHDRAWALS
APPLY BELOW!