These are the publications, organizations, or awards that we feature in the Honors section of the Buzz page and on title listings in Edelweiss:

ABA Regional Book Awards:

• Golden Poppy Book Award Winner – CALIBA presents the Golden Poppy Awards in recognition of the most distinguished books written and illustrated by creators who have made California their home. Committees for each category are made up of booksellers throughout the state tasked with developing a final ballot of five top titles that will be voted upon by California booksellers.
• Heartland Booksellers Award Winner – Administered by the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association and the Great Lake Independent Booksellers Association, the Heartland Booksellers Award is a reflection of handselling at its best, as all the books are selected directly by our independent booksellers and celebrate exceptional literature throughout the Greater Midwest with content either about the region or an author from our region. ​
• NAIBA Book of the Year Award Winner – The NAIBA Book Awards recognize an author who was born or lived in our region, and/or a book whose story takes place in our region. Nominations are for the calendar year (Jan 1 – Dec 31) preceding the presentation year. The categories are: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry, Young Adult Literature, Middle Grade, Picture Book, and occasionally, Special Interest.
• New England Book Award – Chosen by the New England Independent Booksellers Association. For 20 years NEIBA recognized New England authors’ “body of work” with the New England Book Awards. Beginning in 2010 we are changing the focus to specific titles, in Fiction, Non-Fiction and Children’s.
• Pacific Northwest Book Award Winner – The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association has conducted an annual awards program to recognize literary excellence in the Pacific Northwest region—Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Montana, Idaho and British Columbia—since 1964.
• Reading the West Book Award Winner – The Reading the West Book Awards honor the best fiction, non-fiction, and illustrated books for adults and children set in one of the MPIBA member states, or created by an author or artist living in the region. The awards celebrate the spirit of the west and the rich variety of writing in and about our region and reflect the extraordinary diversity of our reading public.
• Southern Book Prize Winner – The Southern Book Prize, formerly known as the SIBA Book Award, has been awarded annually since 1999.  SIBA launched the public ballot in 2019 to encourage stores to engage their customers in the important question of what books deserve to be called “the best Southern book of the year.”

ABC Best Books for Young Readers – Selected by the American Booksellers Association ABC Children’s Group, these titles are bestsellers and buzz-worthy books, but also unique finds.

Agatha Awards Winner – Chosen by Malice Domestic the Agatha Awards honor the traditional mystery, books typified by the works of Agatha Christie and others. For their purposes, the genre is loosely defined as mysteries that contain no explicit sex, excessive gore or gratuitous violence, and are not classified as “hard-boiled.”

ALA Notable Books – for Adults (established 1944) is an annual list selected by the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), a division of the American Library Association

Alex Award Nominee – The Alex Awards are given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. The winning titles are selected from the previous year’s publishing.

Alex Award Winner – Sponsored by the YALSA division of ALA and given to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18. The winning titles are selected from the previous year’s publishing.

Audies – an annual award given by the American Audio Publishers Association for audiobooks and spoken-word entertainment.

Banned and Challenged Titles –  the most challenged books in the United States based on data gathered by the American Library Association’s Office for Intellect Freedom based on data gathered from media reports and reports from librarians and teachers.

Booker Prize Finalist – Titles nominated for The Booker Prize.

The Booker Prize – The prize, which launched in 1969, aims to promote the finest in fiction by rewarding the best novel of the year written in English and published in the United Kingdom.

Booklist Starred Review – Booklist is a book-review magazine that has been published by the American Library Association for more than 100 years, and is widely viewed as offering the most reliable reviews to help libraries decide what to buy and to help library patrons and students decide what to read, view, or listen to. It comprises two print magazines, an extensive website and database, e-newsletters, webinars, and other resources that support librarians in collection development and readers’ advisory.

BookPage Recommends – BookPage is a monthly book review publication distributed to 400,000 avid readers through subscribing bookstores and public libraries. Founded in 1988 and located in Nashville, Tennessee, BookPage serves as a broad-based selection guide to the best new books published every month. All of the content from the print edition is posted on BookPage.com each month.

Boston Globe Horn Book Awards – a set of American literary awards conferred by The Boston Globe and The Horn Book Magazine annually from 1967. One book is recognized in each of three categories: Fiction and Poetry, Nonfiction, and Picture Book.

Bram Stoker Award – Each year, the Horror Writer’s Association presents the Bram Stoker Awards for Superior Achievement, named in honor of Bram Stoker, author of the seminal horror work, Dracula. The Bram Stoker Awards were instituted immediately after the organization’s incorporation in 1987. Any work of Horror first published in the English language may be considered for an award during the year of its publication. The categories for which a Bram Stoker Award may be presented have varied over the years, reflecting the state of the publishing industry and the horror genre.

British Fantasy Award Winner– The British Fantasy Awards are currently decided by a combination of voting and juries. Four items are added to the shortlists by a vote of the BFS membership, attendees of the previous FantasyCon, and attendees of the next FantasyCon.

Bulletin – Book of Special Distinction – Selected by the Center for Children’s Books at the School of Information Sciences at the University of Illinois.

Caldecott Honor Book – Caldecott honors are awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

Caldecott Medal Winner – The Randolph Caldecott Medal annually recognizes the preceding year’s “most distinguished American picture book for children”, beginning with 1937 publications. It is awarded to the illustrator by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library

Children’s Book Council –  Building A Home Library Picks – Experts in children’s literature at the Ingram Content Group have compiled a range of genres, formats, and subject matter, with a focus on diversity of voices and from a wide range of publishers large and small. From board books to graphic novels, picture books to middle-grade fiction, the Building a Home Library Picks, compiled into four age groups, are a fantastic annual resource for parents, librarians, teachers, and booksellers.

The Cercador Prize – A new and auspicious distinction, the Cercador Prize for Literature in Translation will be awarded annually by a committee of five independent booksellers…The Cercador committee’s primary focus will be translated prose works including but not limited to fiction, nonfiction, memoir, and hybrid texts. As nominations are culled from the organic discovery, discussions, and recommendations of the committee, there is no formal submissions process for this prize.

Coretta Scott King Award – Selected by the EMIERT round table of the ALA, the award is given annually to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values.

The Cybils Awards – At its heart, the Cybils Awards is a group of readers passionate about seeking out and recognizing books that portray diversity, inclusion, and appropriate representation for children and teens. To accomplish that goal, the Cybils Awards works to recognize books written for children and young adults that combine both the highest literary merit and popular appeal.

Edgar Award – presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America, based in New York City. They honor the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction, television, film, and theater published or produced in the previous year.

Eisner Award Winner– The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, considered the “Oscars” of the comic book industry, are handed out each year in a gala ceremony at Comic-Con International: San Diego. Named for renowned cartoonist Will Eisner, the Awards are given out in more than two-dozen categories covering the best publications and creators of the previous year.

Foreword Reviews– the debut of Foreword Reviews in 1998 introduced a new stream of quality reviews of independently published books to the wholesalers and distributors where booksellers and librarians order their books. Foreword has a quality blend of readers including ABA IndieBound affiliated bookstores; the small press buying department at Barnes & Noble; the small press buyers at Costco; & librarian subscribers including public library districts in the country’s largest cities.

ForeWord INDIES Gold, Silver, and Bronze Winner– To honor the very best of indie publishing each year…thousands of books are entered each year, and over 100 librarians and booksellers take part in the judging process, narrowing down a group of finalists in 55 categories to Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners that truly represent the best in independent publishing.

GLAAD Media Award Winner– The Annual GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community and the issues that affect their lives.

Harvey Award Winner– The Harvey Awards are one of the comic industry’s oldest and most prestigious awards. Recognizing outstanding achievement in multiple categories, the Harvey’s have been a fixture of the comic industry since 1988.

Horn Book Recommended– Independent, opinionated, and stylish, The Horn Book Magazine has long been essential for everyone who cares about children’s and young adult literature. Our articles are lively, our reviews are insightful, our editorials are always sharp. We have gathered current and archival material to give you a taste of what we’ve been offering since 1924.

Hugo Award – a set of literary awards given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The Hugo Awards are voted on by members of the World Science Fiction Convention (“Worldcon”), which is also responsible for administering them.

Indie Next – Bookseller-recommended favorites.

Indies Introduce – Adult and Children’s – Two panels of booksellers chose the Indies Introduce titles—10 adult and 10 children’s—as the best of the season’s debuts

International Booker Prize Winner – The International Booker Prize (formerly known as the Man Booker International Prize) is awarded annually for the finest single work of fiction from around the world which has been translated into English and published in the UK and Ireland.

James Beard Foundation Book Awards – annual awards presented by the James Beard Foundation to recognize culinary professionals in the United States, sometimes called the “Oscars” of the food world.

Japan International Manga Award Winner– The Ministry of Foreign Affairs founded the International MANGA Award in 2007 for the purpose of expanding international exchange and mutual understanding through the MANGA culture which is widely accepted around the world. This award honors MANGA artists who contribute to the development of MANGA culture in the world.

Kirkus Prize – one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction, and young readers’ literature.

Kirkus Starred Review – One of the most coveted designations in the book industry, the Kirkus Star marks books of exceptional merit.

LAMBDA Literary Award Winner– In 1989, the Lambda Literary Awards were created to garner national visibility for LGBTQ books, which had established a foothold through a nascent network of lesbian and gay publishers and bookstores.

Library Journal Starred Review – Library Journal reviews new general trade books, original paperbacks, e-originals, reference books, and professional development titles for librarians and educators. The reviews are available online and select reviews appear in their monthly publication.

LibraryReads – The monthly nationwide library staff picks list for adult fiction and non-fiction.

Locus Awards – The Locus Awards are presented to winners of Locus Magazine’s annual readers’ poll, in the genres of science fiction, fantasy, and horror novels, short fiction, collections, anthologies, nonfiction, artists, editors, magazines, and publishers.

Midwest Connections – An eligible title has one of the following connections to the region: the author was raised in or currently resides in the region; the book takes place in or is about an area in the region; the spirit of the book reflects the region. All titles are selected by a committee of bookseller members.

National Book Award Finalist – Titles nominated for the National Book Award.

National Book Award Winner – Overseen by the National Book Foundation, the National Book Awards were established in 1950 to celebrate the best writing in America.

National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist – Titles nominated for the National Book Critics Circle Award.

National Book Critics Circle Award Winner – Each year, the National Book Critics Circle presents awards for the finest books published in English in six categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Biography, Autobiography, Poetry, and Criticism.

National Reading Group Month, Great Group Reads – From the Women’s National Book Association

Nautilus Book Awards Winner – recognizes books that promote spiritual growth, conscious living & sustainability, high-level wellness, and positive social change & social justice.

Nebula Award Winner– The Nebula Awards are voted on and presented by full, senior, and associate members of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. Since 1965, the Nebula Awards have been given each year to outstanding novel, novella, novelette, and short stories eligible for that year’s award.

Newbery Medal Winner – is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of “the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children”.

NY Times Notable Books of the Year – The editors of The Times Book Review choose the best fiction and nonfiction titles each year.

Pen Literary Award – annually honor outstanding voices in literature across diverse genres, including fiction, poetry, drama, science and sports writing, essays, biography, and children’s literature.

PEN/Faulkner Award – The PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction is awarded annually by the PEN/Faulkner Foundation to the authors of the year’s best works of fiction by living American citizens.

Printz Award Honor Book – Titles nominated for the Printz Award.

Printz Award Winner – The Michael L. Printz Award is an award for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. Titles are selected by the Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of ALA.

Publishers Weekly Starred Reviews – Publishers Weekly is a weekly news magazine focused on the international book publishing business. It is targeted at publishers, booksellers, librarians, literary agents, authors and the media. It offers feature articles and news on all aspects of the book business, bestsellers lists in a number of categories, and industry statistics, but its best known service is pre-publication book reviews, publishing some 9,000 per year.

Pulitzer Finalist – Titles nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.

Pulitzer Prize – The Pulitzer Prize is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine and online journalism, literature, and musical composition in the United States.

Ringo Award Winner– The Mike Wieringo Comic Book Industry Awards is an annual celebration of the creativity, skill and fun of comics. Nominations were determined by fans and pros alike.

The RITA Award– the highest award of distinction in romance fiction—recognizes excellence in published romance novels and novellas. Up to 2,000 romance novels are entered in the RITA competition in 13 different categories. After the first round of judging by published romance authors, entries that meet the qualifications to become a finalist then advance to the final round. (Retired in 2018)

Shelf Awareness Picks – Shelf Awareness publishes two newsletters, one for general readers and one for people in the book business. Shelf Awareness is published each Friday and helps readers discover the 25 best books of the week, as chosen by booksellers, librarians, and other industry experts.

The Shirley Jackson Award Winner – In recognition of the legacy of Shirley Jackson’s writing, and with permission of the author’s estate, The Shirley Jackson Awards, Inc. has been established for outstanding achievement in the literature of psychological suspense, horror, and the dark fantastic. The Shirley Jackson Awards are voted upon by a jury of professional writers, editors, critics, and academics. The awards are given for the best work published in the preceding calendar year in the following categories:  Novel, Novella, Novelette, Short Fiction, Single-Author Collection, and Edited Anthology.

SLJ Starred Review – School Library Journal is the premiere publication for librarians and information specialists who work with children and teens.

SPIEGEL Belletristik Hardcover – Die Bestseller auf dem deutschen Buchmarkt – Die aktuelle Hardcover-Bestsellerliste für Belletristik. Im Auftrag des SPIEGEL wöchentlich ermittelt vom Fachmagazin buchreport. (The bestsellers on the German book market – The current hardcover bestseller list for fiction. Determined weekly by the specialist magazine buchreport on behalf of SPIEGEL.)

SPIEGEL Belletristik Taschenbuch – Die Bestseller auf dem deutschen Buchmarkt – Die aktuelle Taschenbuch-Bestsellerliste für Belletristik. Im Auftrag des SPIEGEL wöchentlich ermittelt vom Fachmagazin buchreport. (The bestsellers on the German book market – The current paperback bestseller list for fiction. Determined weekly by the specialist magazine buchreport on behalf of SPIEGEL.)

Stonewall Award Winner– The first and most enduring award for LGBTQIA+ books is the Stonewall Book Awards, sponsored by the American Library Association’s Rainbow Round Table.

Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee – Titles nominated for the Texas Bluebonnet Award.

Texas Bluebonnet Award Winner – Each year, 20 books are chosen for the Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List. Schools and libraries around the state participate in the program, encouraging students to read a minimum of five books from the list. In January, students vote for their favorite title. The author of the book receiving the most votes is the winner of the Texas Bluebonnet Award (TBA) which is presented at the Texas Library Association Annual Conference.

The Vivian– recognizes excellence in romance writing and showcases author talent and creativity. We celebrate the power of the romance genre with its central message of hope—because happily ever afters are for everyone.

VLA Graphic Novel Diversity Award Winner– The VLA Graphic Novel Diversity Awards honors comics that promote and embrace diversity and inclusion through the characters or subject matter, in the hopes that this will increase visibility and promote these titles to other librarians.

We Need Diverse Books – a non-profit and grassroots organization of children’s book lovers that advocates essential changes in the publishing industry to produce and promote literature that reflects and honors the lives of all young people.

World Fantasy Award Winner– The World Fantasy Awards are given each year for outstanding achievement in fantasy fiction published during the previous calendar year. Organized and overseen by the World Fantasy Convention, the awards are given each year at the eponymous annual convention as the central focus of the event.