For Immediate Release
June 2025

Contact: American Book Fest
E-mail Press Contact




AMERICAN BOOK FEST™ ANNOUNCES
WINNERS AND FINALISTS OF
THE 2025 INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS™

Mainstream & Independent Titles Score Top Honors in
the 16th Annual International Book Awards™

HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Wiley, Hachette,
Rowman & Littlefield, Wipf and Stock, Routledge, Hay
House, HCI Press, Minotaur, Inner Traditions, Greenleaf
Book Group, She Writes Press, Ideapress Publishing,
Kogan Page, Johns Hopkins University Press, Cambridge
University Press, Oxford University Press, National
Galley of Victoria and hundreds of national and
international Independent Houses contribute to
this year’s Outstanding Competition!




LOS ANGELES, JUNE 2025 – American Book Fest announced the winners and finalists of THE 2025 INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS (IBA), one of the world’s largest international book award programs for mainstream, indie, and self-published titles. Over 400 winners and finalists were announced in over 100 categories. Awards were presented for titles published in 2020-2025.

Jeffrey Keen, President and CEO of American Book Fest, said this year’s contest yielded thousands of entries from authors and publishers around the world, which were then narrowed down to the final results.

Keen says of the awards, "Over our 16-year history, thousands of self-published and indie authors have leveraged the promotional power of their International Book Award to increase online recognition, enhance their title’s credibility, and garner more attention in the crowded book buying marketplace."

Full results for the 16th Annual International Book Awards

Winners and finalists of this year’s contest join a prestigious group of past laureates, including Pope Francis, George Saunders, Vanessa Williams, Kitty Kelley, Anne Geddes, Daymond John, Mark Nepo and many others. Visit the Award Laureate page for an expanded list.

American Book Fest covers books from all sections of the publishing industry—mainstream, independent, & self-published. A 23-year timeline and award archives

American Book Fest sponsors four separate award programs throughout the year. Many authors and publishers enter one or more contests, depending on their publication and marketing timeline. The 2025/2026 Submission Schedule

American Book Fest has an active social media presence, with over 132,000 current Facebook fans.

American Book Fest on Facebook




AWARD WINNING TITLES INCLUDE:
Full results are available on InternationalBookAwards.com

Animals/Pets: General
The Well Mannered Dog: Because owning a dog should be a joy by Lez Graham, MA
Braidwood Books

Animals/Pets: Narrative Nonfiction
The Well Mannered Dog: Because owning a dog should be a joy by Lez Graham, MA
Braidwood Books

Anthology: Nonfiction
When Thinking is a Problem: About and Beyond Thinking edited Charles Eigen, Ed.
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

Art
Utopia | State of Abstraction by Travis Lovell, Howard Fullmer, & Melissa Barrett
Utah Valley University

Autobiography/Memoir
No Woman Left Behind: A Journey of Hope to Heal Every Woman Injured in Childbirth by Kate Grant
She Writes Press

Best Cover Design: Fiction
The Wider World: Book Four of the Hook & Jill Saga by Andrea Jones
Reginetta Press

Best Cover Design: Nonfiction
The Psychic Psychologist: Heal Your Past, Find Peace In The Present, Transform Your Future by Amanda Charles
Hay House UK, Inc.

Best Interior Design
Exits by Stephen C. Pollock
Windtree Press

Best New Fiction
Not Yours to Keep by Zelly Ruskin
She Writes Press

Best New Nonfiction
Thank You for Staying with Me: Essays by Bailey Gaylin Moore
University of Nebraska Press

Biography: General
King of Soca: The Ultimate Insider Reveals How Machel Montano Became One Of The World's Most Popular Soca Artists (The Deluxe Edition) by Elizabeth Montano
EESM Elizabeth Montano, Port of Spain

Business: Careers
What Lights You Up?: Illuminate Your Path and Take the Next Big Step in Your Career by Mary Olson-Menzel
Wiley; 1st edition

Business: Entrepreneurship & Small Business
Can't Tame A Mongoose: Memoir of a Genomics Entrepreneur by Stan Rose
Miles Pond Press

Business: General
Talent Acquisition Excellence: Using Digital Capabilities and Analytics to Improve Recruitment by Bas van de Haterd and Kevin Wheeler
Kogan Page

Business: Management & Leadership
The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs Learn to Lead from the Inside Out by Dana Maor, Hans-Werner Kaas, Kurt Strovink, Ramesh Srinivasan
Penguin Random House

Business: Marketing & Advertising
Non-Obvious Thinking: How to See What Others Miss by Rohit Bhargava and Ben duPont
Ideapress Publishing

Business: Motivational
The Perfect Story: How to Tell Stories that Inform, Influence, and Inspire by Karen Eber
Harper Horizon

Business: Personal Finance/Investing
Wealth in Numbers: The Ultimate Dealmaker's Guide to SPVs, Syndication, and Private Investment by Max Avery and Jake Claver
Trade Days Publishing

Business: Real Estate
Nobody Move by Robert Esposito
Red Penguin Books

Business: Reference
The Non-Obvious Guide to Drawing Your Future: Solve Problems, Explain Ideas, Sell Anything by Patti Dobrowolski
Ideapress Publishing

Business: Sales
The Truth About Pricing: How to Apply Behavioral Economics So Customers Buy by Melina Palmer
Turner Publishing (TMA Press)

Business: Technology
Mastering the Data Paradox: The Key to Winning in the AI Age by Nitin Seth
Penguin Random House India

Business: Writing/Publishing
Unwritten: The Thought Leader's Guide to Not Over thinking Your Business Book by Emily Crookston
Amplify Publishing Group

Children's Educational
How Can I Look It Up When I Don't Know How It's Spelled? Spelling Mnemonics and Grammar Tricks by Marjorie Maddox
Kelsay Books

Children's Fiction
Somebody's Someone by Linda Oatman High
One Elm Books, an imprint of Red Chair Press

Children's Mind/Body/Spirit
The Grass May Not be Greener by Hilary Lawrence
Overlook Publishing

Children's Nonfiction
The Wonderful World of Deep-Time Astronomy by Grant Salmond
Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History

Children's Novelty & Gift Book
Sweet Dreams by Charles Ghigna
Schiffer Publishing

Children's Picture Book: Hardcover Fiction
MUMAGEDDON! And the Food Magician by Sonya Anise
Books Beautiful

Children's Picture Book: Hardcover Nonfiction
Lots of Dots by Yayoi Kusama
National Gallery of Victoria (NGV)

Children's Picture Book: Softcover Fiction
A Leopard Never Changes Its Spots by Hilary Lawrence
Overlook Publishing

Children's Picture Book: Softcover Nonfiction
Why? by Elena Kayne
Independently Published

Children's Religious
A Kid's Book About Diwali by Chhavi Arya Bhargava
A Kids Co.

Cookbooks: General
Modernist Bread at Home by Nathan Myhrvold
The Cooking Lab, LLC

Cookbooks: International
Adventures on Land and Sea: Searching for Culinary Pleasures in Provence and along the Cote d'Azur by Carole Bumpus
She Writes Press

Current Events
Bridging Our Political Divide: How Liberals and Conservatives Can Understand Each Other and Find Common Ground by Kenneth Barish
Routledge

Education/Academic
Purposeful Educator Connections: Five Principles to Strengthen Relationships with Students by Marcela Andres
Routledge

Fiction: African American
Do You Think I Cried Too Long by Elaine Kelliher
Slim Girl Publishing

Fiction: Anthologies
Coolest American Stories 2025 edited by Mark Wish
Coolest Stories Press

Fiction: Cross-Genre
The Widow's Savior by Ian Griffin
Independently Published

Fiction: Fantasy
L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 40 edited by Jody Lynn Nye
Galaxy Press

Fiction: General
The Blue Iris by Rachel Stone
Koehler Books

Fiction: Historical
The Grays of Truth by Sharon Virts
Flashpoint

Fiction: Horror
A Whisper in the Dark by Elizabeth S. Devecchi
Wicked House Publishing

Fiction: Inspirational
The Innkeeper's Journal: A Tale of Self-Discovery by Skip Johnson
Independently Published

Fiction: LGBTQ+
Bachelorette Number Twelve by Jae
Ylva Publishing

Fiction: Literary
The Vow: A Novel by Jude Berman
She Writes Press

Fiction: Multicultural
Mother of Red Mountains: A Novel of a Woman's Journey Through Revolutionary China by Apple An
Voices Heard Publishing, LLC

Fiction: Mystery/Suspense
COLD BURN by A. J. Landau
Minotaur

Fiction: Novella
The Collection Agency Files by Michael Mirolla
Exile Editions

Fiction: Religious
Magdalene's Journey: Mary Magdalene's Untold Story and Teachings by Renee Blodgett and Anthony Compagnone
Blue Soul Publishing

Fiction: Romance
26 Ways to Come Home for the Holidays by Jennifer Joy
Foxburg & Stern Books, LLC

Fiction: Science Fiction
L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume 40 edited by Jody Lynn Nye
Galaxy Press

Fiction: Short Story
Universally Adored & Other One Dollar Stories by Elizabeth Bruce
Vine Leaves Press

Fiction: Thriller/Adventure
COLD BURN by A. J. Landau
Minotaur

Fiction: Visionary
Magdalene's Journey: Mary Magdalene's Untold Story and Teachings by Renee Blodgett and Anthony Compagnone
Blue Soul Publishing

Fiction: Western
Switching Gears: An Anthology of Western Short Stories by W. Michael Gear & Kathleen O'Neal Gear
Wolfpack Publishing

Fiction: Women's Fiction
The Perfumer's Secret by Neroli Lacey
She Writes Press

Fiction: Young Adult
Becoming Carly Klein by Elizabeth Harlan
SparkPress

Health: Addiction & Recovery
Unhooked: Free Yourself from Addiction Forever by Dr. Adi Jaffe
Hachette Go

Health: Aging/50+
What My Grandchildren Taught Me About Alzheimer's Disease by Dana Olivia Dunn Territo
Equinox Publishing

Health: Alternative Medicine
America's Lifeline for Better Health: Preventive Care by Bala Kumar
Amazon

Health: Cancer
Taming Cancer: 21st Century Biology and the Future of Cancer by Drew N. Kelner, Ph.D.
BioCentury Press

Health: Death & Dying
Preparing for the Final Quest: Essential Plans, Tools and Tasks to Develop Before Life's End by Katherine A. Silver, RN
Art of Parentcare, LLC

Health: Diet & Exercise
I Blew My Diet! Now What?: The Easy, Proven 21-Day Plan to Drop Pounds & Bounce Back Boldly by Connie Bennett
Greenleaf Book Group

Health: General
On the Origin of Being: Understanding the Science of Evolution to Enhance Your Quality of Life by Luke Comer and Jenny Powers
River Grove Publishing

Health: Psychology/Mental Health
The Modern Trauma Toolkit by Christy Gibson
Hachette Go

Health: Women's Health
No Woman Left Behind: A Journey of Hope to Heal Every Woman Injured in Childbirth by Kate Grant
She Writes Press

History: General
Holocaust Heroines: Jewish Women Saving Jewish Children by Beverley Chalmers (DSc (Med): PhD) and Dana Solomon (PhD)
Grosvenor House Publishers, UK

History: Military
Military Culture Shift: The Impact of War, Money, and Generational Perspective on Morale, Retention, and Leadership by Corie Weathers
Elva Resa Publishing

History: United States
We the Men: How Forgetting Women's Struggles for Equality Perpetuates Inequality by Jill Elaine Hasday
Oxford University Press

Home & Garden
Food Science for Gardeners: Grow, Harvest, and Prepare Nutrient Dense Foods by Robert Pavlis
New Society Publishers

Humor/Comedy/Satire
Travel Fails & Epic Tails: A Collection of Ridiculous and Relatable Travel Tales by Scotty Boxa
BOXA Network

LGBTQ+ Nonfiction
Oedipal Experiences in Same-Sex Families by Yifat Eitan-Persico
Routledge

Multicultural: Nonfiction
The Painted Pink Dress: A Daughter's Story of Family, Betrayal, and Her Search for the Truth by Minu Cash
Sandra Jonas Publishing

New Age: Nonfiction
Guidance from the Universe: Hopeful Messages for Everyday Challenges by Jill Amy Sager
She Writes Press

Nonfiction: Creative
Property of the Revolution: From a Cuban Barrio to a New Hampshire Mill Town—A Memoir by Ana Hebra Flaster
She Writes Press

Nonfiction: Cross-Genre
Purpose: What Evolution and Human Nature Imply about the Meaning of Our Existence by Samuel T. Wilkinson
Pegasus Books

Nonfiction: General
White Robes and Broken Badges by Joe Moore with Jon Land
Harper Collins

Nonfiction: Inspirational
The Stories They Hear: Expecting Greatness as the Key to Success by William A. Keyes, PhD
Ideapress Publishing

Nonfiction: Narrative
White Robes and Broken Badges by Joe Moore with Jon Land
Harper Collins

Novelty & Gift Book
King of Soca: The Ultimate Insider Reveals How Machel Montano Became One Of The World's Most Popular Soca Artists (The Deluxe Edition) by Elizabeth Montano
EESM Elizabeth Montano, Port of Spain

Parenting & Family
Restoring Our Girls: How Real Conversations Shape Our Daughters' Lives, Help Them with Teen Challenges, and Remind Them That They Matter by Cathy Cassani Adams, LCSW
Mango Publishing

Performing Arts: Film, Theater, Dance, Music
King of Soca: The Ultimate Insider Reveals How Machel Montano Became One Of The World's Most Popular Soca Artists (The Deluxe Edition) by Elizabeth Montano
EESM Elizabeth Montano, Port of Spain

Photography
Exploring Wine Regions – Mexico written and photographed by Michael C. Higgins, PhD
International Exploration Society

Poetry: Contemporary
The Valley of Your Life by Mari-Carmen Marin
Shanti Arts Publishing

Poetry: General
Sundays with Jenny by Jenny Bienemann
Independently Published

Poetry: Narrative
Steady. Against the Absurd. Kinship at the Core by Rae Marie Taylor
Wild Rising Press

Poetry: Religious
A Revenant: An Expository on Death and Poems for Staying Alive by L. N. Wyman
Awātum Press

Religion: Christian Inspirational
Divine Detour: The Path You'd Never Choose Can Lead to the Faith You've Always Wanted by Lori Ann Wood
CrossRiver Media

Religion: Christianity
She Took a Turn: A Memoir of Climbing over Guardrails into Growth by Kristi J. Smith
River Grove Books

Religion: Eastern
Yoga and Your Hidden Soul Power: A New Path to Love, Happiness, and Abundance Using Yoga's Ancient Biyama Wisdom by Glenn Ballantyne & Bobby Hart
Eternal Circle Press

Religion: General
Raging Fire of Love: What I've Learned from Jesus, the Jews, and the Prophets by Kelly James Clark
Independently Published

Science
Purpose: What Evolution and Human Nature Imply about the Meaning of Our Existence by Samuel T. Wilkinson
Pegasus Books

Self-Help: General
Law of Zero: The Journey to Awakening Your Authentic Self, Unlocking Your Infinite Power, and Taking Control of Your Life by Chad Michael Hardy
Greenleaf Book Group

Self-Help: Motivational
The Mentally Strong Leader: Build the Habits to Productively Regulate Your Emotions, Thoughts and Behaviors by Scott Mautz
Peakpoint Press (Skyhorse Publishing)

Self-Help: Relationships
The Empty Nest Blueprint for Single Parents: Navigate Your New Normal and Thrive for the Most Underrated Stage of Your Life by Anthony Damaschino
Infinite Space Publishing

Social Change
Breaking Bias: Where Stereotypes and Prejudices Come From—And the Science-Backed Method to Unravel Them by Anu Gupta
Hay House

Spirituality: General
Purpose: What Evolution and Human Nature Imply about the Meaning of Our Existence by Samuel T. Wilkinson
Pegasus Books

Spirituality: Inspirational
Magdalene's Journey: Mary Magdalene's Untold Story and Teachings by Renee Blodgett and Anthony Compagnone
Blue Soul Publishing

Sports
Another Step Up the Mountain by Dianette Wells with Brit Elders
Mango Publishing Group

Travel Guides & Essays
Exploring Wine Regions – Mexico written and photographed by Michael C. Higgins, PhD
International Exploration Society

True Crime: Nonfiction
JUSTICE NEVER RESTS by William Kolibash with Jon Land and Shariane Taylor Kolibash
Post Hill Press

Women's Issues / Women's Studies
No Woman Left Behind: A Journey of Hope to Heal Every Woman Injured in Childbirth by Kate Grant
She Writes Press

Young Adult: Nonfiction
The Mind of a Horse: Science Meets Comics by Helena Telkanranta, Maija Karala and Ville Sinkkonen
Arador Publishing




CALL FOR ENTRIES!
2026 INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS

Welcome to the 17th Annual International Awards!
  • Open to all 2021–2026 Published Books with an ISBN.
  • E-mail Submission Now Available!
  • 2010–2020 titles are welcome in our sister program, The American Legacy Book Awards
  • Entry Deadline: March 31, 2026
  • Winners & Finalists will be announced online in June 2026
Click Here for Complete Information



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