For Immediate Release — November 12, 2021
ECPA presents Top Shelf Book Cover Award to 28 books and two Bibles
A record number of designs chosen as year’s best, showing growth of design excellence in industry
TEMPE, ARIZ., November 12, 2021 – Today ECPA announced 30 winners of the 2021 Top Shelf Book Cover Award during a live broadcast of the closing session of ECPA PubU Online, wrapping up eight days of training and connection for Christian publishing professionals.
Submissions represented a record-breaking year of wide participation among 35 publishing houses and imprints. Judges have the freedom to choose as many top designs they feel are worthy from the submission pool, and again selected a record number of 30 winners. This is the fourth year in a row that the number of winners has exceeded the prior years’ selections.
The winning designs represent the work of ten publishers, with Crossway taking nine awards and David Fassett at InterVarsity Press responsible for eight wins. Moody and B&H Publishing Group followed with four and three wins respectively.
“Design excellence is a growing priority for publishers as they seek to create awareness, capture reader attention, and provoke engagement with life-changing content,” states ECPA president Jeff Crosby. “I extend my sincere congratulations to each of the art directors, designers, and publishing houses whose excellence in their craft was recognized with a Top Shelf Book Cover Award this year.”
The 2021 winners of the Top Shelf Book Cover Award are:
10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) about Christianity
by Rebecca McLaughlin
Crossway
Designer: Tyler Anthony
CALLED to Pray
by Marsha DuCille
Tyndale House Publishers
Designer: Libby Dykstra
The Courage to Stand
by Russell Moore
B&H Publishing
Designer: Stephen Crotts
Art Director: Jade Novak
Charitable Writing
by Richard Hughes Gibson and James Edward Beitler III
InterVarsity Press
Designer: David Fassett
Dangerous Virtues
by John Koessler
Moody Publishers
Designer: Spencer Fuller
Art Director: Erik M. Peterson
The Doctrine of Creation
by Bruce Riley Ashford and Craig G. Bartholomew
InterVarsity Press
Designer: David Fassett
ESV Single Column Journaling Bible, Artist Series
Crossway
Designers: Jake Weidmann, Joshua Noom, Peter Voth, Ruth Chou Simons, Jess Phoenix, Lulie Wallace
Enneagram Daily Reflections Series
by various authors
InterVarsity Press
Designer: David Fassett
Getting Over Yourself
by Dean Inserra
Moody Publishers
Designer: Erik M. Peterson
“Here Are Your Gods”
by Christopher J. H. Wright
InterVarsity Press
Designer: David Fassett
Gun Lap
by Robert Wolgemuth
B&H Publishing
Designer: Jeff Miller
Art Director: Susan Browne
Lectura fácil Series
By various authors
B&H Publishing
Designer/ Art Director: Matt Lehman
Little Pilgrim’s Progress
by Helen L. Taylor
Moody Publishers
Designers: Erik M. Peterson and Joe Sutphin
Mixed Blessing
by Chandra Crane
InterVarsity Press
Designer: David Fassett
Ministers of Reconciliation
Daniel Darling, Editor
Lexham Press
Designer: Brittany Schrock
No Longer Strangers
by Gregory Coles
InterVarsity Press
Designer: David Fassett
NIV The Jesus Bible Journal, New Testament Collection
Published by Zondervan
Designer: Passion Publishing
Art Director: Rob Jelsema
Practicing Thankfulness
by Sam Crabtree
Crossway
Designer: Spencer Fuller
The Plurality Principle
by Dave Harvey
Crossway
Designer: Jeff Miller
The Promise
by Jason Helopoulos
Crossway
Designer/ Illustrator: Rommel Ruiz
R. C. Sproul: A Life
by Stephen J. Nichols
Crossway
Designer: Jordan Singer
Reading the Times
by Jeffrey Bilbro
InterVarsity Press
Designer: David Fassett
Recovering the Lost Art of Reading
by Leland Ryken and Glenda Faye Mathes
Crossway
Designer: Amanda Hudson
Rediscover Church
by Collin Hansen and Jonathan Leeman
Crossway
Designer: Crystal Courtney
Right Now Counts Forever
by The R.C. Sproul Trust
Ligonier Ministries
Designer: Metaleap Creative
The Rise and Triumph of Modern Self
by Carl R. Trueman
Crossway
Designer: Spencer Fuller
Tani’s New Home
by Tanitoluwa Adewumi
Thomas Nelson
Designer: Susanna Chapman
Illustrator: Courtney Dawson
Voices and Views on Paul
by Ben Witherington III and Jason A. Myers
InterVarsity Press
Designer: David Fassett
Tozer on the Trinity Series
by A. W. Tozer
Moody Publishers
Designer: Tim Green
Art Director: Erik M. Peterson
Waiting Here for You
by Louie Giglio
Passion Publishing
Designer: Kendra Harrell
Each winner is featured at topshelfaward.org/winners.html. Comments by judges and designers can be viewed by clicking on each cover. We are grateful to this year’s judges lending their expertise to this program:
- Tyler Deeb with Misc. Goods Co.
- Trish Mahoney with The Mahoney Studio
- Mike Ryan with Journey Group
Winning book covers, along with judge comments, are also featured in a four-color Annual designed by Faceout Studio and printed by Color House Graphics for distribution to the industry. Contact ECPA to be mailed a copy.
Program information, including judge bios and future submission information, can be found at TopShelfAward.com. The submission period for the 2022 Top Shelf Design Awards will open on January 1st, 2022 and close on August 31, 2022.
The ECPA Top Shelf Award program is managed by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) in order to recognize design excellence in the Christian publishing industry. The membership of ECPA is made up of Christian publishers and companies providing services to the Christian publishing industry. Since 1974, ECPA has strengthened Christian publishing by building Networking, Information, and Advocacy opportunities within the industry and across multiple channels so that our members can more effectively produce and deliver transformational Christian content. Through programs, events, communications, recognition and research, ECPA strengthens publishing communities within the industry. The ECPA Design E-Community, PubU Design training sessions, and Top Shelf Awards are among several ECPA-driven opportunities that designers have to network, stay informed, and be recognized within the industry. For more information on ECPA programs and membership, visit ECPA.org or contact us at info@ecpa.org.
The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) is an international non-profit trade organization comprised of member companies that are involved in the publishing and distribution of Christian content worldwide. Since 1974, ECPA has strengthened Christian publishing by building networking, information, and advocacy opportunities within the industry and throughout multiple channels so that our members can more effectively produce and deliver transformational Christian content. ECPA.org
Media contacts:
Jeff Crosby, ECPA President and CEO, ECPA, 480-966-3998, jcrosby@ecpa.org
Cindy Carter, ECPA Recognition Manager, 480-966-3998, ccarter@ecpa.org
