April 2026 | LISLE, IL—The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) has announced that two InterVarsity Press (IVP) titles—Rebecca Sue and What Gen Z Really Wants to Know About God—are among the finalists for the 2026 Christian Book Award® program.
Written by five-time New York Times bestselling author Kathleen Norris, Rebecca Sue: A Sister’s Reflections on Disability, Faith, and Love ventures into new territory for the author as she shares an intimate portrait of her younger sister. Becky’s life was shaped by lifelong mental and physical disabilities, and Norris paints a picture of Becky’s complex life, from her hopes, sense of humor, frustrations, and hardships to her journey from bitterness and anger to a life characterized by gratitude.
Norris said, “When Rebecca told me, ‘You should write a book about me, so I can be famous like you,’ I recognized it as a call. It’s been an honor to explore my relationship with my sister and try to present her in all her complexity.”
Rebecca Sue is a finalist in the Biography & Memoir category of the 2026 Christian Book Award® program. Norris’ New York Times bestsellers include The Cloister Walk; Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer’s Life; Dakota: A Spiritual Geography; Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith; The Virgin of Bennington; and several volumes of poetry.
Norris has contracted a second book with IVP, Finding God in the Desert, that is tentatively scheduled to release in fall 2027.
The other IVP Christian Book Award® finalist, chosen for the Ministry Resources category, is a book that provides insights into the seven key questions Gen Z is asking about life and faith, offering actionable advice tailored to their values and worldview. What Gen Z Really Wants to Know About God: Seven Questions About Life and Faith, written by veteran youth worker Tanita Tualla Maddox, goes beyond just answering questions—it explores how to translate the unchanging truths of the gospel into Gen Z’s cultural context.
Maddox is the national director for generational impact for Young Life and serves as an associate regional director in the Mountain West Young Life region.
“Right now, the church is answering questions Gen Z is not asking while ignoring the ones they do ask. This furthers a disconnection between the Christian faith and the realities of everyday life for Gen Z,” Maddox writes. “When we ignore the questions Gen Z is asking, Gen Z doesn’t have an opportunity to see how the Bible is relevant to the longings of their hearts and souls. This means the conversation around faith and the gospel does not intersect the worldview or experience of Gen Z in a meaningful way, even though it could! After all, the gospel is good news for everyone, everywhere, throughout time.”
The Christian Book Award® program has recognized the highest quality in Christian books since 1978 (originally called the Gold Medallion Award). Based on excellence in content, literary quality, design, and impact, the 2026 Christian Book Awards® are the oldest and among the most prestigious awards in religious publishing.
Winners in each category, along with the 2026 Christian Book of the Year®, will be announced April 28 at the ECPA Awards Celebration, held at the Chicago Marriott Schaumburg during the ECPA Leadership Summit.
For a complete list of IVP award-winning titles visit ivpress.com.
Contact: Krista Clayton, kclayton@ivpress.com
