June 2025 | LISLE, IL—InterVarsity Press (IVP) is excited to announce that Birth of the Chosen One won first place in the Children’s Religious category of American Book Fest’s American Fiction Awards. IVP Kids titles Penny Preaches and Not Finished Yet were finalists in the same category.
Winners and finalists for the American Fiction Awards were announced in over seventy genre-specific categories for titles published between 2020 and 2025. Jeffrey Keen, President and CEO of American Book Fest, said, “American Book Fest is proud to announce the final results of our 8th Annual Fiction Award Program! Congratulations to all of the winners and finalists for their much- deserved recognition!”
In addition to the American Fiction Award, Birth of the Chosen One: A First Nations Retelling of the Christmas Story, received the 2025 Illumination Award Gold Medal and the 2024 Moonbeam Award. It was also honored as the Children’s Book Council (CBC) Teacher Favorites, CBC Librarian Favorites, and the Independent Press Awards Distinguished Favorite.
Written by Terry M. Wildman and illustrated by Hannah Noel Buchanan and Holly Buchanan, Birth of the Chosen One is adapted from the Gospel of Luke in IVP’s First Nations Version, an Indigenous translation that recounts the Creator’s Story—the Christian Scriptures—following the tradition of Native storytellers’ oral cultures. This fully illustrated picture book celebrates the sacred event of Christ’s birth with the vibrant voice of Indigenous oral storytelling.
“This artful retelling captures the wonder of the birth that changed human history,” said L. Daniel Hawk, professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Ashland Theological Seminary. “We commonly read the nativity story with mental pictures shaped by Western culture and traditions. What a joy, then, to read the story afresh through First Nations eyes! Through the gentle cadence of Terry Wildman’s storytelling and the soft pastels of Hannah and Holly Buchanan’s illustrations, we discover new and beautiful treasures in the story of the Chosen One’s birth.”
Penny Preaches: God Gives Good Gifts to Everyone!, one of the American Fiction finalists, tells the story of a young girl who wants to be a preacher. But when preaching from the front porch to her friends doesn’t turn out quite as she expected, Penny wonders if she was wrong to want to teach others about God.
With illustrations by Jennifer Davison and written by Amy and Rob Dixon, Penny’s story celebrates the gifts God has given to all his children. The Dixons said, “Our hope for every child is that they would be able to discern, embrace, and cultivate whatever gifts God has given them, even if those gifts push the boundaries of how the church has historically understood gifting for women and men.”
Penny Preaches also won a 2025 Independent Press Award and a 2025 Illumination Award Gold Medal.
Also a recipient of a 2025 Independent Press Award, Not Finished Yet: Trusting God with All My Feelings, written by Sharon Garlough Brown and illustrated by Jessica Linn Evans, offers an opportunity for caregivers to talk about their faith together with children and teaches them that God welcomes honest, heartfelt prayers.
Wren’s journey begins in Gran’s art studio—a place filled with love, creativity, and encouragement. Through painting, Wren learns to express her feelings and discover God’s presence in every part of life. Together, Wren and Gran share a practice they call “painting prayers,” guiding young readers to see art as a way to explore their emotions and communicate with God.
“This book is for children, yes, but it’s also for the child in all of us,” said Sarah Arthur, author of Once a Queen and A Light So Lovely. “When our emotions get too big for our bodies, we can trust Sharon Garlough Brown. She’s the wise voice of Wren’s grandmother, gently reminding us that we’re a work in progress. Nothing—not even our biggest, scariest feelings—can separate us from the love of God.”
In keeping with IVP’s historic mission, IVP Kids offers resources that reflect and celebrate diverse voices, equipping and encouraging children to follow Jesus in every area of their lives.
IVP Editor Elissa Schauer said, “Our hope is that children and families would enjoy reading together, and that the content of these books would spark meaningful conversations for years to come.”
For a complete list of IVP Kids award winners visit ivpress.com.
Contact: Krista Clayton, kclayton@ivpress.com
