August 2026 | LISLE, IL—American Book Fest honored five InterVarsity Press (IVP) titles as part of the 2026 American Fiction Awards. Charlie Can’t Sleep was the award-winning title in the Children’s Religious category, and four other IVP titles were named finalists in their categories. Those books include Abigail and the Waterfall, Kaylee Prays for the Children of the World, Chapter One Again, and This Shore of Light.
The IVP finalists of this year’s contest join a prestigious group of past honorees, including Pope Francis, Amy Tan, Anne Lamott, George Sanders, Julie Andrews, Clive Barker, Vanessa Williams, Shark Tank’s Daymon John, Brad Thor, Kitty Kelley, and many others.
In addition to being selected as the top book in the Children’s Religious category of the American Fiction Awards Charlie Can’t Sleep: Trusting God When You’re Afraid of the Dark (October 2025) was also the winner of a 2025 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award and an Illumination Book Award. Written by Rachel Joy Welcher and illustrated by Breezy Brookshire, this IVP Kids book helps children feel understood in their nighttime fears and draws on Scriptural truths to remind kids of God’s constant presence and care.
Another IVP Kids title, Kaylee Prays for the Children of the World: God Hears Every Prayer (May 2025), was named a finalist in the Children’s Religious category. Written by Helen Lee and illustrated by Shin Young Maeng, this book follows Kaylee and her grandfather, Halbi, as they read the morning newspaper. While reading, they look for ways to pray for the children of the world. This heartfelt story gently guides children to recognize the brokenness in our world and to turn their hearts to God with the assurance that He hears every prayer—even when words feel hard to find.
Kaylee Prays for the Children of the World was also the recipient of several other awards: an Illumination Book Award, 2026 Independent Press Award, SOLA Network’s 2025 Asian American Book Award, and a 2025 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award.
Abigail and the Waterfall: Loving God’s Good Earth (August 2025) from IVP Kids was named a finalist in the Children’s Picture Book: Hardcover Fiction category. This book was also named the 2026 Independent Press Favorite for Childrens Religion Fiction. Written by parent and university professor Sandra Richter and brought to life with enchanting illustrations by Michael Corsini, Abigail and the Waterfall is an invitation for families to discuss what the Bible says about caring for the environment, animals, and the beautiful world around us.
Two fiction titles from IVP were named finalists in the Women’s Fiction category of the American Fiction Awards. Chapter One Again: A Novel (June 2026) is the debut novel from actress Keelia Clarkson. This cozy, clean second-chance romance is the perfect read for anyone searching for love, purpose, and a place to call home. This is the first book in the Avila Falls series.
The other finalist in the Women’s Fiction category is This Shore of Light: A Novel by K. C. Ireton (October 2026). This story involves a small town, a big secret, and one chance to heal. In the small Pacific Northwest town of Port Lawrence, five people search for a way forward in the wake of broken trust and lost hope.
Winners and finalists for the American Fiction Awards were announced in over seventy genre-specific categories. Awards were presented for titles published in 2021 to 2026.
For a complete list of IVP award winners visit ivpress.com/award-winners.
Founded in 1947 as an extension of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, InterVarsity Press serves those in the university, the church, and the world by publishing thoughtful Christian books that equip and encourage people to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord in all of life. For more information, visit ivpress.com.
Media Contact: Krista Clayton, kclayton@ivpress.com
