Moonbeam Children's Book Awards

Amber Byers and Jim Barnes, Award Director

I am so delighted to share with you that Sophie and Spot received a Gold Medal for Best First Book in the Chapter Book category from Moonbeam Children's Book Awards for 2019.

I traveled to Traverse City, Michigan to participate in the awards ceremony and the Traverse City Children's Book Festival last weekend. It was my first business trip since I've started my company, and it was such a blast to meet the organizers and fellow medalists.

As I said in my acceptance speech, this is a dream come true for me. I knew that I wanted to be an author when I was a kid, but then I grew up and forgot and thought I wanted to go to law school and become an attorney instead. Winning this award reminds me that I am on the right path and am doing what I love.

Traverse City Children's Book Festival

I was inspired to meet two of this year's youngest award winners. Seventeen-year-old Navya Sarikonda won a Gold Medal for Best Book by Youth Author for her novel The Enchanters' Child. And eight-year-old Makenzie Lee-Foster won a Bronze Medal for her Children's Picture Book in the E-book Category for Kickin' it with Kenzie: What's Meant for Me Will Be. You can find a full list of the winners here.

Young Authors Navya and Makenzie

No matter what age you are, I hope you continue to follow your dreams! It's never too early and it's never too late. It is always the perfect time.