The Mystery & Mayhem Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Light-Hearted and Cozy Mysteries. The M&M Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).
Chanticleer Book Reviews is looking for the best books featuring “mystery and mayhem,” amateur sleuthing, light suspense, travel mystery, classic mystery, British cozy, hobby sleuths, senior sleuths, or historical mystery, perhaps with a touch of romance or humor. We will put them to the test and choose the best among them. (For suspense, thriller, detective, crime fiction see ourClue Awards.)
These titles have moved forward in the first look rounds from all 2025 M&M entries to the 2025 M&M Book Awards LONG LIST. These entries are now in competition for the 2025 M&M Short List. The Short Listers will compete for the Semi-Finalists positions. FINALISTS will be chosen from the Semi-Finalists and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, CAC26.
We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 18th, 2026 in beautiful Bellingham, WA sponsored by the 2026Chanticleer Authors Conference.
These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2025 Mystery & Mayhem Book Awards novel competition for Cozy Mysteries!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
Beth Riner – Odd Job Annie
Bill Cusano – The Old Cranberry Ladies Garden Club the Ghost and the Key
BL Smith – The Unpleasantness on Orchard
B.T. Polcari – Lucky Secrets
C.B. Wilson – Puppied To Death
Carolyn Summer Quinn – The Mystery From Way Back When
Charlotte Stuart – In$urance Blues: A John Smith Mystery Book 3
Christine Knapp – Murder at First Light
Christine Knapp – Murder on the Green
Connie Berry – A Collection of Lies
Connie Berry – A Grave Deception
D. J. Adamson – Cookin Up Murder
D. J. Adamson – Without a Doubt
D. W. Thompson – The Mystery at Love’s Manor
Diane Weiner – The Deadly Reveal
Elizabeth Crowens – Round Up the Unusual Suspects
Ellis Elliott – A Witch Awakens a Fire Circle Mystery
George Petersen – The Summer of Haight
Jane Bitomsky – An Inquest of Eels
John W. Feist – Ship of Perils
Jolie Tunnell – Shadows in Chinatown
Joy Ann Ribar – Shake-Speared in the Park
Julie Lomax – A Pawn’s Game
Kate Damon – Jury Duty Is Murder
Kathleen Donnelly – Killer Secrets
Kathleen Kaska – Murder at the Faust
Kathryn Gauci- Murder in the Garden of Enchantment: The Constantinople Diaries a Madame Theodosia Mystery
Kathryn Lane – Murder in Monte Carlo
KD Straus – To Be True
Keith Steinbaum – You Say Goodbye
L. J. Aldon – Riddle of the Jeweled Cipher
Laurel Martin – Her Last Few Days
Laurel Martin – The Lowlands a Missing Couple a Family Desperate To Find Them
Leta Serafim – The Nameless Dead
Lisa M. Lane – Bummer at Luna Beach
Louisa West – Baby Got Ghost
Lyn Squire – Fatally Inferior
Lynn Slaughter – Missing Mom
M. K. Dean – A Nose for Death
M. S. Spencer – Railroad Ties the Marmion Grove Murders
Maggie Parks – Knocked Off in Nederland
Marshall Highet and Bird Jones – The Washashore
Mary Seifert – Airplanes, Atlanta & an Assassin
Mary Seifert – Juleps, Jockeys & Justice
MJ Mac – Betrayed on the Promenade
ML Barrs – Parallel Secrets
Patrick E. Craig – 3 X 3
Peter Gooch – Seren
Sandy Zelka – Blood Red Poppy
Shannon Bennett Riester – The Lottery Aspect
Sharon Lynn – The Romantic
The Sisters Spurlock – The Faceless Ghost
TJ Stecker – Redacted
Tracy Carter – Sick As a Dog
Virginia Ann – The Potter’s Final Piece: A Pooka Women’s Club Mystery
Wanda Brunstetter and Martha Bolton – The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie’s Biscuits
PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!
This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the Facebook post. However, it is easier for us to tag authors when they have Liked and Followed us on Facebook.
Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.
The Dante Rossetti Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Young Adult Fiction. The Grand Prize Winner, Glen Dahlgren’s book, The Realm of Gods will be promoted for years to come in our annual Hall of Fame article, as well as be featured on the Dante Rossetti contest page year ’round!
The best part about being a Chanticleer Int’l Book Award Winner is the love and attention you get all year!
Join us in celebrating the 2024 First Place Dante Rossetti Winners!
A note from Chanticleer:
This year’s Dante Rossetti Winners is special, in the way that half of our First Place Winners for this year are manuscripts. We are very excited to help these authors celebrate their work, and hopefully see them come out someday!
Mark Kraver – The Willow
Mark Kraver reveals a swashbuckling side of American history in his latest young adult historical fiction novel The Willow. Heroine Abigail Spragg uses her pirate fortune to fund a school for girls, which teaches its students, including Abigail’s teenage daughter Hannah, to fight like their seafaring ancestors.
When Abigail receives a letter from one of her many pirate connections requesting that she use his fortune to help a mysterious acquaintance open this school, she finds the idea preposterous. After all, education for women is rare in 1700s New England. The East Coast is bathed in a strict status quo and still recovering from the witch trials that had taken so many lives. Many people go out of their way to avoid straying from societal norms.
Nevertheless, Abigail sets out, reconnecting with her widowed sister Eunice and bringing her oldest daughter along as they seek the enigmatic Hope Terwilliger and open “The Willow Finishing School”.
The full review will be released upon publication!
According to the authors blog, Book 1 is out of the editing stage, and she is going to be releasing all 3 books in the trilogy together once they are finished. We are very excited to see those when they come out!
Seventeen-year-old Newfoundlander Charlotte Jaddore loves nothing more than learning sacred healing arts from the elders of herMi’kmaq and Beothuk grandmothers. But the year is 1692 and her father needs her help. Their American cousins in Salem, Massachusetts have been accused of witchcraft. Will Charlotte help her father fight for the lives of Philip and Mary English?
When father and daughter arrive in Salem, their cousins have already been imprisoned. How can the couple survive against spectral evidence— harming their victims from afar as invisible projections? The motives of their accusing neighbors are anything but spiritual. They are after the English family’s wealth.
And the sights of those accusers are now fixed on the heirs. Can Charlotte get young Mary, Philip and William to Newfoundland, without infecting her own beloved island with spectral evidence fever?
Spense might have saved his country of Telridge and won the heart of the faerie princess. But he doesn’t feel like a hero—not while Dewy is stuck in the Winter lands, all because of a bargain she made on his behalf.
After months of fruitless research, Spense abandons the libraries of Telridge and turns to the Faerie Oracles to seek a solution. Meanwhile, Dewy is no damsel in distress. She is on a journey of her own, diving deeper into her magic, and finding alliances in the most unexpected of places.
As they each seek the Winter Heir, they face unsettling truths about themselves, their world, and the steep costs of magic.
From Chanticleer:
The Winter Heir, thesecond book in J.A. Nielsen’sFractured Kingdomsseries, picks up where the first book,The Claiming, leaves off—with its protagonists struggling under the weight of a vital bargain.
Lady Dew Drop, Dewy to her friends—and her frenemies—is languishing in the court of the Winter Fae, a summer princess nearly frozen in both heart and spirit as she does her best to fulfill the pact she made with the Winter King. Meanwhile, the man who got her into this mess, the human mage and illegitimate princeling of Telridge—Spence Ferrous—tries to fulfill the deal for her.
But the story is much bigger than these two young lovers. The Winter King is dying without a legitimate heir. And it’s his own proud, arrogant fault. As much as both the humans and the Summer Fae would be willing to let him suffer the consequences of his own actions—he’s not the only one who will.
Sixteen-year-old Calvin Hughes can see human energy and in that revealing light learns the best and worst of the people around him.
He tells no one what he sees, until a young girl vanishes beneath the marsh and the truth behind her tragedy is too disturbing to hide.
But when enchantments lure Cal toward the haunted waters and his sole confidante betrays him, Cal discovers the danger of knowing too much and the price for sharing secrets, especially one that could change the world.
The Clue Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Suspense and Thriller Mysteries. The Clue Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).
Chanticleer International Book Awards is seeking the best books featuring suspense, thrilling adventure, detective work, private eye, police procedural, and crime-solving, we will put them to the test to discover the best! (For lighter-hearted Mystery and Classic Cozy Mysteries please check out ourMystery & Mayhem Awards, and for High Stakes Suspense Novels please check out ourGlobal Thriller Awards).
These titles have moved forward in the first look rounds from all 2025 CLUE entries to the 2025 Clue Book Awards LONG LIST. These entries are now in competition for the 2025 Clue Short List. The Short Listers will compete for the Semi-Finalists positions. FINALISTS will be chosen from the Semi-Finalists and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, CAC26.
We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 18th, 2026 in beautiful Bellingham, WA sponsored by the 2025Chanticleer Authors Conference.
These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2025 Clue Book Awards novel competition for Suspense and Thriller!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
A.J. Mccarthy – The Boy on the Dock
Aja Holland – Casco Bay
Ana Manwaring – Kickback
Angela Greenman – The Child Riddler
Arthur Coburn – Murder in Concrete
Ashley Thomas Sheikh – Kentucky Blood: Book I of the Kentucky Blood Series
Avanti Centrae – The Picasso Job: A Phoenix Thriller
Becky Anyanwu – Mind the Blinds
Bill Bennett – Swimming with Manatees
Brandon Lawniczak – Home Envy
Brian Cuban – The Body Brokers
Carlo J. Emanuele – The Sins We Inherit
Carolyn Summer Quinn – Fate Can Toss a Boomerang
Cathi Stoler – No Good Time: A Nick Donahue Adventure
Charlotte Stuart – Unicorns Can Be Deadly a Discount Detective Mystery 5
Cheryl Campbell – Bodies in the Bayou
Chris Chan – Well-Behaved Children Seldom Make History
Chuck Morgan – Preserve Protect and Defend
Dan Ramm – Long Branch: Never Let the Truth Stand in the Way of a Good Story
Danielle M. Wong – Tiny Wild Things
David Tenenbaum – Premonition
Diana Louise Webb – Last of the Autumn Rain
Dwight Holing – The Thunder Head
E. Alan Fleischauer – The Dark and Evil Sky
Ellis K. Popa – Awaken the Dawn
Ephrem Paredes – Pasadena Confidential
Eric Magun – Thank God for the Sinners
Francesco Paola – Left on Rancho
Frank J. Edwards – Doctor Witch
Holly Harrison – Death in the Land of Enchantment
Italia Tornabene – Femme Fatale: Shades of Retribution
Jack Luellen – Someone Had to Lie
Jeannée Sacken – The Women Who Stand Between
Jl Spears – Daemon Protocol
Joe Salerno – The Decision
Julie Lomax – A Pawn’s Game
Kathleen Troy – Never Believe a Lie Twice
Kd Sherrinford – The Whistle of Revenge
Kevin Hwang – The Regression Strain
Kit Karson – Savage Malice
Larry Weindruch and Richard A. Yach – Nicky V: A Chicago Crime Story
Leslie Liautaud – Butterfly Pinned
Lew Paper – Legacy of Lies
Marian Exall – Loners
Matthew John Parker – The Lost Last Prophecy
Melanie Anagnos – Nightswimming: A Jamie Palmieri Mystery
Michael Wendroff – What Goes Around
Mike Van Horn – The Ivy Leaguers
Miriam Verbeek – The Bank
Nannette Potter – Deception’s Edge
Otho Eskin – Black Sun Rising
Paty Jager – Crapshoot
Paty Jager – Wolverine Instincts
Paul Levine – Midnight Burning
Phillip Vega – Death in Utopia
Sarah P. Blanchard – Grabtown
Sean Hagerty – Cabal
Sharon Lynn – Dark Web Gaslight
Sheila Sharpe – Artist, Lover, Forger, Thief
Stephen G. Eoannou – After Pearl
Stephen J Wallace – Hazardous Lies
Susan Rogers and John Roosen – Warrior Pose
T.O. Paine – The Crisis
Tamar Anolic – This Side of the Law
Theresa Janson – Reservations: A Samantha Wright Crime Series
TJ Stecker – Redacted
William Forester – The Secret Book
PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!
This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook Page. We try to tag all authors listed here in the Facebook post. However, it is easier for us to tag authors when they have Liked and Followed us.
Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.
The Dante Rossetti Awards for Young Adult Fiction are named for Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882), the British painter, poet, and a founding member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Better known for his romantic paintings, Rossetti was also a prolific poet who, along with his siblings, formed one of literature’s most creative families. His sister Christina was a celebrated poet, Maria became an essayist before joining a religious order, and brother William served as a prominent editor and literary critic.
We chose Dante Rossetti to represent our Young Adult Awards because the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood’s core principles: having genuine ideas to express, studying nature attentively, sympathizing with what is direct and serious and heartfelt, and producing thoroughly excellent work. These mirror what the best young adult literature achieves. Like the Pre-Raphaelites who defied Victorian social conventions, exceptional YA fiction encourages young readers to question norms, observe the world carefully, and find their own authentic voices.
La Viuda Romana by Dante Rossetti
The Art of Writing for Hearts and Minds in Transition
Creating exceptional young adult literature means respecting the intelligence and emotional capacity of readers who are simultaneously naive and wise, hopeful and cynical, dependent and fiercely independent. YA authors walk a fascinating tightrope: addressing mature themes and complex emotions while remembering that their readers are still developing their understanding of themselves and the world.
The best YA fiction doesn’t talk down to its audience or oversimplify complex issues. Instead, it explores themes like identity, justice, love, loss, family, friendship, and social change with the nuance and respect that young adult experiences deserve. Whether it’s a dystopian rebellion that mirrors real-world social justice movements, a contemporary romance that explores healthy relationships, or an epic fantasy that examines power and corruption, exceptional YA literature helps readers process their own experiences while providing the escapism and adventure that makes reading addictive.
Young adult readers have sophisticated BS detectors that can spot condescending or inauthentic writing from a mile away. The authors who succeed in this space are those who remember what it feels like to be young while bringing adult writing skills and perspective to stories that honor the complexity of the teenage experience.
Celebrating Our 2024 Grand Prize Winner!
We’re excited to honor Glen Dahlgren, whose epic fantasy conclusion The Realm of Gods: The Chronicles of Chaos Book Three claimed the 2024 Dante Rossetti Grand Prize with a story that pulls no punches in its exploration of power, rebellion, and the battle between order and chaos. In this climactic volume, protagonist Galen must navigate the Dreaming – an ethereal realm where past, present, and future collide – while confronting both his nemesis Carnaubas and the horrifying truth that the exiled gods of Order still hunger for dominion.
What makes The Realm of Gods exemplary YA literature is its refusal to simplify complex themes of tyranny, rebellion, and human connection. Alongside Eve, a young girl with the ability to see the threads connecting everything, Galen embarks on a desperate quest to prevent Order’s return – a premise that resonates with young readers who understand that fighting against oppressive systems often requires extraordinary courage and unlikely alliances. The novel’s recognition as both a Dante Rossetti Grand Prize Winner and recipient of the American Fiction Award and Indies Today Best Epic Fantasy Award demonstrates how exceptional YA literature can compete on any literary stage. In addition to ongoing promotional features, The Realm of Gods will be regularly promoted throughout the year and for the next five years in our upcoming Hall of Fame posts. Glen Dahlgren will also be invited to participate in a Chanticleer 10-Question Interview, and The Realm of Gods will receive a coveted Chanticleer Editorial Review.
Categories That Capture the Full YA Experience
The Dante Rossetti Awards welcome young adult fiction across every genre and emotional landscape:
Contemporary YA – Stories grounded in today’s reality that explore authentic teen experiences, relationships, and challenges
SFF & Paranormal – Science fiction, fantasy, and paranormal tales that use otherworldly elements to explore very real themes
YA Adventure/Romance – Action-packed stories and love stories that acknowledge the intensity of young relationships and experiences
YA Historical – Past-set stories that help young readers understand different eras while exploring timeless coming-of-age themes
Dystopian/Edgy/Urban – Darker stories that don’t shy away from difficult topics or challenging social commentary
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense – Puzzle-solving adventures and high-stakes narratives that respect young readers’ ability to handle complex plots
Each category acknowledges that young adult readers seek different types of stories depending on their mood, interests, and life experiences, from light romantic escapes to heavy social commentary and everything in between.
The Complete Youth Literature Journey
The Dante Rossetti Awards complete Chanticleer’s comprehensive celebration of youth literature at every developmental stage:
Little Peeps Awards – Picture books and early readers that introduce children to the magic of storytelling
Gertrude Warner Awards – Middle grade fiction for readers developing independence and exploring more complex themes
Together, these three divisions ensure that exceptional youth literature receives recognition at every stage of the reading journey, supporting the development of lifelong readers and critical thinkers.
Looking at Young Adult Excellence
Check out some of these outstanding YA books we’ve celebrated recently!
An Empty House Doesn’t Sneeze
By David Scott Richardson
In David Scott Richardson’s YA WWII historical novel, An Empty House Doesn’t Sneeze, teenager Scott Johannsen—“Scotty” to his mom and friends—leads us on an adventure through the wartime Ravenna neighborhood in Seattle, Washington.
Boeing manufactures B-17s, his grandparents and neighbors grow victory gardens, his parents build a bomb shelter in their basement, and mandatory blackouts occur every night. Scotty navigates a chaotic world filled with danger and wonder yet finds security with family and friends in this heartfelt story.
Scotty runs with his pack—James, Marty, and Burr. We witness what lengths they will go to on a search for chocolate. With Ravenna Park as a backyard and Puget Sound just a short drive away, Scotty’s life is filled with exploration of the natural world. His fishing adventures with his dad in the Sound become an exciting way to supplement his family’s food rations as he dreams about netting a fighting salmon.
Luna: Rhone and Stone Book 2
By Strider S.R. Klusman
A Chanticleer Dante Rossetti First Place Winner and Cover Design Grand Prize Winner!
Luna, the second book in Strider S.R. Klusman’s YA Rhone and Stone Series, follows Rhone and his alien partner Stone as they develop a ship that can sail through the air.
The two train to become agents for the Office of Public Recrimination, urged to join by their friend – and now boss – Aundrea. Rhone struggles through training with the help of his trusty partner, but a much more difficult test remains before them – their first assignment.
Aundrea sends them to Corgy, a port town, without explaining their mission. But it doesn’t take long for Rhone to encounter troubles from shore and sea alike.
He and Stone meet Mayor Dugan, who takes an instant dislike for Rhone, posing as a wealthy merchant’s son. But it’s his front, designed so by the ladies of the OPR, and commands a great deal of respect and authority from the locals, if not Bella. Sometimes it’s difficult not to forget his actual purpose for being at Corgy. As an agent of the OPR, he must solve the town’s greatest problem, a rash of pirate attacks on Corgy’s vital ocean-borne trade; if they continue, Corgy won’t survive.
Crossroads of Empire by Michael J. Cooper brings readers back into sixteen-year-old Evan Sinclair’s journey through the battlefields of WWI. The adventures and the war itself pick up right where the award-winning Wages of Empire left off.
As in the first book, Evan begins his part of this story by going missing, this time not just from his father’s perspective, but from his own. Severely injured during his service with the Flemish resistance, Evan is discharged from a French field hospital. He’s on his way back to England by hospital ship when it is sunk by a German U-boat. When he reaches British shores as the sole survivor in a lifeboat, he’s left with amnesia and has no memory of who he is.Evan’s search for his own identity leads him to Rosslyn Castle, the Sinclair family’s ancestral home in Scotland. There he unravels secret family histories and connections long buried. Finally, with assistance from a wise woman, Evan regains his memory. Without the protection the amnesia provided, he faces a host of painful and traumatic memories.
The Hidden Library, Book 2 of the Isle of Dragons Series
By L.A. Thompson
Isle of Dragons: The Hidden Libraryby L.A. Thompson is a breathtaking race to seize the reins of destiny and find a magical library that was once the subject of stories and lore. Jade and Kaylen, once friends, oppose each other in search of this hidden library and its world-changing secrets.
Demoted and dejected, Kaylen reels from her valiant but failed attempt to bring back the final item that King Jarrod needs to fulfill a prophecy. The iconic stone remains out of reach. Kaylen is summoned for an audience with the king. A glimmer of hope for the future flickers, but the king demands an even more ambitious mission of her. He will restore her rank and honors if she finds for him the mysterious hidden library that can open a gateway between worlds. It’s a deadly challenge that will once again pit her against an old friend.
Jade summons all her strength and courage with others who stand against the king who has made her family suffer. When she and Kaylen clash, sparks will ignite as hot as a dragon’s roar.
These works demonstrate how the best young adult literature combines sophisticated storytelling with authentic understanding of the teen experience.
See the Chanticleer Difference for Yourself!
We’re excited about all the exceptional young adult books we receive every year for both the CIBAs and for our Editorial Reviews. The Chanticleer International Book Awards offers an incredible $30,000 in cash, prizes, and promotion across all divisions!
The Dante Rossetti Awards recognize the unique challenge and responsibility of writing for young adults, readers who deserve stories as complex, authentic, and emotionally honest as their own experiences. Whether you’re exploring contemporary issues, dystopian futures, epic fantasies, or historical periods, these awards celebrate books that respect young adult intelligence while providing the emotional satisfaction and escapism that great literature offers.
Your Young Adult Story Matters
Young adult readers are at a crucial point in their relationship with literature where they’re deciding whether books will remain an important part of their adult lives. Your YA novel could be the book that helps a teenager understand they’re not alone, provides comfort during a difficult time, or simply offers the perfect escape when life feels overwhelming. These readers are passionate, loyal, and influential; when they love a book, they become its most enthusiastic ambassadors.
Everyone likes a good book, and kids are no different.
The Gertrude Warner Awards celebrate Middle Grade Fiction, which means books aimed for kids of ages 8-13. This isn’t our only Division aimed for younger readers! For Young Adult (14-18), see Dante Rossetti, and for Children’s see Little Peeps.
Lets take a look at and celebrate the Past Grand Prize Winners of the Gertrude Warner Awards for Middle Grade Fiction!
Back to Bainbridge
By Norah Lally
Our review of the newest Gertrude Warner Grand Prize Winner is still upcoming. In the meantime, here is what GoodReads readers have been saying:
“From the opening moments, this book grabs your attention and does not let go!
Vicki’s family suddenly faces eviction after her single mother is unable to pay the bills. The story opens as she, her mom, and her two younger siblings scramble out of the house, on the sheriff’s orders, lost with nowhere to go. We slowly learn more about Vicki’s character and past- her father had left the, six years earlier and her mother struggled ever since. Vicki is a determined, fierce, but confused young lady. Full of energy and personality, but lacking direction. This coming of age novel takes us on her journey of self-discovery. Its personal, touching, and heartfelt.
But the lessons of this book aren’t solely for teens. Its a story about family and love, and its morals apply to all ages. Everyone, regardless of age group, should read this book at least once.” -Phin
“Back to Bainbridge was a delight to read from the breezy beginning to the satisfying and endearing end. Told in the first person, the reader is immediately intrigued by fourteen-year-old Vicki’s voice: leery, weary, and wise beyond her years, or so she thinks. Vicki’s impatience with her single mother and two younger siblings is in full throttle when their family has to move (yet again!) and this time she’ll be forced to share a room with a needy 10-year-old brother and a sarcastic 12-year-old sister.” -M.C.
“Excellent, unique coming of age story set in the vibrant environment of the Bronx, NY. The story includes many interesting, diverse characters and vivid depictions of the city that really bring the whole scene to life. The prose is well-written and engaging — youth and adults alike should enjoy this book!” -R.
A piece-of-scrap. That’s how the townsfolk on Trinket’s planet label her. The twelve-year-old is determined to prove that she’s more than just a discarded android, but her prosthetic leg and blue veins in her hands make her wonder about her true identity. Trinket knows that she must get off-world before the cruel and powerful Remnants send her to the scrap yard, but things take a turn for the worse when the Remnant Supreme Leader discovers her existence.
Trinket could be the key to a lost spaceship that is rumored to hold the greatest hoard of gems in the galaxy, and the Supreme Leader wants it. As the alien civilizations of the Magnus Star Cluster wake up to the possibility that the legendary treasure exists, a frantic hunt for the lost spaceship – and its key – pits Trinket against an enemy that will stop at nothing to get what they want.
To uncover the truth about her identity, Trinket must confront the evil Supreme Leader or get to the treasure first. But what if the truth is too shocking to bear?
Award-winning author Rae Knightly presents EXOSTAR, Book 1 in The Lost Space Treasure Series, which thrusts a young girl into a universe full of alien civilizations and an epic hunt to uncover the greatest treasure of all. This witty upper middle-grade science fiction story with a cast of unforgettable characters is perfect for the space explorers of tomorrow and fans of Alita, The Prometheus Project, Hana Hsu, and Dragon Pearl. Ideal for readers aged 10+.
Mystery Force: Volume 1 By Ted Neill and Suzi Spooner
Set in a world where magical talking creatures are a normal part of society, the Mystery Force series by Ted Neill is a must-read for any animal-loving kid.
Book One, Mystery Force, Assemble!, begins with warehouses of previously unheard-of magical creatures being discovered and freed. Out of fear, these new creatures continue to hide, and a group of curious kids – Rasheed, Jonathan, and Jojo – decide to get to the bottom of the mystery!
In book two, The Case of the Stolen Horn, Rasheed, Jonathan, and Jojo are on the case after their unicorn drama teacher, Mr. Twinkles, is attacked, with their pegasus geometry teacher Ms. Weymont being arrested for the crime. The Mystery Force kids are determined to clear Ms. Weymont’s name by finding the real culprit.
During the pre-internet era of 1980, Kevin and his friends just want to enjoy a good fishing adventure, but troubles from the past come back to complicate their carefree boyhood in Murray Richter’s novel, Fishing for Luck.
As the group prepares their fishing raft for its maiden voyage, Kevin tries to solve these problems himself before anyone else knows of them, but no matter what he tries, the situation only gets worse. His parents seem on the verge of a divorce, his mentor struggles to find his long-lost love, and his sister just wants her bike back already. As Kevin takes on more and more responsibility to avoid what seem to be inevitable consequences, will he be able to see that this is all too much for one kid to handle and ask those he trusts for help?
Fishing For Luck is a wild ride of pre-teen hijinks reminiscent of the golden age of coming-of-age comedies and sitcoms we all know and love. Our young main character gets into a situation where everything goes wrong, and scrambles to fix it before anyone notices. Kevin’s predicament becomes engrossing with an extra dose of danger.
In this first installment from the new Kassy O’Roarke Pet Detective Series, award-winning author Kelly Oliver delivers a fun and engaging kid-friendly literary experience. Here is a story intended for middle-graders, Cub Reporter proves a quality blend of adventure and mystery involving a smart, inquisitive 12-year old with aspirations of becoming a spy.
As a reporter for her school paper, Kassy’s hoping to nab a front-page scoop and win the honorable Thompson Award for Journalism. Unfortunately, help from her pesky, but the well-intentioned younger brother, sets in motion a roller coaster of calamities she never expected. From animal-nappings and a mixed-bag of clues to car chases and rescues from entrapment, ultimately the constant reinforcement from family, friends, and a menagerie of furry companions bring positive lessons to the forefront of this likable tale.
Amidst popular classics like Emil and the Detectives and the resurgence of the Nancy Drew mysteries, Oliver has hit the mark with this bright and entertaining series opener. Though geared toward a younger audience, readers of all ages can look forward to more investigative capers on the horizon featuring the creative escapades of Kassy and company. Highly recommended!
Remember to add your next reads to your StoryGraph or Goodreads account! Now that you’re set on your next five reads, what are you waiting for? The only way to join this amazing list of Chatelaine Winners is to submit today!
Those who submit and advance will have the chance to win the Overall Grand Prize of the CIBAs and $1000!
The Shelley Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Paranormal Fiction. The Shelley Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).
The Shelley Awards were formerly known as the Paranormal Awards. We are delighted to be able to honor the mother of science fiction with this award!
Chanticleer International Book Awards is looking for the best books featuring magic, the supernatural, weird other-worldly stories, super humans (ex. Jessica Jones, Wonder Woman), magical beings & supernatural entities (ex. Dresden Files), vampires & werewolves (ex. Twilight), angels & demons, fairies & mythological beings, magical systems and elements. We will put them to the test and discover the best among them for the 2025 Paranormal Book Awards!
Each of these authors is already winning with their books are now featured on our high-traffic website, shared across our social media, and promoted to our newsletter subscribers. But this is just the beginning of their CIBA journey.
These titles have moved forward from the 2025 SHELLEY Paranormal Fiction Long List to the 2025 Shelley Awards Short List. These entries are now in competition for the 2025 Shelley Semi-Finalists. Finalists will be chosen from the Semi-Finalists and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, CAC26.
We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday April 18th, 2026 in beautiful Bellingham, WA.
These titles are in the running for the Semi-Finalists of the 2025 Shelley Book Awards novel competition for Paranormal Fiction!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
AJ Humphreys – Trip: A Psychological Horror Novel
Amy S Cutler – A Shadow of Love
Amy S Cutler – To Have and To Hold To Love and To Kill an Agreement of Souls
Antoinette Chalmers – Midnight Stone
Bryan Alaspa – The Given
Dan Morris-Young – The Music Building
Diane Corso – Broken Things
E.L. Deards – The Lavender Blade
Evette Davis – The Campaign
George Petersen – The Summer of Haight
Gina Detwiler – Forever
H.J. Ramsay – Love and Other Cures for the Recently Undead
Heather Murphy – Bring Out Your Dead
Isaac Thorne – Tab’s Terrible Third Eye
Jared TLC – Destiny Lane
Katy Nyquist – A Holy Maiden’s Guide To Getting Kidnapped
Keith Steinbaum – The Poe Consequence
Kevin S. Moul – Lander’s Gate
L. J. Aldon – Riddle of the Jeweled Cipher
Lloyd Jeffries – Embers of Shadow Ages of Malice Book III
Logan D. Irons – City of Wolves
Lou Pugliese – Blame It on the Moon
Louisa West – Kiss of Death
Mark Mustian – Boy with Wings
Matt Ozanich – Priestess: The Tears of Promises Book One
Matthew Minson – The Lupin Gene
Melanie Forde – Guardian of the Crossroads
Raquel Y. Levitt – The Seer
Rebekah L Webb – Burrows of Blood and Shadow
Sheila English – The Deadly Pieces
Sherri L Dodd – Moonset on Desert Sands
T.V. Holiday – Cataclysm Legend of the Iron Warrior Vol. 2
Tom Dolan – Boba Wars Zero
Tracy Shew – Book Group
Good luck to all as your works move on to the next rounds of judging.
PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!
This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook, LinkedIn, and Bluesky pages. We try to tag all authors listed here on Facebook. However, it is easier for us to tag authors when they have Liked and Followed @ChantiReviews on these platforms.
Please click here to visit our page to LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE! We are @ChantiReviews everywhere!
We will also be promoting this list in our Newsletter, which you can sign up for here!
Congratulations once more to the 2024 Shelley Grand Prize Winner
Submissions for the 2026 Shelley Awards and other Speculative Fiction Divisions are open now! For other genres, we still have 25 divisions open for the 2025 CIBAs! Whether you write mystery, romance, historical fiction, or something entirely different, there’s likely a perfect fit for your work.
Winners will be announced at the 2025 CIBA Awards Ceremony that is sponsored by the 2026 Chanticleer Authors Conference.
April 17-19, 2026! Save the Date for Registration!
Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.
Join us for our 14th annual conference and discover why!
Only 5 days left to submit your books to these prestigious CIBA Divisions and begin your journey to discovery. The deadline is 8/31/25. Now is the time to make your mark!
The Chaucer, Goethe, Laramie and Hemingway Awards are still open!
Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Chaucer Award for Early Historical Fiction!
Dean Cycon –A Quest for God and Spices
Liz Sevchuk Armstrong –To Remain Vigilant
Rozsa Gaston –Anne Boleyn at Margaret of Austria’s Court
C.V. Lee –Betrayal of Trust
Logan D. Irons –Sands of Bone
Jean Gill –Among Sea Wolves
Laura C. Rader –Hatfield 1677
And a round of applause for the 2024 Chaucer Grand Prize Winner!
Maid Of Honour
Anne Boleyn at Margaret of Austria’s Court
By Rozsa Gaston
Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Goethe Award for Late Historical Fiction!
Janis Robinson Daly – The Path Beneath Her Feet
Sandra Wagner-Wright – Sea Tigers & Merchants: A New American Generation
James Conroyd Martin – Napoleon’s Shadow Wife: A Novel of Countess Marie Walewska
Florence Reiss Kraut – Street Corner Dreams, A Novel
Leo Daughtry – Talmadge Farm
Jeza Belle – Blood Rouge
R.W. Meek – The Dream Collector, Book II “Sabrine & Vincent van Gogh”
Sherry V. Ostroff – The Wall at the Sugar Factory
And a round of applause for our 2024 Goethe Grand Prize Winner!
Abigail’s Song
By Alina Rubin
Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Laramie Award for Americana Fiction!
David Fitz-Gerald –First Drive
Georgina Hogue –Cloud Cap
Heather Miller –Yellow Bird’s Song
C.M. Huddleston –Esther
Karen Lynne Klink –At What Cost, Silence? Book 1 of The Texian Trilogy
Charlie Steel –Tom Sharp: The Man and the Legend
Daniel Greene –Northern Shadows (Northern Wolf Series Book 5)
And a round of applause for our 2024 Laramie Grand Prize Winner!
Sarita
By Natalie Musgrave Dossett
Congratulations to the 2024 Winners of the Hemingway Award for 20th and 21st Century Wartime Fiction!
R L Pace –Rising Son
Katherine Koch –The Sower of Black Field: Inspired by the True Story of an American in Nazi Germany
Tim Turner and Moisey Gorbaty –The Reluctant Conductor
Kay Smith-Blum –Tangles
Kathryn Gauci –Midnight in Istanbul
Travis Davis –One of Four: World War One Through the Eyes of an Unknown Soldier
Bharati Sen –My War, My Child
H. W. “Buzz” Bernard –When Heroes Flew
And a round of applause for our 2024 Hemingway Grand Prize Winner!
Of White Ashes
By Constance Hays Matsumoto and Kent Matsumoto
The CIBAs offer a ladder to success with a range of achievement tiers and expert long tail marketing strategies. From the highly anticipated Long List to the prestigious Overall Grand Prize Winner, the CIBA lists energize both authors and readers, maximizing your digital footprint and expanding your fan base.
We are always eager to support the Best Books through the CIBAs. Join the ranks of celebrated authors who have already taken this critical step in their publishing.
Your book deserves to be discovered, celebrated, and shared with the world. Don’t miss the chance to showcase your talent and gain valuable exposure at the Chanticleer Authors Conference (April 17-19, 2026) where Winners from all 28 Book Award Divisions will be announced and honored.
Your story deserves to be heard. Submit now and leave a lasting impression.
The Gertrude Warner Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Middle Grade Fiction. The Grand Prize Winner, Norah Lally’s book, Back to Bainbridge will be promoted for years to come in our annual Hall of Fame article, as well as be featured on the Gertrude Warner contest page year ’round!
The best part about being a Chanticleer Int’l Book Award Winner is the love and attention all year ‘round!
When Nate Turner, a more or less average well-intentioned 10-year-old, receives via robot-helicopter an encoded invitation from the secluded, anti-social, and enigmatic child prodigy, Tommy Rocket, promising free Doritos, Twinkies, and adventure, he can’t resist. Tommy’s gift for making gadgets and robots further fascinates Nate, most especially Tommy’s Goober Patrol, a small group of robots possessing the Prometheus Chip, the sentience-granting, epic invention of Tommy’s father. However, when someone—or something—begins spying and hunting the boys, something capable of murder, they join forces to discover the identity of their mysterious stalker. Who, or what, is it, and why is he so interested in Tommy’s father and his fabulous Prometheus Chip? Together, the boys must join forces, along with Tommy’s marvelous robots, to solve the mystery of their unknown adversary, a mystery whose outcome holds the key to the continued survival of the human race itself.
From Chanticleer:
Tommy Rocket and the Goober Patrolby Thomas R. Kuhn follows Nate, a young boy growing up in the 1970s, whose friendship with the kid genius robot builder, Tommy Rocket, leads him into mysterious adventures.
Tommy’s father invented the Prometheus chip that gives sentience to robots, and from a young age Tommy started creating a gang of robots called the Goober Patrol. Eccentric and wheelchair-bound, Tommy prefers to tinker with his robots at home. But he befriends Nate after he saves Tommy from bullies.
When Tommy’s aptly named ‘Monster-bot’ gets loose, Nate is tasked with finding and securing the rogue bot before anyone finds out. But the two boys soon find out there is more at work than one missing robot. There’s another tinkerer in town and they’re building their own special group of robots—which look just like one of Tommy’s creations. Nate and Tommy have to find out who has gotten their hands on the Prometheus chip before it’s too late.
Filled with 1970s nostalgia,Tommy Rocket and the Goober Patrolexplores the best parts of childhood.
It’s bad enough being the new kid in class, but Sara’s secret belief in magic is about to go viral all over school, thanks to the Terrible Twins.
How on earth can she prove magic exists? And fast!
Help comes from some ghostly allies she literally stumbles into in a most unexpected place. Hidden deep in an old hotel closet, Sara discovers Silas (an abandoned Civil War coat). He introduces her to six ghosts of clothes worn by real-life people in history whose stories the clothes are eager to tell.
But that’s not all they have to share. Together, the ghost clothes help Sara come up with a plan to save her own skin and even magic itself. It just might work! Now, whether Sara has the courage to carry it out…that’s another matter. But what really does matter? Being right, or being a friend?
Deetjen’s Closet is a captivating historical fantasy with splashes of magic for readers 8-12. At the end of the book, they’ll find bonus material from the story—including how to bake fortune cookies, tie a Bowline knot and fold a dollar-bill into a heart.
Young Bethan is living a peaceful life in a coal mining town in South Wales. But her world crumbles when her father is badly injured after a section of the mine collapses. Setting her dreams aside for the time being, Bethan must help support her family. Defying the laws forbidding it, she goes to work 2,000 feet underground in the dark, damp, and terrifying coal mine. Her only source of comfort comes in the form of Dobbin, the very pit pony who saved her father’s life.
Through this gripping historical fiction novel for pre-teens and teens, you will experience the grueling work, ever-present dangers, and rampant sexism faced by Bethan as Dobbin becomes her strength and guiding light.
Before Peter Pan and Tinkerbell, there was Samantha Smee and her philosopher fairy, Florafauna. Growing up on Captain Hook’s pirate ship in the 1800s, Samantha Smee, daughter of Mr. Smee, doesn’t face the usual challenges for young girls. Disguised since infancy, Sammi embarks on hilarious, action-packed adventures on the high seas where she develops the skills to navigate Neverland and save her family. This funny tale celebrates inclusivity, girl power, and the importance of friendship, as Sammi discovers her true self. This award-winning book is a fantastic addition to any middle grade kid’s reading list. Through Samantha Smee’s journey, young readers will be inspired to imagine their own dreams and forge their own futures.
Akna Sales has used her smarts, planning, strength and determination to keep her family together since her beloved grandparents died two years ago. The day the social worker takes Akna and her two sisters to a foster home, all her plans for helping Mama get well and saving her family are upended. It seems that calling on her ancestors to help her use the power of S.A.D. (strength and determination) are not working any more.
Although every foster kid living with the Bohns at Mariposa Lane has problems, they’ve somehow created a resilient, loving family life Akna never could have imagined. But the more secure her situation becomes, the more she fears her real family will be lost.
Despite her resistance, Akna discovers how to weave the complex legacy of her past into opportunities for a promising future. With the help of a caring teacher, a new friend at school, Akna’s own determination, and the love of her foster family, she learns how to once again welcome the goodness in life, even when some things will always feel broken.
Jessica “Jessie” Holbrook and her father, Adam, are flying to a favorite vacation spot in Bermuda in her father’s Cessna for spring break. During a rouge storm, Jessie’s father bangs his head and sees double. Jessie will have to fly the plane and safely land if and when they see an airport.
Jessie spots land, but it doesn’t look like Bermuda. Have they blown off course to someplace in Central America or Mexico? Jessie thinks they have traveled through a time warp because they find themselves back in Mayan times without knowing how they got there!
The clock is ticking for them to leave and get home, but they need fuel, and with the language barrier, it’s hard to convey their needs to the inhabitants of this island. They enlist the help of a WWII pilot who has been guarding his fuel supply for many years.
There is no compass to show the way back from time travel! Their situation seems all but hopeless. Or is it?
From Chanticleer:
In Sue C. Dugan’s middle grade adventure,Mayday: Land, Sea, and Air Series Book 2,thirteen-year-old Jessie and her father, Adam, take an unexpected detour when their plane crashes on a secluded island.
On their final vacation before Adam begins chemotherapy for thyroid cancer, Jessie and her father take off in their Cessna aircraft over the boundless, azure Atlantic Ocean. Jessie’s anxiety about her father’s health is on high-alert during the trip, especially when she remembers her mother’s cancerous death.
Twenty minutes into their flight, the sky grows gloomy, and the wind picks up speed from all sides.
The storm rocks their plane, and her father hits his head, giving him a concussion and vision problems. With her father incapacitated, Jessie quickly realizes she needs to find a makeshift landing strip and get the plane safely to the ground.
Fresh from their Arctic adventure of saving polar bears, eleven-year-old twins Sydney and Sierra visit a sea kelp habitat off the coast of California. While scuba diving, Sydney meets her animal contact, a sea otter named Sunny, who enlists Sydney’s help. Ocean plastic pollution has entangled another otter, and it needs to be rescued. Even if the girls are able to release the otter from its plastic prison, there’s a much greater threat in the ocean.
Together, they’ll have to use all of their wits, ingenuity, and determination to somehow help their animal friends. But as they try and fail again and again, Sydney has a sinking feeling that she’s in over her head. One thing is clear: there’s literallyno time to waste.
Nick Townley has lived his entire life— all eleven years— at Black Butte Ranch, nestled in the foothills of the snow-capped Cascade Mountains. While his parents push him to study, practice sports, and make friends, Nick prefers to retreat into his superhero universe and create exciting Adventures of Click comics. When a string of robberies threatens Dad’ s job, forcing them to move across the country, Nick’ s world implodes. He loves his home, and what will he do about the 237,000 dollars in cash under his bed that Great Gramp gave him before he died? Desperate to stop the move, Nick steps off his comic book pages and ventures into the night as Click, an undercover superhero. Catching thieves would be a lot easier if he had actual superpowers. When three new kids discover his identity and want to join him, Nick vows to stay undercover… until he realizes even a superhero needs friends. But can he ask them to put their lives in danger to save his home? Find it Locally and on Amazon!
Thank you for joining us to celebrate the 2024 Gertrude Warner First Place Winners!
Watch for our Spotlight and Hall of Fame Articles that will feature incredible books, including Norah Lally’s amazing Back To Bainbridge!
The Ozma Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Magic, Steampunk and Fantasy Fiction. The Ozma Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).
Chanticleer International Book Awards discovers the best books in the Ozma Awards featuring magic, the supernatural, imaginary worlds, fantastical creatures, legendary beasts, mythical beings, or inventions of fancy that author imaginations dream up without a basis in science as we know it. Epic Fantasy, High Fantasy, Sword and Sorcery, Dragons, Unicorns, Steampunk, Dieselpunk, Gaslight Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, or other out-of-this-world fiction. Our judges from across North America and the U.K. will put them to the test and choose the best among them.
Each of these authors is already winning with their books are now featured on our high-traffic website, shared across our social media, and promoted to our newsletter subscribers. But this is just the beginning of their CIBA journey.
These titles have moved forward from the 2025 OZMA Fantasy Fiction Long List to the 2025 Ozma Book Awards Short List. These entries are now in competition for the 2025 Ozma Semi-Finalists. Finalists will be chosen from the Semi-Finalists and recognized at the Chanticleer Authors Conference, CAC26.
We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday April 18th, 2026 in beautiful Bellingham, WA.
These titles are in the running for the Semi-Finalists of the 2025 Ozma Book Awards novel competition for Fantasy Fiction!
Join us in cheering on the following authors and their works!
A.T. Balsara – The Great and the Small
Abigail O’bryan – Iron Rose
Anton Anderson – The Seekers Perrin Peters
Anya Rousselle – The King’s Blade
B.L. Mostyn – Heroes of Another Age
David Nos – The Final War of Wizards and Dragons
C.R. Ware – All We Have to Remember: Volume One of the Seventh Layer Saga
C.V. Vobh – Somnus Palace
Catharina Steel – Vanishings
Clifton Wilcox – The Immortal Witness
Crystal D. Grant – Lightshed
D. Dalton – Heartstealer
David Waugh – The Will of the Wayfarer the Forgotten Legacy Part One
Evette Davis – The Campaign
Evette Davis – The Gift
Helen Garraway – Sentinals Origins Part One
J Prakash – Sedna of Hanaway
J.A. Nielsen – The Winter Heir (Fractured Kingdoms, Book 2)
J.C. Wade – Summer’s Reaping
Jason P. Crawford – The Trials of Poseidon
Jeffrey L. Kohanek – The First Wizard
Kristin Wahlne – When the Tree Calls
Michael a Wexler – Jatora
Michele L. Sayre – Darke Realms: One Tough Temporary She Alpha (Arcana 2)
Molly M. Hammond – Daughter of Starlight
Nicholas Varner – Warriors of the Red Wolf
Nikhil Prabala – The Duchess of Kokora
Nikki Mccormack – Child of Vanris (The Warden’s Son Book 1)
Oleg Veretskiy – Tales of the Wandering Mists a Ukrainian Fairy Tale
Palmer Pickering – Dark Town
Philip Carlisle – Surviving Eros
R. M. Krogman – Sundering
Richard M Wagner – The Chronicles of Amerista: Griefold
S.E. Reed – The Darkness of Dying in the Light
S.G. Blaise – Eldryan Elders
Samantha Schinder – The Drowners
Sean M. Tirman – Dreamweavers LLC
Simran Sadana – Itehas
T.A. Styles – Shift: An Urban Supernatural Fantasy (The Shift Series Book 1)
Tamar Anolic – The Keepers
Ted Neill – Lost Elawn
William H. Johnston – Shards of Unbroken Will
Good luck to all as your works move on to the next rounds of judging.
PROMOTING OUR AUTHORS!
This post has been posted on the Chanticleer Facebook, LinkedIn, and Bluesky pages. We try to tag all authors listed here on Facebook and LinkedIn. However, it is easier for us to tag authors when they have Liked and Followed @ChantiReviews on these platforms.
Please LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE on these platforms!
Submissions for the 2026 Ozma Awards and other Speculative Fiction Divisions are open now! For other genres, we still have 25 divisions open for the 2025 CIBAs! Whether you write mystery, romance, historical fiction, or something entirely different, there’s likely a perfect fit for your work.
Winners will be announced at the 2025 CIBA Awards Ceremony that is sponsored by the 2026 Chanticleer Authors Conference.
April 17-19, 2026! Save the Date for Registration!
Seating is Limited. The esteemed WRITER Magazine (founded in 1887) has repeatedly recognized the Chanticleer Authors Conference as one of the best conferences to attend and participate in for North America.
Join us for our 14th annual conference and discover why!
Middle grade readers occupy a unique space in the literary world where they are no longer content with picture books, but not quite ready for the intense emotional landscapes of young adult fiction. Typically ages 8-12, these readers are navigating friendships, family dynamics, school challenges, and the growing awareness that the world is both more complex and more wonderful than they previously understood. The Gertrude Warner Awards celebrate the authors who craft stories for this special audience with the perfect blend of adventure, authenticity, and age-appropriate depth.
Named for the creator of the beloved Boxcar Children series, these awards honor books that capture the curiosity, resilience, and growing independence that define the middle grade experience. The best middle grade fiction respects young readers’ intelligence while acknowledging their developmental needs, creating stories that entertain, educate, and empower without overwhelming or talking down to their audience.
The Art of Speaking to Growing Minds
Writing exceptional middle grade fiction requires a delicate balance that addresses real-world challenges that resonate with young readers while maintaining the hope and possibility that characterize the best children’s literature. Middle Grade Readers are sophisticated enough to handle complex emotions and situations, but they still need stories that ultimately affirm their ability to navigate challenges and find their place in the world.
The most successful middle grade books feature protagonists who face genuine problems such as friendship conflicts, family struggles, identity questions, or external adventures, all while demonstrating the problem-solving skills, courage, and resilience that young readers can admire and emulate. These stories often explore themes of belonging, self-discovery, friendship loyalty, and family relationships in ways that feel authentic to the middle grade experience.
Whether set in contemporary schools, fantastical realms, historical periods, or mystery-filled neighborhoods, the best middle grade fiction helps young readers see themselves as capable protagonists in their own life stories while providing the escapism and entertainment that makes reading a joy rather than a chore.
Celebrating Our 2024 Grand Prize Winner!
We’re thrilled to honor Norah Lally, whose emotionally rich novel Back to Bainbridge claimed the 2024 Gertrude Warner Grand Prize with a story that Publishers Weekly’s BookLife called “a moving, empathetic must-read about growing up and discovering what matters.” The novel follows fourteen-year-old Vicki as she navigates life in a cramped apartment shared with siblings, worries about her struggling mother, and dreams about an absent father while searching for her place in the world.
What makes Back to Bainbridge exemplary middle grade fiction is its authentic portrayal of real challenges many young readers face – housing insecurity, family stress, and the universal desire to belong – while maintaining hope and discovering that sometimes the treasures we seek are already within reach. When Vicki meets Rosa from Apartment 1A and discovers the building’s basement full of forgotten stories and secrets, the novel beautifully demonstrates how friendship and imagination can transform difficult circumstances into opportunities for growth and connection. In addition to ongoing promotional features, Back to Bainbridge will be regularly promoted throughout the year and for the next five years in our upcoming Hall of Fame posts. Norah Lally will also be invited to participate in a Chanticleer 10-Question Interview, and Back to Bainbridge will receive a coveted Chanticleer Editorial Review.
Categories That Capture Every Middle Grade Adventure
The Gertrude Warner Awards welcome middle grade fiction across every genre and format:
Contemporary Middle Grade – Stories set in today’s world that explore the real challenges and joys of growing up
Sci-Fi, Fantasy, & Paranormal Middle Grade – Imaginative tales that transport readers to other worlds while exploring universal themes
Mystery Middle Grade – Puzzle-solving adventures that engage young readers’ problem-solving skills and curiosity
Historical Middle Grade – Stories from the past that help young readers understand different times and cultures
Adventure Middle Grade – Action-packed tales that showcase courage, friendship, and personal growth
Graphic Novels for Middle Grade – Visual storytelling that combines compelling narratives with engaging artwork
First-Third Grade Readers (10,000-20,000 words) – Longer works for beginning independent readers making the transition to chapter books
Each category serves the diverse interests and reading levels within the middle grade spectrum, ensuring that every young reader can find stories that speak to their experiences and interests.
Complete Youth Literature Recognition
The Gertrude Warner Awards bridge the gap in Chanticleer’s comprehensive youth literature celebration:
Little Peeps Awards – Picture books and early readers that introduce children to the joy of reading
Dante Rossetti Awards – Young adult fiction for teen readers navigating the transition to adulthood
Together, these three divisions ensure that exceptional youth literature receives recognition at every developmental stage, supporting readers from their first picture books through their teenage years.
Looking at Middle Grade Excellence
Check out some of these outstanding middle grade books we’ve celebrated recently!
The Ghost in the Garden
By Alisse Lee Goldenberg
In Alisse Goldberg’s engaging young adult mystery, The Ghost in the Garden, a curious 11-year-old must face the challenges of moving to a new city, losing old friends, making new ones, and encountering historic specters in her new home.
Sophie Madison seems none too happy about her recent move from the bustling city of Calgary, Ablerta to the smaller, quieter landscape of Stratford, Ontario. But upon arrival with her parents, she begins noticing the charm of the place, appearing like a step back in time. Their new house in particular catches her interest, with its tall turret topped by stained glass window panes where Sophie’s bedroom will be. In addition, the wild beauty of the backyard garden draws her in.
Soon, a mysterious blonde-headed girl named Tabitha appears in the garden.
Book of Leprechauns: The Lore Gatherers
By Jonathan Uffelman
An Ozma First Place Winner!
Three leprechauns, Molly, Shaun, and Dorker, have their lives turned upside down when a sinister figure returns to their peaceful village with greed and revenge on his mind. In Jonathan Uffelman’s middle-grade fantasy, Book of Leprechauns: The Lore Gatherers, they embark on a treacherous journey to recover their lost home.
Shaun McClanahan struggles to support his daughter Molly as she fails a crucial test for young Lore Gatherers—a subculture of Leprechauns who respect the power of stories. Though he’s weighed down by his responsibilities as the protector of his village’s communal gold stash, Shaun tries to overcome his worrying nature by trusting Molly to check on the gold by herself, hopeful that she can prove her worth to the village.
But when Molly follows her father’s magical instructions to the letter, she discovers with horror that the treasure is missing, save one ancient Roman coin.
The theft means exile for both Molly and Shaun, as gold is the catalyst for Leprechaun magic. A dangerous and unwelcoming world awaits them beyond the village’s protection.
The Greatest Matchmaker in Space: Eudora Space Kid Book 4
By David Horn
David Horn’s Eudora Space Kid series continues with another fabulous middle-grade Sci-fi novel, The Greatest Matchmaker in Space.
Horn takes us back to the decks of the Athena, an AstroLiner and the flagship for the Astrofleet of the planetary Republic. The intrepid Eudora is ready to fly into another adventure, this time as a matchmaker for Captain Jax.
Eudora loves math and science, and even though she’s only in third grade, she dreams of becoming a chief engineer on an AstroLiner. But, she would settle for Captain if that’s what they offered her. When she visits Cafeteria 1 for dessert, she finds Captain Jax, who, per usual, yells, “Get off my bridge.” He’s used to kicking Eudora off the bridge while he’s working, but he must be deeply distracted to confuse it with the cafeteria.
She notices his sad eyes and dejected manner and asks what’s wrong. To her surprise, he invites her to sit with him, and she excitedly realizes the Captain of the Athena is going to confide in her.
Mystery Force: Volume One
By Ted Neill; Illustrated by Suzi Spooner
2022 Gertrude Warner Grand Prize Winner!
Set in a world where magical talking creatures are a normal part of society, theMystery Forceseries by Ted Neill is a must-read for any animal-loving kid.
Book One,Mystery Force, Assemble!,begins with warehouses of previously unheard-of magical creatures being discovered and freed. Out of fear, these new creatures continue to hide, and a group of curious kids – Rasheed, Jonathan, and Jojo – decide to get to the bottom of the mystery!
In book two,The Case of the Stolen Horn,Rasheed, Jonathan, and Jojo are on the case after their unicorn drama teacher, Mr. Twinkles, is attacked, with their pegasus geometry teacher Ms. Weymont being arrested for the crime. The Mystery Force kids are determined to clear Ms. Weymont’s name by finding the real culprit.
Book three,Blazing Blizzards,confronts the Mystery Force gang with an unusual May blizzard. They waste no time in investigating the cause, trying to save their town and a newly discovered magical creature from the forces behind the terrible weather.
These works demonstrate how the best middle grade fiction combines age-appropriate storytelling with genuine respect for young readers’ intelligence and emotional capacity.
See the Chanticleer Difference for Yourself!
We’re excited about all the exceptional middle grade books we receive every year for both the CIBAs and for our Editorial Reviews. The Chanticleer International Book Awards offers an incredible $30,000 in cash, prizes, and promotion across all divisions!
The Gertrude Warner Awards recognize the special skill required to write for middle grade readers, the ability to create stories that acknowledge young people’s growing sophistication while providing the adventure and engagement that make reading a treasured activity. Whether you’re exploring contemporary challenges, historical adventures, or fantastical quests, these awards celebrate books that respect and nurture growing minds.
Your Middle Grade Adventure Awaits
Middle grade readers are some of the most enthusiastic and loyal book lovers, and, when they discover a story that speaks to them, they become passionate advocates, sharing their favorites with friends and rereading beloved books until the covers fall off. Your middle grade novel could be the book that transforms a reluctant reader into a book lover or provides comfort and understanding to a young person navigating their own challenges.
Help us celebrate the bridge between childhood and adolescence—the deadline is September 30, 2025!
The Mystery & Mayhem Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Light-Hearted and Cozy Mysteries. The M&M Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).
The Dante Rossetti Book Awards
The Clue Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Suspense and Thriller Mysteries. The Clue Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).
The Shelley Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Paranormal Fiction. The Shelley Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).
The Ozma Book Awards recognize emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Magic, Steampunk and Fantasy Fiction. The Ozma Awards is a genre division of Chanticleer International Book Awards and Novel Competitions (The CIBAs).
