2025 NAIWE Book Cover Design Winner

 

Author: Mary Jumbelic

When first looking at the book cover, the contrast of the red with the dark background gives off a spooky feeling. A light, near-white outline of the woman’s nose and left cheek bring attention to her face. The first word of the book title is placed on the woman’s forehead, making it look like she has been branded. But this woman cannot see or speak because an X is placed over each of her eyes and the final two words of the book title acts as tape over the woman’s mouth.

The title of the book Speak Her Name and the placement of the words of the title on the cover are at the very essence of what this woman cannot do and provide an excellent foreshadow for what this book is about.

Comments from professional book designer Tamian Wood:

“The x’s over the eyes tell the reader, at a glance, that there is death involved in this story, even before we read the words. Also, the striation in the image that suggests clear tape over the eyes and mouth has a super creepy, murdery vibe.

“But what I particularly like about the title is that each letter is unique. With a standard font, a repeated character will look the same because there is typically only one version of each letter. In this case, all three of the E’s are subtly different, as are the A’s and X’s. Great attention to detail.

“Another subtle, but really cool touch is the slight pinkish tint to the upper eyebrow and below the nose of the central character, picking up the color of the font and tying the two elements together in an artful and harmonious way.

“Overall, nicely done.”

Congratulations, Mary Jumbelic’s Speak Her Name for being a NAIWE 2025 Book Award winner!

2024 NAIWE Informational Nonfiction Winner

 

Author: Steve Waddell

People often create new products or services to solve problems they experience. However, many people don’t know how to pursue their ideas and inventions. Valuepreneurs can help!

Steve Waddell provides a step-by-step guide beginning with getting started before an entrepreneur even has an idea going all the way to having a product and turning it into a business. In Valuepreneurs, Waddell spends a lot of time focusing on the steps before the final product. He works through several stages to ensure that the product is valuable, worthwhile, and desired. While some entrepreneurs have an idea and then develop a product, Waddell emphasizes the importance of developing the concept and then launching a prototype before protecting the product idea and researching how to market your product.

While this topic could be considered dry, Waddell has developed a method that is anything but. His knowledge as a visionary leaks throughout the pages in an easily understandable format. Valuepreneurs offers many visuals to help you understand how to mold your ideas to succeed as valuable and profitable products.

Congratulations, Steve Waddell’s Valuepreneurs for being a NAIWE 2024 Book Award winner!

2024 NAIWE Genre Fiction Winner

 

Author: Leslie K. Simmons

As the son of a Cherokee leader, John Ridge returns home from New England with an education and a white bride. But as Southern states dispute with the federal government, setting the stage for Indian removal and later a civil war, John seeks to assist his people.

Leslie Simmons has a way with words. The prose she lays on the page is visual and beautiful, and the reader is quickly mesmerized by this dynamic work simply because of the way Simmons tells the story. Her excellent way with words makes it easy to forget that this is a historical fiction text.

John and his bride, Sarah, are faced with difficult choices while the Cherokee’s beliefs are tested. Red Clay, Running Waters is a family saga filled with love and sacrifice woven with outside influences such as politics, race, and religion.

This is a timeless and engaging story that is difficult to put down!

Congratulations, Leslie K. Simmons’s Red Clay, Running Waters for being a NAIWE 2024 Book Award winner!

2024 NAIWE Middle Grade Winner

 

Author: Sherry Roberts

Starting middle school and facing the unknowns that it presents can be difficult for many, but CeCe was excited to share this experience with her friends. However, shortly before the school year was to begin, CeCe discovers that her family will be moving.

Devastated and defiant, CeCe is forced to quickly pack and say good-bye to the life that she had known to then be shoved into a car and travel across the country. She feels like she has lost control of everything.

Author Shelley Roberts writes this book in the first person and in the present tense, which is no easy feat. Many books written in the first person lack the depth that the reader desires. However, in this book, the author’s skillfulness in using the first person enables the reader to be one with CeCe and share in her thoughts and understand her challenges. All of the words in this book are straight from the mouth or thoughts of CeCe. Excellent job!

This is a useful and relevant book to help children cope with life through the many changes they are forced to face, especially when they feel they have no control over what’s important in their lives.

Congratulations, Shelly Roberts’s The Galaxy According to CeCe for being a NAIWE 2024 Book Award winner!

2024 NAIWE Narrative Nonfiction Winner

 

Author: Frederick Douglass Reynolds

Police detectives’ cases are often entangled with drug abuse, gang violence, homelessness, and even death. One years-long homicide case that stands out for two detectives begins in California in 2008 when five people in a homeless encampment were murdered on the same night.

This account hits on areas of the victims’ lives leading to their deaths: one was sought out for his involvement in the gang culture of drugs and four were just in the wrong place that dreadful night and witnessed a murder. And then there was a sixth murder in the desert many miles away that again was connected to the gang culture of drugs with the ultimate price of death. Within the world of a jailhouse, these murders were used as bragging rights to gain status and then to convict.

Written like a story, Saint Bloodbath brings the reader in the scene, allowing the reader to better understand the situations of homeless people and gang members and why they make the choices they do.

Frederick Douglass Reynolds, the author and a retired L.A. County Sheriff’s Homicide Sergeant, is a gifted writer with a vast array of personal experiences to describe with his pen. Saint Bloodbath is an excellent read based on true events that will make you question the humanity of some.

Congratulations, Frederick Douglass Reynolds’s Saint Bloodbath for being a NAIWE 2024 Book Award winner!

2024 NAIWE Young Adult Winner

 

Author: Gary Natoli

Elizabeth “Lizard” Larson is a 14-year-old girl who discovers she has power, which could be connected to her parents’ development of a time machine. From normal teenager to time manipulator, Lizard finds herself the target of those who want to use her time-stopping ability for sinister purposes. Lizard is forced to learn about her new power, but also about her new enemy and about how to be a more independent leader on an unexpected adventure.

Author Gary Natoli writes with time manipulation from the very beginning. Rather than beginning the novel with chapter 1, or even with a preface, he begins with chapter 0—the time before time. “I led myself to believe I had all the time in the world. Ironic…time is actually catching up with me. . . . Please don’t let history bury me.”

Natoli writes in a manner that young adults can relate to. School. Dreaded subjects. Science experiments not working. The visuals he creates with words are exquisite! Natoli uses his storytelling skills to provide enough detail for the reader to visualize the scenes, but to leave enough out so that the reader’s mind can fill in the rest. A stimulating combination!

Congratulations, Gary Natoli’s Lizard Larson and the Time Keeper for being a NAIWE 2024 Book Award winner!

2024 NAIWE Poetry Book Winner

 

Words Left Unspoken

Author: J.A. McGovern

Words are an important part of communication, but there are many more thoughts in a person’s head than words that are spoken by that person. Poet J.A. McGovern gives words to many of these thoughts in Words Left Unspoken.

He sat rocking in his green chair,

When he was eleven

Making wishes his father’s soul

Would end in heaven.

J.A. McGovern captures these thoughts so they will not be lost. Like most poetry, this book is not to be read in one sitting. Rather, a reader can sit and savor a poem or two a day, contemplating their own thoughts that they have not put to words.

He sat rocking in his green chair,

When he was forty

Watching his sons and daughters grow

While working.

Words Left Unspoken covers many topics throughout the poems. In looking at the variety, the reader can see the life of the poet as it has passed among the passage of time in writing these poems. Even the transition between the two thoughts shows the maturity of the poet, from moments simply being thoughts to moments becoming memories.

He sat rocking in his green chair,

When he was sixty-five

Standing above her grave, realizing

He barely knew her, when she was alive.

In part 2 of Words Left Unspoken, J.A. McGovern captures memories through the haiku poetic form. In these poems, the memories shared are very visual. J.A. McGovern describes the simple everyday items that many people would leave as unspoken thoughts passing by.

He sat rocking in his green chair,

When he was ninety-nine

Wondering –

How life passed by…

Congratulations, J.A. McGovern’s Words Left Unspoken for being a NAIWE 2024 Book Award winner!