IBPA Book Awards
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The IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award is now the IBPA Book Award. Recognizing excellence in independent book publishing for 40 years. The awards are administered by the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA). Each year, a gala award ceremony is held in conjunction with the IBPA Publishing University conference where one Gold and two or three Silver award winners are announced in each category.
4 Books Honored in 2026
Seeing Ourselves in Nature: Stories from Educators and Children of Indigenous, Black, and Other People of the Global Majority
by Jessica Fong
Discover the profound and joyous stories of Black and Brown nature educators. In Seeing Ourselves in Nature, author Jessica Fong asks how educators in the United States who are Black, Indigenous, or other people of color can create space for predominantly BIPOC children and families to reconnect to nature.
Recognizing the scarcity of stories from people of color in the predominately white literature surrounding nature education in the United States, Fong sought out thirteen other BIPOC educators to share their rich and profound experiences with young children in nature. Sharing these stories is a first step in the long road to making nature education equitable for all children.
The book is organized into four sections:
- In section one, educators work toward liberation and justice by actively pushing against the pushdown of academics on children of color.
- In section two, community and cultural connections based in nature come to the forefront as educators share the importance of seeing Black and Brown faces in natural spaces both in real life and in the images found in books.
- In section three, prose and poetry stories from Black women become radical by virtue of their simplicity as they connect the students and families they serve by centering their experiences with nature.
- In section four, children harness their powerful curiosity and intrinsic motivation when interacting with nature.
People the Planet Needs Now: Voices for Justice, Science, and a Future of Promise
Find inspiration to affect global change with stories and perspectives from people the planet needs now: 25 Black and Brown scientists and activists.
From climate change and industrial waste to social injustice and poverty, the challenges that our world faces are daunting. To make matters worse, many people are turning away from scientific fact in favor of their own beliefs and biases. Yet there is reason for hope. Heroes among us are fighting for a better world—and many of them are Black, Indigenous, and Other People of Color (BIPOC). Acclaimed author and photographer Dudley Edmondson has interviewed 25 Black and Brown scientists, environmental justice activists, and social justice activists to inspire change on a global scale.
People the Planet Needs Now is a compilation of personal stories and perspectives from across the United States (and one from the Philippines), as scientists and activists talk about the work they do and their life experiences. The 25 viewpoints are shared conversationally, as if the reader is having a one-on-one dialogue with each storyteller. You’ll learn deeply personal details about:
- Their childhood
- Physical- and mental-health struggles
- Racist encounters
These details influence everything, from science and what is considered knowledge to where one might live in a particular city and even one’s quality of healthcare and education.
Complete with Dudley’s full-color photography, the book offers a rare opportunity to see and hear from BIPOC scientists and activists about problems with “traditional” science and the current methods of addressing everything from climate change to city design. Black and Brown people are often most directly affected by these problems, so their unique insights offer the possibility for new solutions. These interviews spark conversations about innovative ways to address social, environmental, and related issues.
“It is an honor and privilege to share this collection of personal stories from Black and Brown storytellers with global origins and perspectives,” says Dudley.
Black and Brown people around the globe have an interdependent relationship with nature, and their perspectives can help us push for positive change. People the Planet Needs Now strives to inspire current and future difference-makers to create a better world together.
These ABCs Belong to Me!
A joyful ABC picture book that helps kids reclaim the words used to describe them—transforming labels into superpowers and building confidence one letter at a time.
When others use words to define us, they’re not always kind. These ABCs Belong to Me! flips the script, inviting children to reclaim traits like “bossy,” “quiet,” and “picky” as personal strengths. From ambitious—because chasing big dreams takes courage—to zany—because creativity deserves to shine—each page celebrates what makes us unique.
Here’s what makes These ABCs Belong to Me! shine:
- Turns Labels into Strengths: Shows how being “bossy” means taking charge, “quiet” means loving peace, and “picky” means knowing what’s best.
- Empowers Kids’ Self-Image: Helps children build resilience and pride in who they are—perfect for nurturing emotional intelligence.
- Inclusive & Vibrant: Written from a child’s perspective, free of gender pronouns, so every kid can see themselves in these pages.
- Playful, Uplifting Art: Filled with colorful illustrations that celebrate individuality and spark joyful conversations.
These ABCs Belong to Me! is more than an alphabet book—it’s a heartwarming guide to self-love and a reminder that the stories we tell ourselves are the most powerful of all.
Love in the Key of Summer: A Love Set in Summer novel
Love wasn’t on the agenda—until one summer night changed everything.
Tawni’s finally putting herself first—teaching by day, singing by night, and rebuilding after mistaking manipulation for love. But Rue’s quiet strength and lingering sadness pull at her heart, igniting a connection that feels as risky as it is real.
Widowed single dad Rue Edwards has mastered the art of holding it all together—until a chance encounter with Tawni Alexander, his son’s former intervention specialist, disrupts his routine and stirs something he thought was buried with his grief.
Set against the vibrant backdrop of a Cleveland summer, Love in the Key of Summer is an emotionally rich romance full of second chances, unresolved emotional ties, and the courage it takes to embrace vulnerability. For readers who crave meaningful romantic connections and the slow burn of authentic Black love—this story sings your song.
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