#SeasonsOfKidLit Book Awards & Upcoming Events!

At #SeasonsOfKidLit.com we’re all about celebrating holidays and supporting literacy for readers, both young and young at heart.  Since seasonal books often get overlooked for awards, we thought it’d be fun to recognize books for every holiday and season in a BIG way. What better way to celebrate than with a book award event? Want to hear more? Check out our contest details below for more info on the #SeasonsOfKidLit book awards...

Who can enter? 

• Publishers, Publicists, Agents, Authors & Illustrators.

• Note: there is no publication year requirement, however your book must be available for purchase online and in print to enter.

How do I enter? 

• Navigate to #SeasonsOfKidLit.com starting August 15th - November 15th for instructions.

What categories are available:

We will offer awards in the below categories.

• Best Winter Books  

  • Examples, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Winter Solstice. 

• Best Spring Books

  • Examples Valentines, Passover, Holi, Easter.

• Best Summer Books

  • Juneteenth, Fourth of July, Summer Vacation, Back to School. 

• Best Fall Books

  • Halloween, Fall Festival, Diwali, Thanksgiving, Veteran’s Day.

• Best Silly/All Other Holidays Books

  • Polar Bear Plunge Day, Umbrella Day, Pi Day, Hamburger Day, Stick Out Your Tongue Day. 

• Best Make Up Your Own Holiday Books

  • You read that right! If your book could fit into any holiday that's not recognized, what would it be? Come up with a silly holiday and let us know.

• Promising Manuscripts

  • Submit a first page for a WIP ($15).

What book formats are accepted:

Board Books, Picture Books, Early Readers, Chapter Books, & MG.

• A PDF copy of your book will need to be supplied for entry.

How many awards will you hand out?

We will select five winners, including one Grand Prize winner, in each category. 

Please note that we reserve the right to withhold any prize in the event the judges cannot determine a winner.

Can self-published authors apply? 

Yes! We will offer an additional prize to a self-published book in each category. As before, we reserve the right to withhold any prize in the event the judges cannot determine a winner.  

Cost: 

Cost to enter. $30.00 per book, per category. 

Why charge for entry?

This will help the co-hosts Heather Macht and Lynne Marie pay for the yearly fees and operating expenses for #SeasonsOfKidLit.com (i.e. domain, website, newsletters, graphics, etc.). 

Why is it so affordable?

We want this contest to be affordable so anyone and everyone who desires can enter it. That's also why we are requesting PDF copies only of your book. (I mean, seriously, have you seen the price of eggs lately?).

When will the winners be announced? 

To make the announcement extra sweet, the winners will be announced on or about February 14th, 2026 in a Valentine's Day Post!

What do I get if I win?

• A winner’s certificate and digital book seal for your book!

• A write-up of why you won (to post on social media sites, your personal webpage, etc).

• Note: Stickers can be purchased separately if desired. 

Any disclaimers?

Heather and Lynne Marie have a passion for books (and fairness!). We will not be eligible for entry (obviously) and will bring in 3rd parties for judging if we believe there is a conflict of interest. 

If we have a large number of entries, we will seek additional help. If you’re interested in assisting #SeasonsOfKidLit.com as a paid judge, email us via the Contact Page here, with the heading Contest Interest. Let us know your qualifications and why you think you’d be a great fit! Please note, we will only respond if we need assistance.  

Any other questions? 

Email us via the Contact Page here. 

Thanks everyone for your support and stay tuned for the official opening!

Other #SeasonsOfKidLit news:

Make sure to check out the blog for tons of insight and giveaways! Our Summer Fun event is still open and has 7 book giveaways available. Winners will be announced on or about 7/11!

#SeasonsOfKidLit's yearly Trick-or-Treat event is coming October 1st! Join us to celebrate 13 days of Halloween including an opportunity to pitch a spooky/seasonal book to a publisher!

#SeasonsOfKidLit's Seasons Reading event, celebrating 12 days of winter holidays, is coming December 1st!

We appreciate everyone's support and are looking forward to celebrating with you all soon!

Sincerely,

Heather Macht & Lynne Marie