Zondervan Blog

Berenstain Bears Title Wins iParenting Media Award

Zonderkidz™, the children’s division of Zondervan and the leader in Christian children's communications, is proud to announce The Berenstain Bears® and the Golden Rule as a 2009 iParenting Media Awards Outstanding Product in the books category.

The iParenting Awards program is the leading family products evaluation committed to helping parents make informed decisions as they choose products. The program evaluation uses state-of-the-art technology and experienced reviewers, including experts and families. Examples of evaluated products are books, accessories, baby care, safety, and bedding. The products are judged based on their quality, durability, age-appropriateness, play value and more. Read the full news release.

Zonderkidz Author Dandi Daley Mackall Wins Literature Award

Zonderkidz proudly announces author Dandi Daley Mackall as the recipient of the 2009 Helen Keating Ott Award for Outstanding Contribution to Children's Literature from the Church and Synagogue Library Association (CSLA)

Past winners include Lloyd Alexander (The Chronicles of Prydain, 1969 Newbery Medal for The High King), Tomie de Paola (Christmas Remembered), Walter Wangerin, Jr. (The Book of the Dun Cow). Read More

Bestselling Author Cecil Murphey Honored with Prestigious Award

The American Society of Journalists and Authors (ASJA) has honored bestselling author Cecil Murphey by giving him the 2009 Extraordinary Service Award, one of their most prestigious awards. This award reflects the great respect the ASJA membership holds for Murphey and his extraordinary service to other writers. Read More

In addition to his own works, Cecil has assisted well-known personalities in writing their biographies including one about renowned pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin Carson titled Gifted Hands.

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Four Bible Experience Artists Nominated for Eight Dove Awards

To add to his Grammy award-winning year, Kirk Franklin, who plays the role of Peter in The Bible Experience, recently received two Dove Award nominations. Other Bible Experience performers to be nominated for Dove Awards include Tina and Erica Campbell (Mary Mary) and Bishop Paul S. Morton.

Franklin’s nominations include his song “Declaration” for urban recorded song and his album The Fight of My Life for urban album. Mary Mary received two nominations in the urban recorded song category for the songs “Get Up” and “Love Him Like I Do.” Bishop Paul S. Morton and his Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship Mass Choir received a nomination for their song “Cry Your Last Tear” in the traditional gospel recorded song category and a nomination for their album by the same name in the traditional gospel album category.

Tina Campbell reads Psalm 8 and 9 in The Bible Experience, while her sister Erica reads Psalm 3 and 5. Bishop Morton plays the role of Reuel, son of Esau, from the book of Exodus.

Get a free download of Kirk Franklin as Peter from The Bible Experience (Matthew 14:22-32, Peter walks on water). Go to www.BibleExperience.com and use download code KIRK-BLG.
 

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Bible Experience Musician Wins 2 Grammy Awards

Kirk Franklin, who plays the role of Peter in The Bible Experience, won 2 Grammy awards in the Gospel category. Kirk won best contemporary R&B Gospel album for Fight for Your Life and best Gospel song for “Help Me Believe,” a track from Fight for Your Life.

Get a free download of Kirk Franklin as Peter from The Bible Experience (Matthew 14:22-32, Peter walks on water). Go to www.BibleExperience.com and use download code KIRK-BLG.
 

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Technorati tags: Bible Experience, Audio Bible, MP3 Bible, iPod Bible, Kirk Franklin, free download, Grammy Awards, Gospel, Zondervan

Zondervan Announces Finalists for the 2009 Christian Book Awards

The Grandmother's Bible With a year’s worth of devotions by women such as Ruth Graham, Elisa Morgan, and Elizabeth George, special Saturday and Sunday devotions, and a wealth of articles, prayers, and other features, the Grandmother’s Bible gives guidance and encouragement for today’s active grandmother.
Zondervan NIV Study Bible, updated edition The Zondervan NIV Study Bible is the number 1 bestselling study Bible in the bestselling NIV translation. And now it includes a 25 percent revision to the over 20,000 in-text study notes and a library of study resources at your fingertips.
Living Water by Brother Yun The companion to the bestselling The Heavenly Man, Living Water shares the vision of Brother Yun, one of China's most dedicated, courageous and intensely persecuted house church leaders. Brother Yun’s dramatic life story and teachings offer a message that inspires and challenges Christians to live out a passionate commitment to serve Jesus Christ.
Multiple Blessings: Surviving to Thriving with Twins and Sextuplets by Jon and Kate Gosselin, Beth Carson. New York Times Bestseller. Three years after giving birth to twin daughters, Kate and Jon Gosselin became pregnant again—with sextuplets. Kate’s candid and emotionally-charged book chronicles the exhausting challenges she and Jon faced from the time the babies were conceived through the first two years of their lives, and the faith it took to get through each day.

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Technorati tags: Bible, NIV, Brother Yun, Living Water, Multiple Blessings, Zondervan, Kate Gosselin

The Almost True Story of Ryan Fisher Earns a 2009 Christianity Today Book Award

Rob Stennett’s first novel, The Almost True Story of Ryan Fisher, received a 2009 Award of Merit from Christianity Today in the fiction category. Mike Moran, who reviewed the novel for Christianity Today, had this to say:

“For me, reading Fisher was like literary déjà-vu — the distinct impression that I was reading a story from great literature. That's because in some twisted way, I was.... Fisher is filled with brilliant sarcastic wit, mostly directed against the contemporary church, though in a friendly, non-vindictive way.” Read More

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Technorati tags: Ryan Fisher, Christianity Today, Rob Stennett, Fiction, Novel, Book Award, Zondervan

Chuck Colson Receives Presidential Citizens Medal

Charles Colson, author of The Faith (Zondervan, 2008), today received the Presidential Citizens Medal from President Bush during a ceremony at the White House. Colson served seven months in prison for his role in the Watergate cover-up, and after becoming a born-again Christian, founded Prison Fellowship in 1976.

During the last thirty-three years, Colson has visited more than 600 prisons in forty countries and, with the help of nearly 50,000 volunteers, has built Prison Fellowship into the world’s largest prison outreach.

His most recent book, The Faith, has received universal acclaim for its explanation of the foundations of our Christian faith—bridging the gap between belief, understanding and life.

Colson joins a distinguished list of nearly 100 people who have received the medal since the program was created in 1969. Past recipients include sports celebrities such as Henry Aaron, Roberto Clemente and Muhammad Ali, as well as former government officials like US Senator Bob Dole and Robert Rubin and entertainers including actress Elizabeth Taylor.

The Presidential Citizens Medal was established in November 13, 1969 to recognize US citizens who have performed exemplary deeds of service for the nation. The medal is bestowed by the President and is one of the highest honors the President can confer upon a civilian, second only to the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Camy Tang Wins 2008 American Christian Fiction Writer's Award

Camy Tang, author of the popular Sushi Series, won the 2008 American Christian Fiction Writers’ award for best book in the debut author category for her novel Sushi for One?. Tang’s accomplishment was honored at the annual ACFW award ceremony on September 20, 2008 in Minneapolis, Minn. Tang's unique style of “romance with a kick of wasabi” diversifies Christian fiction and expands the boundaries of chick-lit. In a 2007 review of Sushi For One? in Publishers Weekly called the book a “sassy narrative” and said it was “refreshing to have Tang's voice in Christian fiction....” Read More

Zondervan Wins Audies for 'Superior' Audio Production

The Audio Publishers Association (APA) presented its Audies Award to the most ambitious presentation of the Bible ever produced -- Zondervan's Inspired by... The Bible Experience (Old Testament) in 2 categories May 30 in Los Angeles:
* Multi-Voiced Performance
* Inspirational/Spiritual

Inspired by... The Bible Experience was also distinguished as a finalist in 2 additional categories:
* Achievement in Production
                                      * Package Design

Inspired by... The Bible Experience is the bestselling audio Bible. Its New Testament edition won the prestigious 2007 Audiobook of the Year award from APA and its Old Testament edition was finalist for this year's 2008 Audiobook of the Year.

And finally, the audio edition of Ever After by bestselling author Karen Kingsbury, recipient of the 2007 Christian Book of the Year by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, was finalist in the 2008 Audies' Inspirational/Faith-Based Fiction category.