Retailers Choice Awards 2011 Winners Announced

Christian retailers across the country have chosen the winning products in the 11th annual Retailers Choice Awards, sponsored by Christian Retailing magazine. Among a record 350-plus nominations in 39 categories, 41 winners were voted as best of the year.

Tyndale House Publishers and Thomas Nelson tied for the most wins, with eight each. Tyndale had 10 finalists and Thomas Nelson 25 finalists in the running.

Sarah Young's devotional writing fared well with two wins: Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids (Children's Nonfiction) and Jesus Calling: Deluxe Edition in Backlist, both from Thomas Nelson.

Best-selling author and pastor David Platt won the Audio award for Radical (christianaudio) and a Christian Living: Spiritual Growth award for Radical (WaterBrook Multnomah). Beth Moore's So Long, Insecurity was tops in Women's Nonfiction, while the Spanish version won in the Spanish category.

Other standouts included Bonhoeffer, a best-seller of critical acclaim by Eric Metaxas (Thomas Nelson), Forgotten God Study Resource by Francis Chan (David C. Cook) and The Action Bible by Doug Mauss, general editor, and Sergio Cariello, an illustrator of DC Comics and Marvel Comics fame (David C. Cook).

Introduced in 2001, the Retailers Choice Awards have been increasingly acknowledged as an important way of recognizing some of the most significant new life-changing products in the Christian retail industry.

Retailers were asked to judge nominations on the impact they have had on staff and customers, including their ability to:

    * speak to people's hearts and evoke emotion

    * open people's minds to new ways of thinking

    * encourage and affirm Christ-like living.

Finalists were announced in early April, prior to the presentation of the awards Tuesday, April 26, at Retailing ReBoot 2011, held April 26-28 at the Florida Hotel and Conference Center in Orlando, Fla. For more information on the event, go to http://retailingreboot.com.

Audio
Radical
David Platt
christianaudio

Auto/Biography
Bonhoeffer
Eric Metaxas
Thomas Nelson

Bible Reference/Study
The New How to Study Your Bible
Kay Arthur, David Arthur, Pete De Lacy
Harvest House Publishers

Charismatic
Everyone's Guide to Demons & Spiritual Warfare
Ron Phillips
Charisma House

Children's Fiction
Letters to God
Patrick and Heather Doughtie
Tammie Lyon, illustrator
Zonderkidz (Zondervan)

Children's Nonfiction
Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids
Sarah Young
Adapted by Tamara Fortner
Thomas Nelson

Christian Education
Instant Bible Lessons for Preschoolers: God Helps Me
Pamela J. Kuhn
Rainbow Publishers/Legacy Press

Christian Living: Practical Life
Bringing Up Girls
Dr. James Dobson
Tyndale House Publishers

Christian Living: Spiritual Growth
Heaven Is for Real
Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent
Thomas Nelson

Christian Living: Spiritual Growth
Radical
David Platt
WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

Church & Culture
Transformational Church
Ed Stetzer & Thom S. Rainer
B&H Publishing Group

Devotionals
Good Morning, Lord
Sheila Walsh
Thomas Nelson

Eschatology
Can America Survive?
John Hagee
Howard Books

Evangelism
The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask
Mark Mittelberg
Tyndale House Publishers

Fiction (Contemporary Romance)
Lydia's Charm
Wanda E. Brunstetter
Barbour Publishing

Fiction (General)
Her Mother's Hope
Francine Rivers
Tyndale House Publishers

Fiction (Historical Romance)
Here Burns My Candle
Liz Curtis Higgs
WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

Fiction (Mystery & Suspense)
The Twelfth Imam
Joel C. Rosenberg
Tyndale House Publishers

First-Time Authors
The Devil in Pew Number Seven
Rebecca Nichols Alonzo with Bob DeMoss
Tyndale House Publishers

Health and Fitness
Eat This and Live! for Kids
Don Colbert, M.D.
Siloam (Charisma House)

Prayer
The Power of a Praying Life
Stormie Omartian
Harvest House Publishers

Reformed
Jesus: The Only Way to God
John Piper
Baker Books (Baker Publishing Group)

Relationships
Love and Respect for a Lifetime
Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
Thomas Nelson

Social Issues
Life in the Balance
Joni Eareckson Tada & Friends
Regal (Gospel Light)

Women's Nonfiction
So Long, Insecurity
Beth Moore
Tyndale House Publishers

Youth/Teen
Devotions for the God Girl
Hayley DiMarco
Revell (Baker Publishing Group)

General Gift Product
Weapons of Our Warfare T-shirt
Kerusso

Gift Book
The Butterfly Effect
Andy Andrews
Thomas Nelson

Gift Book
You Changed My Life
Max Lucado
Thomas Nelson

Wall Decor
Full Armor of God Sculpture Plaque #11707
Moments of Faith
Lighthouse Christian Products Co.

Backlist
Jesus Calling: Deluxe Edition
Sarah Young
Thomas Nelson

Children's Media
In the Beginning
What's in the Bible? #1
Phil Vischer
Tyndale House Publishers

Curriculum (Nontraditional)
The Reason for God
Timothy Keller
Zondervan

Curriculum (VBS)
SonQuest Rainforest VBS Super Starter Kit
Gospel Light

DVD/Video: Book/Bible Study
Forgotten God Study Resource
Francis Chan
David C. Cook

DVD/Video: Movie & Comedy
Insanitized
Tim Hawkins
Crown Entertainment

Marketing/Promotion Campaign
DayMaker Gift Rack Program
Barbour Publishing

Spanish
Hasta Luego, Inseguridad
Beth Moore
Tyndale House Publishers

Of the retailers who completed the ballot, six were selected for the prize of hundreds of dollars' worth of the nominated products, and one was chosen to receive an Amazon Kindle e-reader. The winning stores also were announced at Retailing ReBoot.

Winner of Kindle:
Kevin Stern
Dallas Theological Seminary Book Center
Dallas

Winners of products:
Bill Mead
Christian Words & Works
Lufkin, Texas
 
Peggy Shearon
Cokesbury
Nashville, Tenn.
 
Rachel Savage
The Chapel Store
West Melbourne, Fla.
 
Davina Fabritiis
The Chapel Store
West Melbourne, Fla.
 
Geni Hulsey
Tallowood Book Shop
Houston, Texas
 
Rachel Billings
The Lighthouse Christian Book and Gift Store
Salina, Kan.


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