About Meteor 17 Books:

Meteor 17 Books is a boutique publishing imprint known for its unique fusion of music, culture, and storytelling. With a diverse catalog spanning children’s literature, memoir, and pop culture, the imprint focuses on impactful narratives that inspire and endure.

About Judith A. Proffer:

Judith A. Proffer is the author of award-winning children’s books including Patsy Cline’s Walkin’ After Midnight, Broadway Baby, and Bondi & Poppy Help Heal the Planet. She has a passion for creating stories that help children understand the world around them, with a focus on empathy and emotional well-being.

About Yoko Matsuoka:

Yoko Matsuoka is a professional fantasy artist living in northern Japan, known for her vibrant and expressive artwork that captures the imagination of readers of all ages. In Vincent, her illustrations beautifully mirror Van Gogh’s style, bringing his emotional journey to life.

About Don McLean:

Don McLean is a GRAMMY Award honoree, a Songwriter Hall of Fame member, and a BBC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. His smash hit “American Pie” resides in the Library of Congress National Recording Registry and was named a Top 5 Song of the 20th Century by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA). A New York native, Don McLean is one of American history's most revered and respected songwriters. After paying his dues in the New York club scene in the late 1960s, he went on to score mega-hits like “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night),” “Castles in the Air” and many more. His catalog of songs has been recorded by Madonna, Garth Brooks, Josh Groban, Drake, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and countless others. In 2015, McLean’s handwritten manuscript of “American Pie” lyrics was auctioned by Christie's, selling for just over $1.2 Million. 2019 honored Don with a star on the Las Vegas Walkway of Stars, and his song “And I Love You So” was the theme for Prince Harry and Megan Markle’s wedding. Don landed a new recording contract with Time Life in 2020, with whom he released a catalog of recordings and a new album ‘Still Playin’ Favorites.’ In 2021, Don’s “American Pie” was featured in the Avengers’ Black Widow and the Tom Hanks movie Finch. McLean received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, celebrated the 50th anniversary of “American Pie,” and recorded a version of the song with a cappella group Home Free. In 2022, McLean received six Telly Awards for his collaboration with international heavyweight Tyson Fury, released American Pie: A Fable children’s book, and was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame. In 2023, the Telly award-winning documentary The Day The Music Died: The Story of Don McLean's American Pie was released on DVD and Blu-Ray. McLean was inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame during a public ceremony along with Darius Rucker, Joe Galante, and Duane Eddy in Nashville, Tennessee in 2023. In 2024, President Yoon of South Korea sang “American Pie” for a delighted audience of White House guests in Washington, D.C. Later that year McLean was invited to attend a State Dinner at the White House honoring President Ruto of Kenya. His latest album, ‘American Boys,’ was also released in 2024 as well as another award-winning children's book based on his hit song 'Vincent.'

About The Independent Book Publishers Association:

Founded in 1983 to support independent publishers nationwide, the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) leads and serves the independent publishing community through advocacy, education, and tools for success. With over 4,000 members, IBPA is the largest publishing association in the U.S. Its vision is a world where every independent publisher has the tools and knowledge needed to professionally engage in all aspects of the publishing industry.

About the IBPA Book Award Program:

The IBPA Book Award program (formerly known as the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award program) includes 58 categories recognizing excellence in book editorial and design. It’s regarded as one of the highest national honors for independent publishers. The awards are unique in that the verbatim judging forms are returned to all participating publishers, providing entrants with direct feedback on each submission. The awards are administered by the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), with help from over 170 volunteer book publishing professionals including librarians, bookstore owners, reviewers, designers, publicity managers, and editors.

When the IBPA book award program launched in 1985, it had two goals: (1) to celebrate excellence in independent publishing and (2) to foster that excellence by sharing a written critique from each judge with the submitting publisher.

Both goals continue today, and each of the nearly 1,800 entrants will receive a written critique from two or three individual judges—meaning more than 5,000 written critiques will be shared. These critiques include constructive feedback to help each publisher transparently understand how the book was perceived by each judge.

IBPA is incredibly grateful to the volunteer judges—librarians, booksellers, design and editorial experts—who brought their decades of book industry knowledge and experience to this year's program.

The 38th annual IBPA book award program's call for entries for books with a copyright date of 2025 will open in July 2025.