CHANDLER, AZ (June, 2011)—Growing Up With a Bucket Full of Happiness by Carol McCloud is the Grand Prize winner of the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards contest, which recognizes excellence in children's literature. McCloud's book earned a 1st Place win in the Charity/Making a Difference category with a perfect score and 1st Place in School Issues with a near perfect score, awarding her $300 and the Grand Prize designation. Judges' comments were: "Excellent message! Incredible analogies. Adults should read this book, too!" and "This book is a great addition to the series, expounding on the principles introduced in the author's previous works. Very nice!"

Other 1st Place winners include: Danny the Dragonfly Meets Jimmy by Tina Turbin with illustrations by Aija Jasuna for Best Illustrations; The Blacksmith's Tale or Once Upon a Flower by Dana Phillips, Best Interior Design; Rockin' Babies by Jenn Berman and Cynthia Weil, Board Book; Doodles Alphabet Coloring Fun by Setria James, Children's Activity Book; Stealing the Wild by Beth Hodder for Children's Chapter Book, Nico and Lola: Kindness Shared Between a Boy and a Dog by Meggan Hill and Over in Australia: Amazing Animals Down Under by Marianne Berkes, who tied for 1st Place in Children's Picture Book 5 & Younger; Fifo "50 States" by Hayley Rose, Children's Picture Book 6 & Older; My Nana's Remedies/Los Remedios de mi Nana by Roni C. Ashford, Cultural Diversity and again for Family Matters; Heaven Sent by Nicole Christine Kosch for Religion, Spirituality, Philosophy; Lodestone Book One & Two by Mark Whiteway, Science Fiction/Fantasy and again for Young Adult Fiction. Ashford also won the $100 prize drawing in which all 1st Place winners were entered.

"Winning any place in the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards is a huge honor because in order to maintain the integrity of the contest, a minimum score is required before a 1st or 2nd Place or Honorable Mention will be awarded, even if it is the only entry in a category," explains Linda Radke, president of Five Star Publications, the sponsor of the Dragonfly Book Awards. "Competition is steep, too, because there is no publication date limit as long as the book is still in print."

The Chocolate Dragonfly Book Awards contest, which is open to any and all books about or relating in some way to food, is already underway with an August 1 deadline for entries; as is the Royal Dragonfly Book Awards, which honors all genres of books in 50 categories, with a February 1, 2012 deadline. However, Royal Dragonfly submissions postmarked December 1, 2011 or earlier are eligible for the Early Bird reward: a free e-copy of The Economical Guide to Self-Publishing or Linda F. Radke's Promote Like a Pro: Small Budget, Big Show. The 3rd Annual Purple Dragonfly Book Awards contest will launch following notification of the Chocolate Dragonfly winners.

For complete winners' lists including 2nd Place and Honorable Mention wins, rules and entry forms for any of the Dragonfly Book Awards contests, visit www.dragonflybookawards.com.