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Two Gillette Children’s Healthcare Press titles have been named category winners in the 2026 International Book Awards, with five more earning finalist honors. The recognition arrives during Disability Pride Month, making the honor especially meaningful since the winning books share the stories and celebrate the lives of people with disabilities.
Pure Grit wins in the Nonfiction: Inspirational category
Pure Grit: Stories of Remarkable People Living with Physical Disability, written by Lily Collison, MA, MSc, and Kara Buckley, won in the Nonfiction: Inspirational category. The book profiles 19 people who have physical disabilities. Featured individuals include Paralympic athletes, a corporate managing director, physicians, artists and more, each living and thriving in diverse fields around the globe. These aren’t stories of overcoming disability. They’re stories of people navigating the world on their own terms and pursuing their own goals, shared with real candor.
Proud To Be Me wins in the Children’s Novelty & Gift Book category
Proud To Be Me, written by Gillette pediatric hand surgeons Ann Van Heest, MD, and Deborah Bohn, MD, and illustrated by Rick Korab, won in the Children’s Novelty & Gift Book category. The colorful board book introduces toddlers to physical differences through joyful illustrations and simple text, featuring children who use prostheses, guide dogs, walkers and more. “Advocacy and celebrating differences are vital in fostering a world that embraces inclusivity,” say Van Heest and Bohn.
Five titles from the Gillette Children’s Healthcare Series named as finalists in the Health: General category
Five titles from the Gillette Children’s Healthcare Series, a nine-book collection on childhood-acquired physical and neurological conditions,were also named finalists in the Health: General category: Craniosynostosis; Epilepsy; Idiopathic Scoliosis; Scoliosis: Congenital, Neuromuscular, Syndromic, and Other Nonidiopathic Types; and Spastic Hemiplegia. The International Book Awards lists finalists alphabetically, and all hold equal merit.
Presented by American Book Fest, the International Book Awards recognize excellence across independent and mainstream publishing. See the full 2026 results. International Book Awards - Honoring Excellence in Independent & Mainstream Publishing
Every title mentioned here is available to purchase online through Gillette Children's Healthcare Press or for a discounted price at our book vending machine and guest services desk at our St. Paul hospital. All proceeds from the above book sales support research and care at Gillette Children’s.
