Izzy, An Octopus Tale wins NYC Big Book Award child education prize

Izzy, An Octopus Tale by Charles Rawlings, MD, JD; Leah Perez; and Morgan Rawlings won the NYC Big Book Award’s Childrens Educational category. The win puts a 44-page illustrated marine-life book in front of a global awards audience as the competition spotlights entries from authors and publishers around the world.

Why it matters: - The award gives Izzy, An Octopus Tale national visibility in a competition judged across the book industry. - The recognition can help a children’s educational title reach librarians, booksellers and family readers looking for science-based storytelling. - The win also highlights independent publishing, with the book issued by Peppertree Press.

What happened: - The NYC Big Book Award named Izzy, An Octopus Tale the winner in the Childrens Educational category. - The winning authors are Charles Rawlings, MD, JD; Leah Perez; and Morgan Rawlings. - The announcement was made Sept. 10, 2026. - The book was published by Peppertree Press. - The prize is part of an awards program that accepts submissions worldwide.

The details: - Izzy, An Octopus Tale is a 44-page illustrated book. - The story blends imaginative narrative with real-world marine biology. - The book uses a framed story about how the octopus species first arrived on Earth. - The plot begins on a dying planet light-years away hundreds of millions of years ago. - The story follows an intelligent creature forced from its home by catastrophic natural events and sent to find a new world. - The alien world in the story is Earth. - The book presents octopuses as animals with nine brains, three hearts, blue blood, tool use, dreaming behavior and the ability to squeeze through a hole no larger than their eye. - The book includes color illustrations and real octopus photos. - NYC Big Book Award judges come from across the industry, including publishers, writers, editors, designers, booksellers, librarians and professional copywriters. - Winners and distinguished favorites are chosen for overall excellence. - This year’s entries included authors and presses from the United States and countries including Australia, Canada, China, Dubai, England, Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. - Cities represented included Auckland, Baltimore, Dallas, Frankfurt, Hollywood, Johannesburg, Manhattan Beach, New Orleans, New York City, Philadelphia, Sydney and West Palm Beach. - Participating publishers included Beacon Press, Berrett-Koehler, Casemate, Edinburgh University Press, Forbes Books, Kiplinger Books, NYU Press, Palgrave Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Rizzoli, Routledge, The White House Historical Association, University of California Press, University of Nebraska Press, Weaving Influence Press and Wiley. - Awards sponsor Gabby Olczak said the competition includes authors from around the globe and aims to share the books with a worldwide readership. - More information is available at the NYC Big Book Award website.

Between the lines: - The award’s mix of major publishers, indie presses and first-time authors suggests a broad contest with broad industry reach. - The book’s blend of science facts and a fictional origin story is built to appeal to both children and adults reading alongside them. - Dr. Charles E. Rawlings’ background in medicine, law and photojournalism may add credibility to the book’s educational framing.

What’s next: - NYC Big Book Award recipients will be recognized at the Awards Dinner on April 10, 2027. - The dinner will be held during BookCAMP on April 9-10, 2027. - Award recipients from both programs will walk on stage to receive their awards. - The award is announced every fall and remains open to authors, publishers and illustrators, including submissions from major publishers.

The bottom line: - Izzy, An Octopus Tale just earned a high-profile children’s education award in a competition with global reach and deep industry judging.