Christopher Award

Updated on Oct 01, 2024

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The Christopher Award (established 1949) is presented to the producers, directors, and writers of books, motion pictures and television specials that "affirm the highest values of the human spirit". It is given by The Christophers, a Christian organization founded in 1945 by the Maryknoll priest James Keller.

The 2016 Christopher Awards were announced on March 30, 2016, and were presented in a ceremony in New York City on May 19.

Judging process

Publishers, TV networks, and film directors are asked to submit titles and work that they believe to be award-worthy. Industry professionals and Christopher staff members make the final selections based on:

Artistic and technical proficiency
Significant degree of public acceptance
Affirmation of the highest values of the human spirit

Christopher Leadership Awards

2011 Scotty Smiley

2008 Cardinal John Patrick Foley

2005 Sargent Shriver

2004 Father John T. Catoir

2002 Rudy Giuliani

Christopher Life Achievement Award

2016 Ernie Anastos

2012 Mother Dolores Hart

2008 David McCullough

2006 Dave Brubeck

2005 Robert Coles

2004 Art Linkletter

2003 Mary Higgins Clark

Christopher Spirit Award

2016 When Calls the Heart

James Keller Award

2012 Marty Lyons

2011 Shannon Hickey

2005 Pat LaFontaine

2004 Caroll Spinney

Books for Adults

2016

Five Years in Heaven: The Unlikely Friendship That Answered Life’s Greatest Questions by John Schlimm (Image Books/Crown Publishing)

The Gift of Caring: Saving Our Parents from the Perils of Modern Healthcare by Marcy Cottrell Houle and Elizabeth Eckstrom (Taylor Trade Publishing/Rowan & Littlefield)

One Righteous Man: Samuel Battle and the Shattering of the Color Line in New York by Arthur Browne (Beacon Press)

Tough As They Come by Travis Mills with Marcus Brotherton (Convergent Books/Crown Publishing)

Under the Same Sky: From Starvation in North Korea to Salvation in America by Joseph Kim with Stephan Talty (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

The Wind in the Reeds: A Storm, a Play, and the City That Would Not Be Broken by Wendell Pierce (Riverhead Books/Random House)

2015

The Invisible Front: Love and Loss in an Era of Endless War by Yochi Dreazen (Crown Publishers).

2014

American Story: A Lifetime Search for Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things by Bob Dotson (Viking Press/Penguin Group)

Love and Salt: A Spiritual Friendship Shared in Letters by Amy Andrews and Jessica Mesman Griffith (Loyola Press)

The Miracle of Father Kapaun: Priest, Soldier, and Korean War Hero by Roy Wenzl and Travis Heying (Ignatius Press)

On These Courts: A Miracle Season That Changed a City, a Once-Future Star, and a Team Forever by Wayne B. Drash (Touchstone Books/Simon and Schuster)

Walk In Their Shoes: Can One Person Change the World? by Jim Ziolkowski with James S. Hirsch (Simon and Schuster)

2013

Carly’s Voice by Arthur Fleischmann and Carly Fleischmann

Fearless by Eric Blehm

A Good Man by Mark Shriver

My Sisters the Saints by Colleen Carroll Campbell

Road to Valor by Aili and Andres McConnon

2012

A Good and Perfect Gift by Julia Becker

An Invisible Thread by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski

I Shall Not Hate by Izzeldin Abuelaish

Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis and Beth Clark

Little Princes by Conor Grennan

2011

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything by James Martin

Thea’s Song: The Life of Thea Bowman by Charlene Smith and John Feister

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow

2010

A. Lincoln: A Biography by Ronald C. White, Jr.

Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson

Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder

Wrestling with Moses: How Jane Jacobs Took on New York's Master Builder and Transformed the American City by Anthony Flint

2009

Alex & Me by Irene Pepperberg

American-Made—The Enduring Legacy of the WPA: When FDR Put the Nation to Work by Nick Taylor

Final Salute: A Story of Unfinished Lives by Jim Sheeler

Founding Faith: Providence, Politics, and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America by Steven Waldman

The Soloist: A Lost Dream, an Unlikely Friendship, and the Redemptive Power of Music by Steve Lopez

Until Our Last Breath: A Holocaust Story of Love and Partisan Resistance by Michael Bart and Laurel Corona

2008

Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat

The Florist's Daughter by Patricia Hempl

The Invisible Wall: A Love Story That Broke Barriers by Harry Bernstein

The Lonely Patient: How We Experience Illness by Michael Stein, M.D.

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

A Slave No More: Two Men Who Escaped to Freedom by David W. Blight

2007

Barefootin': Life Lessons from the Road to Freedom by Unita Blackwell with JoAnne Prichard Morris

Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario

The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Francis Collins

Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculée Ilibagiza with Steve Erwin

The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East by Sandy Tolan

My Life with the Saints by James Martin

2006

The Death of Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions by Sister Helen Prejean

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

One Soldier’s Story: A Memoir by Bob Dole

The Prison Angel: Mother Antonia’s Journey from Beverly Hills to a Life of Service in a Mexican Jail by Mary Jordan & Kevin Sullivan

They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky by Benson Deng, Alephonsion Deng & Benjamin Ajak, with Judy A. Bernstein

2005

Anatomy of Hope by Jerome Groopman, M.D.

Blood Done Sign My Name by Timothy Tyson

The Freedom Line by Peter Eisner

I Am a Pencil: A Teacher, His Kids, and Their World of Stories by Sam Swope

Love in the Driest Season: A Family Memoir by Neely Tucker

Mao’s Last Dancer: A Memoir by Li Cunxin

2004

A Human Being Died That Night by Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela

If I Get to Five by Fred Epstein, M.D., & Joshua Horwitz

The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage by Paul Elie

My Heart Will Cross This Ocean: My Story, My Son, Amadou by Kadiatou Diallo & Craig Wolff

My Path Leads to Tibet by Sabriye Tenberken

Sisters: Catholic Nuns and the Making of America by John J. Fialka

Triangle: The Fire That Changed America by David Von Drehle

2003

Choosing Naia: A Family’s Journey by Mitchell Zuckoff

The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede

Fatal Passage: The Story of John Rae, The Arctic Hero Time Forgot by Ken McGoogan

Five Past Midnight in Bhopal by Dominique Lapierre & Javier Moro

Jim's Last Summer: Lessons on Living from a Dying Priest by Teresa Rhodes McGee

Standing on Holy Ground: A Triumph Over Hate Crime in the Deep South by Sandra E. Johnson

2002

Aging with Grace by David Snowdon, Ph.D.

Choosing Mercy by Antoinette Bosco

Freedom’s Daughters by Lynne Olson

An Hour Before Daylight by Jimmy Carter

John Adams by David McCullough

Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich

2001

Aging with Grace, by David Snowdon, Ph.D. (Bantam Books)

Choosing Mercy, by Antoinette Bosco (Orbis Books)

Freedom’s Daughters, by Lynne Olson (Scribner)

An Hour Before Daylight, by Jimmy Carter (Simon & Schuster)

John Adams, by David McCullough (Simon & Schuster)

Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich (Metropolitan Books/Henry Holt and Company, LLC)

Books for Young People

2016

Preschool and up: One Good Deed by Terri Fields, illustrated by Deborah Melmon (Kar-Ben Publishing)

Kindergarten and up: An Invisible Thread Christmas Story by Laura Schroff and Alex Tresniowski, illustrated by Barry Root (Little Simon/Simon & Schuster)

Ages 6 and up: Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton by Don Tate (Peachtree Publishers)

Ages 8 and up: Katie’s Cabbage by Katie Stagliano with Michelle H. Martin, illustrated by Karen Heid (Young Palmetto Books/University of South Carolina Press)

Ages 10 and up: Firefly Hollow by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Christopher Denise (Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Simon & Schuster)

Young Adult: Paper Hearts by Meg Wiviott (Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster)

2014

Preschool and up: Maya Was Grumpy written and illustrated by Courtney Pippin-Mathur (Flashlight Press)

Kindergarten and up: Year of the Jungle: Memories from the Home Front by Suzanne Collins, illustrated by James Proimos (Scholastic Press)

Ages 6 and up: The Matchbox Diary by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline (Candlewick Press)

Ages 8 and up: Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by K.G. Campbell (Candlewick Press)

Ages 10 and up: The Boy On the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson with Marilyn J. Harran and Elisabeth B. Leyson (Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing)

2013

Forever You: A Book About Your Soul and Body by Nicole Lataif with illustrations by Mary Rojas

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce with illustrations by Joe Bluhm

The House on Dirty-Third Street by Jo S. Kittinger with illustrations by Thomas Gonzalez

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate with illustrations by Patricia Castelao

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Outcasts United by Warren St. John

2012

Shine: Choices to Make God Smile by Genny Monchamp with illustrations by Karol Kaminski

Waiting for the Biblioburro by Monica Brown with illustrations by John Parra

You Can Be a Friend by Tony Dungy and Lauren Dungy with illustrations by Ron Mazellan

Hooper Finds a Family by Jane Paley

Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy

Close to Famous by Joan Bauer

2011

Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion by Mo Willems

Would You Still Love Me If… by Wendy LaGuardia with illustrations by Patricia Keeler

Brother Jerome and the Angels in the Bakery by Father Dominic Garramone

Lafayette and the American Revolution by Russell Freedman

2010

Preschool: Ten Days and Nine Nights: An Adoption Story by Yumi Heo

Ages 6–8: Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle by Major Brian Dennis, Kirby Larson, & Mary Nethery

Ages 8–10: Most Loved in All the World by Tonya Cherie Hegamin with illustrations by Cozbi A. Cabrera

Ages 10–12: Extra Credit by Andrew Clements with illustrations by Mark Elliott

Young Adult: A Pearl in the Storm: How I Found My Heart in the Middle of the Ocean by Tori Murden

2009

Preschool: Close to You: How Animals Bond by Kimiko Kajikawa

Ages 6–8: That Book Woman by Heather Henson with illustrations by David Small

Ages 8-10: Clementine’s Letter by Sara Pennypacker with illustrations by Marla Frazee

Ages 10-12: Shooting the Moon by Frances O’Roark Dowell

Young Adult: Sunrise Over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers

2008

Preschool: Taking a Bath with the Dog and Other Things That Make Me Happy by Scott Menchin

Ages 6–8: How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? by Margaret McNamara with illustrations by G. Brian Karas

Ages 8-10: Owen & Mzee: The Language of Friendship by Isabella Hatkoff, Craig Hatkoff, and Dr. Paula Kahumbu with photographs by Peter Greste

Ages 10-12: The Wild Girls by Pat Murphy

Young Adult: Diamonds in the Shadow by Caroline B. Cooney

2007

Preschool: Hero Cat by Eileen Spinelli with illustrations by Jo Ellen McAllister Stammen

Ages 6–8: How We Are Smart by W. Nikola-Lisa with illustrations by Sean Qualls

Ages 8-10: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo with illustrations by Bagram Ibatoulline

Ages 10-12: Listen! by Stephanie S. Tolan

Young Adult: Bread and Roses, Too by Katherine Paterson

2006

Preschool: Am I a Color Too? by Heidi Cole & Nancy Vogl with illustrations by Gerald Purnell (Preschool)

Ages 6–8: I Could Do That! Esther Morris Gets Women the Vote by Linda Arms White with illustrations by Nancy Carpenter (Ages 6–8)

Ages 8-10: Game Day by Tiki Barber and Ronde Barber with Robert Burleigh, illustrations by Barry Root

Ages 10-12: Friendship According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney

Young Adult: Hitch by Jeanette Ingold

2005

Preschool: Never, Ever Shout in a Zoo by Karma Wilson with illustrations by Doug Cushman

Ages 6–8: The Hungry Coat: A Tale from Turkey written and illustrated by Demi

Ages 8-10: Shredderman: Secret Identity by Wendelin Van Draanen with illustrations by Brian Biggs

Ages 10-12: The Teacher’s Funeral: A Comedy in Three Parts by Richard Peck

Young Adult: Thura’s Diary: My Life in Wartime Iraq by Thura Al Windawi

2004

Preschool: Little Bear’s Little Boat by Eve Bunting with illustrations by Nancy Carpenter

Ages 6–8: The Dot written and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

Ages 8-10: Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull with illustrations by Yuyi Morales

Ages 10-12: Iqbal by Francesco D’Adamo

Young Adult: The Silent Boy by Lois Lowry

2003

People Mole and the Baby Bird by Marjorie Newman with illustrations by Patrick Benson

Ages 6–8: Dear Mrs. Larue: Letters from Obedience School written and illustrated by Mark Teague

Ages 8-10: The Ugly Princess and the Wise Fool by Margaret Gray with illustrations by Randy Cecil

Ages 10-12: Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff

Young Adult: Left for Dead by Pete Nelson

2002

Kiss Good Night by Amy Hest with illustrations by Anita Jeram

Ages 6–8: Beatrice's Goat by Page McBrier with illustrations by Lori Lohstoeter

Ages 8-10: Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

Ages 10-12: Uncle Daddy by Ralph Fletcher

Young Adult: Soldier X by Don L. Wulffson and Witness by Karen Hesse

2001

Ages 6-8: How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mark Teague (The Blue Sky Press/Scholastic Inc.)

Ages 9-10: The Mousery by Charlotte Pomerantz, illustrated by Kurt Cyrus (Gulliver Books/Harcourt, Inc.)

Ages 11-12: The Yellow Star by Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrated by Henri Sørensen (Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.)

Ages 11-12: Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer (G. P. Putnam’s Sons)

Young Adult: The Wanderer by Sharon Creech (Joanna Cotler Books/HarperCollins Publishers)

Television & Cable

2016

ABC News 20/20: Escaping ISIS (ABC News)

America ReFramed: If You Build It (World Channel/PBS)

Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors (NBC)

The Jim Gaffigan Show: My Friend the Priest (TV Land)

Tashi and the Monk (HBO)

References

Christopher Award Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

Christopher Award

Contents

Judging process

Categories

Christopher Leadership Awards

Christopher Life Achievement Award

Christopher Spirit Award

James Keller Award

Books for Adults

Books for Young People

Television & Cable

References