Textbook Awards | Most Promising New Textbook Award

The Most Promising New Textbook Award recognizes excellence in 1st edition textbooks and learning materials.
Works are judged by textbook authors and subject matter experts for their merits in four areas:
  • Pedagogy
  • Content/Scholarship
  • Writing
  • Appearance & Design
Each entry is judged on its own merit in these four areas regardless of other nominations in the same field or category. Self-published books and e-books are welcome.

In our continuing effort to recognize excellence across the entire spectrum of academic authorship, TAA is modifying its Textbook Awards program to provide greater opportunities for nominations made by smaller publishers and individual authors. You will see this reflected in our nomination fees this year.

Program Rules

  • Textbooks and learning materials can be nominated by authors or publishers. Learning materials are those meant to be used in the classroom.
  • The awards are open to members and non-members.
  • Nominated works must be 1st editions.
  • Nominated works must have a copyright year of 2025 or later.
  • Nominated works must be assigned in courses for K-12 through college/university level classrooms.
  • Each work can only be submitted for one award type each year.
  • The same edition of non-winning works cannot be resubmitted for an award in subsequent years.

Book Formats

Textbooks and learning materials eligible for entry include single works and series.

Entry Process

Nomination Fees (non-refundable):

TAA Member-Authors: $250 (one book or two-book series) $400 (three-book series)
Publishers: $450 (one book or two-book series) $700 (three-book series)

Nominations for the 2026 TAA Textbook Awards will be accepted between September 1 and November 1, 2025.

Submit Your Nomination

Nominees must provide access to a digital copy of the title for review by the judges and awards committee. Details on how to access the review copies should be submitted with the nomination form.

If nominating a series, the publisher or author submits a sample of the series. If the work spans two or more grade levels, the sample should include one at a lower level and one at a higher level. Nominations may include a promotional brochure or package for the entire series to help judges understand the scope of the program and components. Nominations are limited to ancillaries that coincide with the grade levels that are submitted. The award is for the entire series.

Please have these items ready before completing the online nomination form:

  1. A high-resolution image of the book cover in JPEG, PNG or PDF format.
  2. The names, current mailing addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of all of the book's authors.
  3. If the work has more than six authors, an email containing the full names, current mailing addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of additional authors should be sent to [email protected]. Please send the email with the subject of the nominated work and "Authors" (e.g. "Introduction to Human Anatomy - Authors").
  4. A statement from the publisher on the "promising" nature of this new addition to their catalog.
  5. A statement from the nominator describing if a part of the judging ballot is not addressed in the book, or why that criteria is not applicable.
  6. Current distribution information (e.g., number of institutions using the work, number of copies, etc.).
  7. Affirmation that this title has been adopted for use in at least one classroom environment at the time of nomination.
  8. Details and necessary access codes, etc. for a copy of the digital version of your nominated title for review by the judges and committee.

Evaluation Process

Nominated works are judged in eight discipline categories:
  • Accounting • Business • Economics
  • Communication • Performing Arts • Visual Arts
  • Computer Science • Engineering
  • Humanities • Education • Social Sciences
  • Languages • Literature
  • Life Sciences
  • Mathematics • Statistics
  • Physical Sciences
Judges are textbook authors and/or subject matter experts in appropriate disciplines. Judges who have directly competing works are asked to abstain from judging those works. College/university and K-12 books are judged separately. There is no limit on the number of awards given.
Works are judged for their merits in four areas:
  • Pedagogy
  • Content/Scholarship
  • Writing
  • Appearance & Design

Judges remain anonymous.

When Awards Are Presented

Awards will be presented in the spring. For books with multiple authors, each author will receive a physical award. For books with multiple contributors, only the editor and/or primary author will receive a physical award. 

Spreading The Word About Your Award

TAA issues press releases on the awards to journals and publications and to other media outlets designated by each winner. An article about the awards is also published on TAA's blog, Abstract.

Publishers and authors may cite the award in promoting winning works. The Most Promising Textbook Award logo can be reproduced by the publisher for use in marketing materials. Textbook Award logo stickers can also be purchased.

View the 2025 Textbook Award Winners | View Past Recipients

Questions? Email [email protected]