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National Awards and Lists (42)

  • New York Times Bestsellers List (City Spies, Golden Gate, Forbidden City, City of the Dead, Mission Manhattan, London Calling, Europa, Sherlock Society, Hurricane Heist)

  • Indie Bestsellers List (City Spies, Golden Gate, London Calling, Europa, Sherlock Society, Hurricane Heist)

  • USA Today Bestsellers Booklist (Mission Manhattan, London Calling, Europa, Sherlock Society, Hurricane Heist)

  • Edgar Award, Best Juvenile (Vanished!)

  • Edgar Award Nomination, Best Juvenile (Framed!)

  • New York Public Library Best Books of the Year (City Spies)

  • Barnes & Noble Monthly Pick (City Spies, Sherlock Society)

  • Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition (Sherlock Society)

  • Junior Library Guild (City Spies, Golden Gate, Forbidden City, City of the Dead, Mission Manhattan, London Calling, Europa, Sherlock Society, Hurricane Heist)

  • Kid’s Indie Next (Golden Gate, Sherlock Society)

  • Parent’s Choice Award (Framed!)

  • Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year   (Framed!, Vanished!, Trapped!, Sherlock Society)

  • Agatha Award Nominee (Sherlock Society, Hurricane Heist)

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State Award Lists (74)

  • Alaska Battle of the Books (City Spies)

  • Arkansas Charlie May Simon Book Award WINNER (City Spies)

  • Arizona Grand Canyon Reader Award (Dead City

  • Colorado Children’s Book Award (City Spies)

  • California CDE Recommended List (Sherlock Society)

  • Connecticut Nutmeg Book Award Nominee (Framed!)

  • Florida Sunshine State Young Readers Award WINNER (City Spies)

  • Florida Sunshine State Young Readers Award  (Dead City, Framed!, Sherlock Society)

  • Florida Book Awards (Bronze Medal) (Framed!, Golden Gate)

  • Georgia Children‘s Book Award Nominee  (Sherlock Society)

  • Georgia Club Tome Book List (City Spies, Sherlock Society)

  • Hawaii Nene Award WINNER (City Spies)

  • Idaho Battle of the Books (Sherlock Society)

  • Illinois Bluestem Book Award Master List (Framed!)

  • Illinois Rebecca Caudill Master List (City Spies, Sherlock Society)

  • Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award Winner (City Spies, Sherlock Society)

  • Iowa Children’s Choice Award (City Spies, Sherlock Society)

  • Iowa Middle School Battle of the Books (Dead City

  • Kansas KNEA List (City Spies)

  • Kentucky Bluegrass Award (City Spies)

  • Louisiana Young Readers’ Award Nominee (Framed!, City Spies, Sherlock Society)

  • Maine Student Book Award Reading List  (Framed!, Sherlock Society)

  • Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award WINNER (City Spies)

  • Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award Minnesota  (Sherlock Society)

  • Massachusetts Children’s Book Award (Framed!, City Spies)

  • Michigan Great Lakes Books Award (City Spies)

  • Minnesota Maud Hart Lovelace Award WINNER (City Spies)

  • Minnesota Maud Hart Lovelace Award Honor Title (Framed!, Sherlock Society)

  • Mississippi Magnolia Award (Sherlock Society)

  • Missouri Mark Twain Readers Award Nominee (City Spies, Sherlock Society)

  • Missouri Mark Twain Readers Award Winner (Framed!)

  • Missouri Truman Readers Award (Dead City

  • Nebraska Golden Sower Award (Sherlock Society)

  • Nevada Young Readers‘ Award WINNER (Framed!, City Spies)

  • New Hampshire Great Stone Face Book Award (Sherlock Society)

  • New Mexico Battle of the Books (Sherlock Society)

  • New York Reads Elementary School Titles (Framed!, Vanished!, Trapped!)

  • North Carolina Battle of the Books (City Spies)

  • Oregon Battle of the Books (Sherlock Society)

  • Pacific Northwest Libraray Assn. Young Reader’s Choice Award (City Spies)

  • Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award (City Spies)

  • Rhode Island Middle School Book Award (Framed!, City Spies)

  • South Carolina Junior Book Award (City Spies, Sherlock Society)

  • Tennessee Volunteer State Book Award (Framed!, City Spies, Sherlock Society, Hurricane Heist)

  • Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee (Dead City)

  • Texas Lone Star Reading List (City Spies)

  • Vermont Golden Dome Book Award (Sherlock Society)

  • Virginia Reader’s Choice Award (City Spies, Sherlock Society)

  • Washington Evergreen Teen Book Award (City Spies)

  • Wisconsin Battle of the Books (Framed!, City Spies)

  • Wyoming Indian Paintbrush Book Award Nominee (Framed!)

 

International Award Lists  (5)

  • International Schools of Japan Sakura Medal WINNER (City Spies)

  • International Schools of Japan Sakura Medal WINNER (Framed)

  • Netherlands Kinderjury List Press (City Spies, Golden Gate, Sherlock Society)

 

Press and Media Recognition (14)

  • People Magazine Staff Pick (Framed!, City Spies

  • Good Morning America 3 Summer Reading Squad (City Spies)

  • Today Show 3rd Hour Summer Reading Pick (City Spies

  • Kirkus Starred Review (Vanished!, Trapped!)

  • School Library Journal Starred Review  (Sherlock Society

  • Publisher's Weekly Starred Review (Sherlock Society)   

  • Parent’s Magazine Best Children’s Book (City Spies)

  • Parent’s Choice Recommended Books of the Year (City Spies

  • Good Housekeeping Book Awards (Sherlock Society)

  • The Week Junior Read Across America Books (Golden Gate)

  • The Week Junior Best Books of the Year (London Calling)

  • The Week Junior Best Book Club (Europa)

Television Awards (2)

  • Sports Emmy - Outstanding Short Sports Documentary Nominee - (27 Years: The Exoneration of Valentino Dixon) Writer/Producer/Co-Director 

  • New York Festivals International Television-Film Awards Gold Medal (Being Graeme McDowell) Writer/Producer/Director

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See James's Acceptance Speech at the Edgar Awards

© 2026 by James Ponti; illustrations by Yaoyao Ma Van As, Jane Mount Paul Hoppe, and Nigel Quarless 

Photos - Elena Seibert Photography, James Ponti, DFW Elite Capture

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