The 2012 South Asia Book Awards have been announced. Deborah Ellis’s No Ordinary Day (Groundwood Books) was named an honour book, while Beyond Bullets: A Photo Journal of Afghanistan by Rafal Gerszak with Dawn Hunter (Annick Press), and Karma by Cathy Ostlere (Puffin Canada), were named highly commended books.

The South Asia Book Award, administered by the South Asia National Outreach Consortium, is given annually for up to two outstanding works of literature, from early childhood to secondary reading levels, which accurately and skillfully portrays South Asia or South Asians in the diasporas, that is the experience of individuals living in South Asia, or of South Asians living in other parts of the world. Up to five Honor Books and Highly Commended Books will also be recognized by the award committee for their contribution to this body of literature on the region.

For more information about this award, visit southasiabookaward.org.