Dr. Mel Tavares book wins second first-place award in 2026

Make Families Great Again by Connecticut author Dr. Mel Tavares added a second national first-place honor in 2026, winning Golden Scroll Christian Education Book of the Year in Missouri after an earlier Christian Indie Award. The book’s latest win and a week of media and industry appearances broadened Tavares’ platform around family faith, parenting and generational legacy.

Why it matters: - Make Families Great Again is gaining traction in the Christian publishing market with two first-place awards in one year. - The recognition extends the reach of Dr. Mel Tavares’ message to parents, grandparents and others shaping children and teens. - The award run also strengthens Tavares’ Family Legacy Builders™ initiative, which focuses on deeper faith, stronger relationships and intergenerational legacy.

What happened: - Dr. Mel Tavares won the 2026 Golden Scroll Award for Christian Education Book of the Year on Aug. 2 at the St. Charles Convention Center in St. Charles, Missouri. - The award came from the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association during the Golden Scroll Awards banquet. - Make Families Great Again also took first place in the Parenting category at the 2026 Christian Indie & Small Press Awards in Alabama in March. - Simply Right Press published the book.

The details: - Make Families Great Again examines cultural forces shaping children and teens. - The book urges parents, grandparents and other influencers to be intentional about strengthening families and passing faith and values to future generations. - Tavares said the second first-place award affirms the message because families are under “tremendous cultural pressures.” - The award week in St. Charles included the AWSA Conference, the Golden Scroll Awards and a three-day Christian Product Expo. - AWSA says its conference brings together professional authors and speakers and offers training on writing, speaking, technology and industry trends. - Tavares served as an emcee during part of the conference. - Worship at the conference was led by Babbie Mason, a two-time Dove Award winner. - At CPE, Tavares met with Christian retailers, publishers and media professionals, distributed signed copies of the book and discussed its message with industry leaders. - The CPE event highlighted America250 throughout the week.

Between the lines: - The awards and media bookings suggest Tavares is building a wider platform beyond book sales. - The combination of publishing recognition, radio interviews and television participation points to a message that is resonating across Christian media channels. - Tavares’ work in both authorship and editorial leadership gives the book added visibility inside the Christian publishing ecosystem. - Arise Daily, where Tavares serves as editor-in-chief, received the Evangelical Press Association’s Award of Excellence, another first-place honor for the week.

What’s next: - Interviews with Paul Ladd of World Christian Radio, Dr. Rose Gamblin of Homeschool Companion and Bob Crittenden of Faith Radio’s The Meeting House are expected to air in August. - Tavares also took part in a roundtable for the television program Radical Abundance. - Film producer Julie Castro interviewed Tavares for the upcoming movie I Am Life, which is scheduled to premiere in select U.S. cities in early 2027. - Tavares said those conversations support the continued growth of Family Legacy Builders™. - For the full list of 2026 Golden Scroll Award recipients, see the official AWSA Golden Scroll Awards press release.

The bottom line: - Make Families Great Again is no longer just a new title in Christian parenting — it is an award-winning book with growing media momentum and a message built for a broader audience.