Christian publishers are getting better at targeting the covers of their books to the audiences for whom the content is intended.

“We have seen improvements from previous years” said Rick Hamm, announcing the winners of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association’s 2011 Book Cover Awards, sponsored by Dickinson Press. Director of consumer research group Marshall Marketing and judging manager for the program, Hamm said this year's entries—the best in the competition’s five-year history—had a clearer focus and better descriptions.

Winner of the award for a large publisher (more than 250 titles a year) was Folks, This Ain't Normal: A Farmer’s Advice for Happier Hens, Healthier People, and a Better World by Joel Salatin (Center Street). Designed by Jody Waldrup, the cover emphasized well its message about responsible living, said Hamm.

Top in the mid-size publisher category (101-250 titles a year) was Six Ways to Keep the 'Little' in Your Girl: Guiding Your Daughter From Her Tweens to Her Teens by Dannah Gresh (Harvest House Publishers). Designed by Koechel Peterson & Associates, the cover emphasized the book’s message of traditional motherhood and nurturing, said Hamm.

The prize for best cover from a small-size publisher (100 titles or less a year) went to Produced by Faith: Enjoy Real Success Without Losing Your True Self by DeVon Franklin (Howard Books), designed by Drew Fitzgerald. Judges liked the “straightforward” look, which “gets your attention and really makes the reader think,” Hamm said.