On Top of the World

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Super Power Baby Project book wins international award

A book by a Timaru couple about changing the way people think has been judged the world's best independently published book for 2015.

The Super Power Baby Project book beat out 6000 entries to win the Independent Spirit outstanding book of the year award, which is like the Oscars for independent books.

The Independent Publishers Book Awards are the world's largest book awards and there were entries from 36 countries this year.

The book's collaborators, Sam and Rachel Callander, said it was a tribute to their late daughter, Evie Amore Callander.

"I feel really privileged I got to be her mother and that we were open to the lessons she taught us. This book is testament to her character and spirit."

Rachel is a photographer, and her studio is dotted with framed pictures of a lot of the "wonderful" children who feature in the book, including Evie.

The day it was announced the book had won was also Rachel's birthday and it was the first thing she heard in the morning.

"It was an awesome birthday present."

Sam was overwhelmed to find out that they had not only won the outstanding book of the year award, but that the book had been singled out in the international press release as a "pioneering effort".

"To think that something that might help start people across the world change the way they think about people with disabilities started in Timaru is unreal."