Books submitted for the 2026-2027, 39th Minnesota Book Awards. Last updated 11/5/26.
Anthology:
And One Day We Will Die: Strange Stories Inspired by the Music of Neutral Milk Hotel edited by Patrick Barb (PB Books)
Illumination edited by Wendy Brown-Baez (Arcata Press)
In the Bear's Cabin by Thomas R. Smith, Dougie Padilla & Timothy Young (Apsu Publishing/Minnesota Men's Conference)
A Minnesotan's Guide to Breaking the Ice edited by Sam Tschida (Smut University Press)
Nick of Time: Women Write About Art and Aging edited by Julie Landsman, Debra J. Stone & Morgan Grayce Willow (University of Minnesota Press)
North Country Journal: Coming to Northern Minnesota edited by Sue Bruns (Beltrami County Historical Society)
The Rebel Loon Archive: Art Against Operation Metro Surge edited by Erica Helander (Rebel Loon Press)
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Children’s Literature:
The Babysitter Tree by Molly Beth Griffin; illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell (Minnesota Historical Society Press)
Bear's Magic Show by Mike Wohnoutka (Candlewick Press)
Blue Bearies by Brenda J. Child (Bine); translation by Gordon Jourdain; illustrated by Jonathan Thunder (Minnesota Historical Society Press)
The Blue House I Loved by Kao Kalia Yang; illustrated by Jen Shin (University of Minnesota Press)
Dash Makes a Splash by Marissa Bader; illustrated by Ellie Beykzadeh (M. Bader Media, LLC)
A Forest Begins Anew by Louise M. Aamodt; illustrated by Elly MacKay (Astra Young Readers)
The Great Escape by Deborah Marcero (Putnam Young Readers/Penguin Random House)
How to Snare Waabooz by Grades K-5 of Oshki Ogimaag Charter School (Minnesota Children's Press)
It's a Mom by Abby Cooper; illustrated by Eliana Gutiérrez (Charlesbridge)
Josie Johnson: Minnesota's First Lady of Civil Rights by Dr. Tonya Allen; illustrated by CJ (Planting People Growing Justice Press)
Kwame Nkrumah: Warrior King by Nancy Loewen; illustrated by CJ (Planting People Growing Justice Press)
Letters from Lucy Loon: a Northwoods Winter Adventure by Sandra Hisakuni; illustrated by Sofia Hisakuni (Beaver's Pond Press)
Little Rabbit Wants the Moon by Lauren Kukla; illustrated by Katie Markkula (North Star Editions/Jolly Fish Press)
Made to Fly Free by Alison Schmidgall; illustrated by Hannah Bird (Pathfinder Press, LLC)
Marv and Baby Blob by Matt Eicheldinger (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing/Beach Lane Books)
Mimi's Christmas Cake by Rima Chakraborty; illustrated by Robin Boyer (Desi Stories, LLC)
Momma's Christmas Gift by Kao Kalia Yang; illustrated by Jacqueline Tam (Penguin Young Readers/Kokila)
Minds of All Kinds by Kaitlyn Hokana Nelson; illustrated by Stephanie Hider (Beaver's Pond Press)
Move and Groove: A Fun Guide to Fitness and Feeling Great by Isaiah Allen; illustrated by Nils Britwum (Planting People Growing Justice Press)
The Musical Thunderstorm by Megan Holmes; illustrated by Faith Tyrrell (Purebooks Publishing Company)
My Daddy's Crescent Smile by Shayla Michelle & Mike Reaves, Jr.; illustrated by Windel Eborlas (Archway Publishing)
Napesni Renegade: A Bison's Journey by Marcie R. Rendon; illustrated by Sam Zimmerman (Charlesbridge)
Northwoods Lullaby by Mary Casanova; illustrated by Jordan Sundberg (University of Minnesota Press)
Off the Wall World Tours! North and South America by Leanne M. Benson (self-published)
Our Sacred Land of Phežúta by TanáǧidaÅ‹ Tó WÃÅ‹ Tara Perron; illustrated by Holly Young (Minnesota Historical Society Press)
Pearl's Garden by Carolyn Olson (Minnesota Historical Society Press)
Phyllis of the Forest by Lauren Kukla, based on the memories of Phyllis Chatham (North Star Editions/Jolly Fish Press)
Pretty Close, but Not the Same: a Side-by-Side Look at Confusing Critters by Meg Fleming; illustrated by Steph Stilwell (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing/Beach Lane Books)
The Promise of Yet: Carl Walker's Learning Journey by Carl Walker; illustrated by Chasity Hampton (Planting People Growing Justice Press)
Rayyan Makes a Daddy-Daughter Date by Rayyan Abdur Razzaq; illustrated by Reyhana Ismail (Planting People Growing Justice Press)
Robert S. Abbott: Defender of Justice by Dr. Artika Tyner; illustrated by CJ (Planting People Growing Justice Press)
Rose & the Great River Rescue by Kris Bennett, Sara Robertson, & Leigh Simmons; illustrated by Leigh Simmons (Hamline University Center for Global Environmental Education)
Recycla-Bull by Jackson Becker; illustrated by Nastya Bankulova (Argyle Fox Publishing)
Sammy's New Home by Audrey Betcher; illustrated by Katelin Root (self-published)
Santa is Stuck by Nikki Powers; illustrated by Joseph Kuefler (HarperCollins Children's Books)
Sing by Lanell Lightfoot; illustrated by Chasity Hampton (Planting People Growing Justice Press)
Snail's Sunflower by jesse norman bergstrom (Prairie Fox Design)
Stay Cool, Stay Safe, Stay Strong: Understanding and Calming Emotions by Isaiah Allen; illustrated by Reyhana Ismail (Planting People Growing Justice Press)
Tales of a Dog Named Kitty by Barbara Linert (Beaver's Pond Press)
The Tiny Thing by Ellen Tarlow; illustrated by Lauren Stringer (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing/Beach Lane Books)
We Can Hear Without Ears and Other Things You Didn't Know We Plants Could Do by Lisa Westberg Peters; illustrated by Danielle Ridolfi (Astra Books for Young Readers)
Where is My Sister? by Shannon Gibney; illustrated by Huy Voun Lee (University of Minnesota Press)
Your Fantastical Fort by Molly Beth Griffin; illustrated by Chris Park (Free Spirit Publishing)
General Nonfiction:
The Case of the Autographed Corpse: A Medicine Man and a Mystery Writer in Pursuit of Justice by Jack El-Hai (Pegasus Crime)
Dish and Tell by Sarah Peterson (Minnesota Historical Society Press)
The Eight Laws of Hustle: The New Psychology of Self-Made Success by Brandon D. Cox (self-published)
The Essential Ingredient: Remaking Ourselves in Times of Crisis by Keri Mangis (Curiosa Publishing)
Future-Proofing Leadership: Navigating Change and Disruption to Thrive in an Uncertain World by Rosie Ward (Amplify Publishing)
Going for a Look, Natural History Stories Through the Eyes of a Tracker-Naturalist and an Artist by Myles Bakke & Linda Rossi (self-published)
Good Teaching: A Provocation by Zach Czaia (One Subject Press)
The House That Resilience Built: A Psychologist's Approach to Healing Childhood Trauma by Tom Glaser (Wise Ink Media)
Kala Amrita by James Ken (self-published)
Longships and Sod Houses: A Thousand-Year Journey from Viking Iceland to the Dakota Plains by Gary Goodman (University of Minnesota Press)
Preparing Your Child for Their One Wild and Precious Life by James Jacoby (Seventh Chakra Press)
Romantic Sensation: The Queer Lives of Leon A. Belmont, 1853–1927 by Lizzie Ehrenhalt (University of Minnesota Press)
Rotten Botany: Darkly Deceptive, Bizarrely Beautiful & Oddly Alluring Plants by Varla A. Ventura (Weiser Books)
The Talent Thief: Underloading, the Language of Movement, and the Search for the Perfect Game by Ted Kroeten (Calumet Editions)
Tshuaj Ntsuab: A Compendium of Hmong Medicinal Plants by Zongxee Lee Natalie Hoidal, & Alex Crum; photos by Lindsey Miller (Minnesota Historical Society Press)
Wheels of Murder: The 1896 Bank Robbery That Shocked a Small Prairie Town by Jeffrey Sauve (Northstar Editions, Press Box Books)
Where the Green Light Shines: A Fifty-Year Odyssey from the Boundary Waters to the Far North by Ryan Rodgers (University of Minnesota Press)
White Supremacy: A Short History by John Broich (Cambridge University Press)
Genre Fiction:
Beggars Will Ride by Nate Granzow (self-published)
Being Birch: More Timeless Tales in the Wheel of the Year by Elizabeth Rowan Keith (self-published)
The Broken Lute by Ruth Berman (FTL Publications)
Bromantasy by Máire Roche (G. P. Putnam & Sons/Penguin Random House)
Carbon City, 1925 by James Alan Gill (Castoff Press)
Chorus of Crows by Sharon Wagner (Dreamsphere Books)
The Coal Room by Brenda Lyne (self-published)
A Dubious Clamor by Marissa Lingen (Horned Lark Press)
Earthly Ties by Cozy Dubois (self-published)
Fear the Reaper: A McKenzie Novel by David Housewright (St. Martin's Publishing Group/Minotaur Books)
God's Own Country by Mathew L. Reyes (Quill & Crow)
Goodbye Demons by J.J. Harrigan (Salty Books Publishing, LLC)
The Grid by Brian Miller (self-published)
The Ice on the Lake by Alex Messenger (Blackstone Publishing)
Interstellar Mission: Infiltrate by Joan Marie Verba (FTL Publications)
The Kill Code Collective by Brian Lutterman, John Baird Rogers, Julie Holmes, Christ Norbury & Rob Jung (Hawk Hill Literary, LLC)
Liar's Creek: A Novel by Matt Goldman (St. Martin's Publishing Group/Minotaur Books)
The Lost Brontë by Catherine Friend (Bywater Books)
Married with Benefits by Ellie Palmer (Penguin Random House, G.P. Putnam's Sons)
The Moon Tavern by Kurt Johnson & Stephanie Hansen (Street Level Press)
That Murder Feeling by Neve Maslakovic (self-published)
Otto's Portal by Nathan Jorgenson (Flat Rock Publishing)
Rough Cuts by Glenn Miller (Koehler Books)
Solitary Citadel by Philip Louis Gissen (Salty Books Publishing)
The Sunken, The Adored by Donyae Coles (Amistad/HarperCollins)
Until the Sand Claims Us by Israh Azizi (PageTurnerPress LLC)
Ursa by Robby Dube (self-published)
A Wasp in the Beehive: A Brigid Reardon Mystery by Mary Logue (University of Minnesota Press)
Memoir & Creative Nonfiction:
Cancer in the Time of Covid and Other Remarkable Moments by Timothy Colburn (self-published)
The Dance of Resilience by Ember Reichgott Junge (She Writes Press)
The Evolution of Fire by Angela Pelster (Milkweed Editions)
Exit, Miss Saigon: An American Memoir by David Mura (University of Minnesota Press)
Ghosts of Fourth Street: My Family, a Death, and the Hills of Duluth by Laurie Hertzel (University of Minnesota Press)
Growing Up on the Gunflint Trail by Keith Morris (Minnesota Children's Press)Â
I'll See You in My Dreams: A Sister's Memoir by Larkin McPhee (Koehler Books)
Into the Undergrowth: Rare Encounters and Conservation Stories on a Journey of Becoming by Dawn Tanner (Jackpine Writers' Bloc)
Love Lost - Love Found by William McNamara (self-published)
Magnolias In Winter: Finding Hope in Life's Hard Seasons by Katie Dorn (Nantucket Publications)
Nothing is Wasted: A Spiritual Journey from Fear and Judgement to Grace and Mystery by Marilyn Benson (self-published)
Raising Bilingual Bambini: The Art of Immersing Our Family in the la Dolce Vita by Eric Dregni (University of Minnesota Press)
Reclamation: An Asexual & Aromantic Journey to Wholeness by Cindy Mundahl (Arising From Within Press)
Seed Corn Must Not Be Ground: A Memoir of Survival and Resilience by Pat Browne (Wildhouse Publishing)
The Spirit of Fearless Living: A Hmong Journey Through War and Refuge by Kao Choua Vue (Minnesota Historical Society Press)
Unity Map: Cartography of a Father's Homework by Tom Bengtson (self-published)
Without Terminus: untraining an archive by chaun webster (Graywolf Press)
Middle Grade Literature:
Bubble Sheet Blues by William Durbin (Lake Vermilion Press)
In Our Own Words: True Stories of Indian Boarding Schools by Brenda J. Child with Benay McNamara (Christy Ottaviano Books, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Little Monsters by Máire Roche (G. P. Putnam & Sons/Penguin Random House)
The Replay Trap by Juliana Brandt (Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing/Aladdin)
The Shrew Detective: The Case of the Pilfered Pearls by Margi Preus; illustrated by Junyi Wu (Amulet/Abrams)
Sweet, Tart by Kara Thom (Candlewick Press)
Minnesota Nonfiction:
Fight & Win: Minneapolis Teamsters Strike, 1934 by John Hanson (self-published)
Following the Fish: A History of Commercial Fishing along Minnesota's North Shore by Michael Risku (Minnesota Historical Society Press)
Into the Arb: A History of the Cowling Arboretum at Carleton College by Ingrid Case (Carleton College)
It Just Works: Real Stories & Behavioral Science from the Earned Living Unit by Brandon D. Cox & Jermaine F. Ferguson (self-published)
Making Mill City: Flour and Fortune in Minneapolis by Robert M. Frame III (University of Minnesota Press)
Prepville, MN: Unforgettable Stories of High School Sports by John Millea (North Star Editions/Press Box Books)
The Red Wing Way: From Main Street to Global Legacy by Dave Kenney (Minnesota Historical Society Press)
Remember the Main: The Gay Bar that Started a Movement in the Northland by Meg Gorzycki (Minnesota Historical Society Press)
Saints and Sinners: The Pioneers of Saint Paul by Gary Brueggemann (self-published)
Sea Salt Eatery: Recipes to Enjoy Year-Round by Gail Rosenblum and Kait Ziemer-Davis (University of Minnesota Press)
Walking My Ancestors' Path: A Collection of Paintings and Stories by Sam Zimmerman / Zhaawanoogiizhik (Minnesota Historical Society Press)
Weaving Community: Indigenous Women and Leadership in the Twin Cities by Audrey M. Thayer & Collette A. Hyman (Minnesota Historical Society Press)
Novel & Short Story:
Ada by Marl Haber (Coffee House Press)
The Art of Falling Apart by Steven Lawrence Lang (Flexible Press)
Black Arts: Stories by Megan Giddings (HarperCollins/Amistad)
Buddha Wrestles Faust in a Field of Skulls & Other Stories by Kevin O'Rourke (New American Press)
The Burntwood Anthology by David Loring Nash (Unsolicited Press)
Every Time She Shouted Fire by Will Tinkham (self-published)
The Forgotten Many by Charlotte Babler (Salty Books Publishing, LLC)
The Gyre by Stacy Carlson (Alternating Current Press)
Helium by Dave Kenney (Atmosphere Press)
Leo Rising by Archie Bongiovanni (Abrams ComicArts)
Lodi by Jeff Wiemiller (Vanguard Press)
Loon Point by Carrie Classon (Lake Union Publishing)
In the Company of Whales by Judy M. Taylor (self-published)
The Jilted Countess by Loretta Ellsworth (HarperCollins/Harper Perennial)
The Majestic Matejcek by Leif J. Erickson (self-published)
The Orchard Star by Daniel Rehm (Rudbeckia Productions)
The Prohibited: A Novel by Matt Goldman (University of Minnesota Press)
Python's Kiss by Louise Erdrich (HarperCollins/Harper)
Rolling Pigeons by Dan Roettger (Calumet Editions)
The Shipikisha Club by Mubanga Kalimamukwento (Dzanc Books)
Soft Spots by Leila Renee (HarperCollins/Amistad)
The Storm Next Door by James Arlen Anderson (Skywater Publishing Cooperative )
Poetry:
Benevolence by Annette Gagliardi (League of MN Poets Press)
Dust of a Future by Diane Le Blanc (Terrapin Books)
Falling, in Love with Teaching by Patrick Hueller (Poetose)
Glassful of Prayer by Anthony Ceballos (Trio House Press)
This Ground Beneath Our Feet by Emily Bright (Holy Cow! Press)
i dream of fish by Dougie Padilla (Luna Brava Press)
Ledger by Alice Owen Duggan (self-published)
Nothing is Stationary by Joanne Esser (Holy Cow! Press)
Overburden by Jolene Brink (Texas Tech University Press)
The Shape of Your Absence by Greg Watson (One Subject Press)
So Much Depends on the Light by Susan Coultrap-McQuin (The Poetry Box)
Stumbling Onward by Richard Meyer (self-published)
A Whole Life Left by Suzanne Swanson (One Subject Press)
Young Adult Literature:
Black Point by Jacqueline West (Simon & Schuster)
Enterprising & Dangerous: That Word Honor: Book 2 by Erin Makela (Beaver's Pond Press)
They Called Us Wicked by Gloria Muñoz (Holiday House Publishing, Inc.)
The Verdant Cage by Jess Lourey (Entangled/Mayhem Books)
Summerwork by Carrie Mesrobian (Penguin Young Readers/Dutton Books)
When the Rain Came by Matt Eicheldinger (Andrews McMeel)