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Past Book Award Honorees

Winner: 

The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris

Finalists: 

The House Uptown by Melissa Ginsburg

The Souvenir Museum by Elizabeth McCracken

Olympus, Texas by Stacey Swann

The Elephant of Belfast by S. Kirk Walsh

Discovery Prize Winner: 

Child in the Valley by Gordy Sauer

Winner: 

Let the Lord Sort Them: The Rise and Fall of the Death Penalty by Maurice Chammah

Finalists: 

Fortunate Son: Selected Essays from the Lone Star State by Rick Bass

Our First Civil War: Patriots and Loyalists in the American Revolution by H. W. Brands

A Single Star and Bloody Knuckles: A History of Politics and Race in Texas by Bill Minutaglio

Far From Respectable: Dave Hickey and His Art by Daniel Oppenheimer

Discovery Prize Winner: 

An Indian Among Los Indígenas by Ursula Pike

Winner: 

Arsenal with Praise Song by Rodney Gómez

Finalists: 

The Life by Carrie Fountain

How to Be Better by Being Worse by Justin Jannise

Bright Specimen by Julie Poole

Frances of the Wider Field by Laura Van Prooyen

Discovery Prize Winner: 

Come Clean by Joshua Nguyen

Winner: 

Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna by Alda P. Dobbs

Finalists: 

Fat Angie: Homecoming by E.E. Charlton-Trujillo

A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger

Sing Me Forgotten by Jessica S. Olson

Sisters of the Neversea by Cynthia Smith

Discovery Prize Winner: 

Where I Belong by Marcia Mickelson

Winner: 

We Move the World by Kari Lavelle

Finalists: 

Indelible Ann by Meghan P. Browne

The Book That Jake Borrowed by Susan Holt Kralovansky

The People’s Painter by Cynthia Levinson

Everybody in the Red Brick Building by Anne Wynter

Discovery Prize Winner:

Josefina’s Habichuelas by Jasminne Mendez

Winner: 

We Are All the Same in the Dark by Julia Heaberlin

Finalists: 

Crooked Hallelujah by Kelli Jo Ford

Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles

Trust Me by Richard Santos

The Jetsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward

Discovery Prize Winner: 

Above Us the Milky Way by Fowzia Karimi

Winner: 

The Dragons, the Giant, the Women by Wayétu Moore

Finalists: 

After the Last Border by Jessica Goudeau

The Museum of Whales You Will Never See by A. Kendra Greene

Perilous Bounty by Tom Philpott

Phallacy by Emily Willingham

Discovery Prize Winner: 

Pain Studies by Lisa Olstein

Winner: 

Year of the Dog by Deborah Paredez

Finalists: 

Your New Feeling Is the Artifact of a Bygone Era by Chad Bennett

Simple Machines by Jehanne Dubrow

Anyone’s Son by David Meischen

Pandemia & Other Poems by Edward Vidaurre

Discovery Prize Winner: 

Maps of Injury by Chera Hammons

Winner: 

Tigers, Not Daughters by Samantha Mabry

Finalists: 

BenBee and the Teacher Griefer by K.A. Holt

Dragon Ops by Mari Mancusi

The Second-Best Haunted Hotel on Mercer Street by Cory Putnam Oakes

A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat

Discovery Prize Winner: 

Mary and the Trail of Tears by Andrea L. Rogers

Winner: 

William Still and His Freedom Stories by Don Tate

Finalists: 

All of a Sudden and Forever by Chris Barton

Hard Work, but It’s Worth It by Bethany Hegedus

Huddle Up! Cuddle Up! by Bethany Hegedus

The Blunders by Christina Soontornvat

Discovery Prize Winner:

Beautiful Black Boys Who Believe in a Better World by Michael W. Waters

Book Awards Previous Winners 2019
Winner: 

THE SECRETS WE KEPT by Lara Prescott

Finalists: 

WHERE WE COME FROM by Oscar Casares

A PARTICULAR KIND OF BLACK MAN by Tope Folarin

HEAVEN, MY HOME by Attica Locke

THE ELECTRIC HOTEL by Dominic Smith

LOT by Bryan Washington

Discovery Prize Winner: 

WATERSHED by Mark Barr

Winner: 

TRICK MIRROR: REFLECTIONS ON SELF-DELUSION by Jia Tolentino

Finalists: 

BIG WONDERFUL THING: A HISTORY OF TEXAS by Stephen Harrigan

HOW WE FIGHT FOR OUR LIVES by Saeed Jones

SONTAG: HER LIFE AND WORK by Benjamin Moser

THE WEIL CONJECTURES by Karen Olsson

Discovery Prize Winner: 

THIS IS MY BODY: A MEMOIR OF RELIGIOUS AND ROMANTIC OBSESSION by Cameron Dezen Hammon

Winner: 

THE TINY JOURNALIST by Naomi Shihab Nye

Finalists: 

THE LAST VISIT by Chad Abushanab

I WILL DESTROY YOU by Nick Flynn

ANOTHER LAST DAY by Alex Lemon

NEWSWORTHY by Deborah Mouton

Discovery Prize Winner: 

CEREMONY OF SAND by Rodney Gomez

Winner: 

REDWOOD AND PONYTAIL by K.A. Holt

Finalists: 

THE OTHER HALF OF HAPPY by Rebecca Balcarcel

HER OWN TWO FEET: A RWANDAN GIRL’S BRAVE FIGHT TO WALK by Meredith Davis

SONG FOR A WHALE by Lynne K Kelly

Discovery Prize Winners (tied): 

ELOIA BORN by Britta Jensen

MANUFACTURED WITCHES by Michelle Rene

Winner: 

ELLA MCKEEN, KICKBALL QUEEN by Beth Mills

Finalists: 

CHICKEN BREAK! A COUNTING BOOK by Cate Berry

KING OF THE TIGHTROPE: WHEN THE GREAT BLONDIN RULED NIAGARA by Donna Jannel Bowman

INSTRUCTIONS NOT INCLUDED: HOW A TEAM OF WOMEN CODED THE FUTURE by Debbie Dunn

A VOICE FOR THE SPIRIT BEARS: HOW ONE BOY INSPIRED MILLIONS TO SAVE A RARE ANIMAL by Carmen Oliver

2018 Writers' League Book Award Winners

Winner: 

LITTLE by Edward Carey


Finalists: 

DAUGHTER OF A DAUGHTER OF A QUEEN by Sarah Bird

THE WHICH WAY TREE by Elizabeth Crook

PRESIDIO by Randy Kennedy

SHE WOULD BE KING by Wayétu Moore

EVERYONE KNOWS YOU GO HOME by Natalia Sylvester

Discovery Prize Winner: 

DEATH TO THE BULLSHIT ARTISTS OF SOUTH TEXAS by Fernando A. Flores

Winner:  THE RECKONINGS: ESSAYS by Lacy M. Johnson Finalists:  FISHERMAN’S BLUES by Anna Badkhen THE LINE BECOMES A RIVER: DISPATCHES FROM THE BORDER by Francisco Cantú  AN UNLIKELY JOURNEY: WAKING UP FROM MY AMERICAN DREAM by Julián Castro  TICKER: THE QUEST TO CREATE AN ARTIFICIAL HEART by Mimi Swartz Discovery Prize Winner:  BEYONCÉ IN FORMATION: REMIXING BLACK FEMINISM by Omise’eke Tinsley
Winner:  REGISTERS OF ILLUMINATED VILLAGES: POEMS by Tarfia Faizullah  Finalists:  WITH THE DOGSTAR AS MY WITNESS by John Fry  SKY THE OAR by Stacy R. Nigliazzo  GIRLDOM by Megan Peak  ARSONIST by Joaquin Zihuatanejo  Discovery Prize Winner:  GIRL PAPER STONE by Laurie Filipelli

Winner: 

THE PARKER INHERITANCE by Varian Johnson 

Finalists: 

I’M NOT MISSING by Carrie Fountain 

ALL THE STARS DENIED by Guadalupe García McCall 

THE HOUSE IN POPLAR WOOD by K.E. Ormsbee 

THE PROPHET CALLS by Melanie Sumrow 

Discovery Prize Winner: 

SECRETS OF THE CASA ROSADA by Alex Temblador

Winner: 

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A VOICE LIKE THAT? THE STORY OF EXTRAORDINARY CONGRESSWOMAN BARBARA JORDAN by Chris Barton 

Finalists: 

PENGUIN & TINY SHRIMP DON’T DO BEDTIME! by Cate Berry

ABRAHAM LINCOLN’S DUELING WORDS by Donna Janell Bowman 

ALABAMA SPITFIRE: THE STORY OF HARPER LEE AND TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Bethany Hegedus 

LUCY AND THE STRING by Vanessa Roeder 

Discovery Prize Winner: 

THE BOOK THAT JAKE BORROWED by Susan Holt Kralovansky

2017 Writers' League Book Award Winners

Winner:

SPOILS by Brian Van Reet

 

Finalists:

DISASTERS IN THE FIRST WORLD by Olivia Clare

HOLLOW by Owen Egerton

WHITE FUR by Jardine Libaire 

BLUEBIRD, BLUEBIRD by Attica Locke 

WAIT TILL YOU SEE ME DANCE by Deb Olin Unferth

 

Discovery Prize Winner:

FIGHT LIKE A MAN & OTHER STORIES WE TELL OUR CHILDREN by Christine Granados

Winner: 

THE ROAD TO JONESTOWN by Jeff Guinn

 

Finalists:

SPINELESS by Juli Berwald

AMERICAN WOLF by Nate Blakeslee

THE BOY WHO LOVED TOO MUCH by Jennifer Latson 

NO APPARENT DISTRESS by Rachel Pearson, MD

TOO FAT, TOO SLUTTY, TOO LOUD by Anne Helen Petersen

 

Discovery Prize Winner:

HOUSE BUILT ON ASHES by José Antonio Rodríguez

Winner:

WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE A LIST OF FURTHER POSSIBILITIES by Chen Chen

 

Finalists:

AMERICAN PURGATORY by Rebecca Gayle Howell 

FOR WANT OF WATER by Sasha Pimentel

MADNESS by Sam Sax 

WOLFE AND OTHER POEMS by Donald Mace Williams

 

Discovery Prize Winner:

THE LANGUAGE WE CRY IN by Delicia Daniels

Winner:

THE LOVE LETTERS OF ABELARD AND LILY by Laura Creedle

 

Finalists:

ROAR by Cora Carmack

WAIT FOR ME by Caroline Leech

FAULT LINES IN THE CONSTITUTION by Cynthia Levinson & Sanford Levinson

ALL THE WIND IN THE WORLD by Samantha Mabry

 

Discovery Prize Winner:

BROKEN CIRCLE by J.L. Powers & M.A. Powers

Winner:

DAZZLE SHIPS by Chris Barton

 

Finalists:

WHOBERT WHOVER, OWL DETECTIVE by Jason Gallaher 

THE CLOUD ARTIST by Sherri Maret

THE SURVIVOR TREE by Gaye Sanders

ANOTHER WAY TO CLIMB A TREE by Liz Garton Scanlon

STRONG AS SANDOW by Don Tate

 

Discovery Prize Winner:

DREAM BIG by Kat Kronenberg

2016 Writers' League Book Award Winners

Winner: 

News of the World by Paulette Jiles  

 

Finalists: 

The Regional Office is Under Attack! by Manuel Gonzales

Pull Me Under by Kelly Luce 

The Association of Small Bombs by Karan Mahajan

The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith

 

Discovery Prize Winner: 

The Tombstone Race by José Skinner

Winner: 

The Midnight Assassin: Panic, Scandal, and the Hunt for America’s First Serial Killer by Skip Hollandsworth

 

Finalists:

Eccentric Orbits: The Iridium Story by John Bloom

The General vs. the President: MacArthur and Truman at the Brink of Nuclear War by H.W. Brands

The Glamour of Strangeness: Artists and the Last Age of the Exotic by Jamie James

Who Killed These Girls? Cold Case: The Yogurt Shop Murders by Beverly Lowry

 

Discovery Prize Winner: 

Amado Muro and Me: A Tale of Honesty and Deception by Robert L. Seltzer

Hammer Is the Prayer by Christian Wiman

 

Finalists: 

Ultra-Cabin by Kimberly Lambright

Plenty by Corinne Lee

Her, Infinite by Sawnie Morris

 

Discovery Prize Winner: 

Take to the Highway: Arabesques for Travelers by Bryce Milligan

Winner: 

Somewhere Among by Annie Donwerth-Chikamatsu

 

Finalists: 

Maybe a Fox by Kathi Appelt and Alison McGhee

Hillary Rodham Clinton: A Woman Living History by Karen Blumenthal

The Radiant Road by Katherine Catmull

Time Zero by Carolyn Cohagan

A Fierce and Subtle Poison by Samantha Mabry



Discovery Prize Winner: 

Bloodline by Joe Jiménez

Winner: 

Step Right Up: How Doc and Jim Key Taught the World About Kindness by Donna Janell Bowman

 

Finalists: 

Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton

Lucy by Randy Cecil

Be the Change: A Grandfather Gandhi Story by Arun Gandhi and Bethany Hegedus

Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies by Carmen Oliver

 

Discovery Prize Winner: 

The Tale of Lucky the Dog by Lynn G. Abrams

2015 Writers' League Book Award Winners

Winner:

Migratory Animals by Mary Helen Specht

Finalists:

See How Small by Scott Blackwood

Barefoot Dogs by Antonio Ruiz-Camacho

The Burned Bridges of Ward, Nebraska by Eileen Curtright

Eight Minutes by Lori Reisenbichler

Discovery Prize Winner:

Rules for Werewolves by Kirk Lynn

Winner: 

The Outskirts of Hope: A Memoir of the 1960s Deep South by Jo Ivester

Finalists:

A Field Philosopher’s Guide to Fracking: How One Texas Town Stood Up to Big Oil and Gas by Adam Briggle

Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget by Sarah Hepola

The Burma Spring: Aung San Suu Kyi and the New Struggle for the Soul of a Nation by Rena Pederson

The Train to Crystal City: FDR’s Secret Prisoner Exchange Program and America’s Only Family Internment Camp During World War II by Jan Jarboe Russell

Joe, the Slave Who Became an Alamo Legend by Ron J. Jackson, Jr. and Lee Spencer White

Discovery Prize Winner: 

Uncovered: How I Left Hasidic Life and Finally Came Home by Leah Lax

Winner:

Our House Was on Fire by Laura Van Prooyen

Finalists:

One Blackbird at a Time by Wendy Barker

Requiem for Used Ignition Cap by J. Scott Brownlee

Salt Moon by Noel Crook

As If Light Actually Matters by Larry D. Thomas

Discovery Prize Winner:

Rant. Chant. Chisme. by Amalia Ortiz

Winner:

The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

Finalists:

House Arrest by K.A. Holt

Randoms by David Liss

Wish Girl by Nikki Loftin

Kissing in America by Margo Rabb

Utopia, Iowa by Brian Yansky

Discovery Prize Winner:

Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Perez

Winner:

Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton by Don Tate

Finalists:

Counting Crows by Kathi Appelt

The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch by Chris Barton

In the Canyon by Liz Garton Scanlon

What This Story Needs is a Pig in a Wig by Emma J. Virjan

Discovery Prize Winner:

A Penguin Named Patience by Suzanne Lewis


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