Reading the West Book Award Winners
A listing of Reading the West Book Award winners, past and present. Click on any book to buy from your local independent bookseller.
Watch the Awards Presentation!
35TH ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS
FICTION
Louise Erdrich
THE MIGHTY RED
Harper
DEBUT FICTION
Amanda Churchill
THE TURTLE HOUSE
Harper Perennial
POETRY
Kinsale Drake
THE SKY WAS ONCE A DARK BLANKET
University of Georgia Press
NONFICTION
Rebecca Nagle
BY THE FIRE WE CARRY
Harper
MEMOIR & BIOGRAPHY
Chris La Tray
BECOMING LITTLE SHELL
Milkweed Editions
PICTURE BOOKS
Lily Murray & Clive McFarland (illustrator)
THE BALLAD OF CACTUS JOE
Silver Dolphin Books
YOUNG READERS
Violet Duncan
BUFFALO DREAMER
Nancy Paulsen Books
YOUNG ADULT
Kathleen Glasgow
THE GLASS GIRL
Delacorte Press
34TH ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS
FICTION
LaToya Watkins
HOLLER CHILD
Tiny Reparations Books
DEBUT FICTION
Shelley Read
GO AS A RIVER
Spiegel & Grau
POETRY
Paisley Rekdal
WEST: A TRANSLATION
Copper Canyon Press
NONFICTION
Betsy Gaines Quammen
TRUE WEST
Torrey House Press
MEMOIR & BIOGRAPHY
Melissa L. Sevigny
BRAVE THE WILD RIVER
W. W. Norton & Company
PICTURE BOOK
Violet Lemay
ALITHIA RAMIREZ WAS AN ARTIST
Michael Sampson Books
YOUNG READERS
Jessica Vitalis
COYOTE QUEEN
Greenwillow Books
YOUNG ADULT
Byron Graves
REZ BALL
Heartdrum
33RD ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS
FICTION
Kali Fajardo-Anstine
WOMAN OF LIGHT
One World
DEBUT FICTION
Oscar Hokeah
CALLING FOR A BLANKET DANCE
Algonquin
POETRY
Joy Harjo
WEAVING SUNDOWN IN A SCARLET LIGHT
W. W. Norton & Company
NONFICTION
Craig Childs
TRACING TIME
Torrey House Press
MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY
Jonathan Bailey
WHEN I WAS RED CLAY
Torrey House Press
EATING THE WEST
The Editors of Texas Monthly
THE BIG TEXAS COOKBOOK
Harper Wave
PICTURE BOOK
Trudy Ludwig & Patrice Barton (illustrator)
BRAVE EVERY DAY
Knopf Books for Young Readers
YOUNG READERS
Heather Mateus Sappenfield
THE RIVER BETWEEN HEARTS
Fitzroy Books
YOUNG ADULT
Rex Ogle
ABUELA, DON’T FORGET ME
W. W. Norton & Company
32ND ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS
FICTION
Anthony Doerr
CLOUD CUCKOO LAND
Scribner
DEBUT FICTION
Ash Davidson
DAMNATION SPRING
Scribner
POETRY
Zach Hively
DESERT APOCRYPHA
Casa Urraca Press
NONFICTION
Annette Gordon-Reed
ON JUNETEENTH
Liveright
MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY
Joy Harjo
POET WARRIOR
W. W. Norton & Company
EATING THE WEST
Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz
EARTH MEDICINES
Roost Books
PICTURE BOOK
Andrea Wang & Jason Chin (illustrator)
WATERCRESS
Neal Porter Books
YOUNG READERS
Cynthia Leitich Smith (editor)
ANCESTOR APPROVED
Heartdrum
YOUNG ADULT
Darcie Little Badger
A SNAKE FALLS TO EARTH
Levine Querido
31ST ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS
FICTION
Rebecca Roanhorse
BLACK SUN
Gallery/Saga Press
DEBUT FICTION
James Wade
ALL THINGS LEFT WILD
Blackstone Publishing
POETRY
Joy Harjo, editor
WHEN THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD WAS. SUBDUED, OUR SONGS CAME THROUGH
W. W. Norton & Company
ILLUSTRATED NONFICTION
Cynthia Bennett
OUR WILD TAILS: THE ADVENTURES OF HENRY & BALOO
Gibbs Smith
NARRATIVE NONFICTION
Rick McIntyre
THE REIGN OF WOLF 21
Greystone Books
EATING THE WEST
Mely Martínez
THE MEXICAN HOME KITCHEN
Rock Point
PICTURE BOOK
Christina Soontornvat
illustrated by Christine Davenier
SIMON AT THE ART MUSEUM
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
YOUNG READERS
Celesta Rimington
THE ELEPHANT’S GIRL
Crown Books for Young Readers
YOUNG ADULT
Samantha Mabry
TIGERS, NOT DAUGHTERS
Algonquin Young Readers
ADVOCACY HONOR
Granted by MPIBA bookseller members to an outstanding book that promotes equity and inclusivity, and addresses themes of social, economic and/or environmental justice.
Jenn Shapland
MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF CARSON MCCULLERS
Tin House