Categories and Distinctions
The Midwest Book Awards, for the 2026 program year (for 2025 titles) has consolidated the category list. When you submit, you may select from one of the following subject categories:
- Literary, Historical, & Contemporary Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Children’s Books (picture books)
- Children’s Books (middle grade)
- Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Horror, & Romance
- Biography, Autobiography, & Memoir
- Poetry
- History (non-fiction)
- Humanities (religion, philosophy, politics, culture, and related themes)
- Lifestyle (business, health, self-help, cooking, lifestyle, travel, education)
- Art & Photography (includes graphic novels)
We allow, as add-ons, special consideration for design. Each design category includes an additional fee. They include:
- Cover Design
- Illustration
- Interior Design (typography, margins, internal layout)
- Total Book Design (interior and cover design)
New this year, we also allow nominations for special distinctions. Each category includes an additional fee. They include:
- Best Small Press — the overall work of the press for the year is especially noteworthy.
- Best Self-Published Author — the overall work of the author for the year is especially noteworthy.
- Best Debut Author — the author wrote a darn good book for their debut release.
- Best Junior Author — for authors who are aged 17 or younger at the time their book was released.
- Insightful BIPOC Perspectives — the book shows care about BIPOC themes and perspectives.
- Insightful LGBTQIA+ Perspectives — the book shows care about LGBTQIA+ themes and perspectives.
- Strong Midwestern Sensibility — the book demonstrates a real sense of what it means to be midwestern.
- Strong Regional Focus — the book is tightly aligned to the places and values of the Upper Midwest and the Great Lakes regions.b
Because the special distinctions require a different kind of evaluation, we will follow up with additional questions unique to each distinction during the judging process.
Questions? Midwest Book Awards Chair Jennifer Baum can answer your questions and provide guidance if you are not sure how to choose the specific categories that could be appropriate for your book in the Midwest Book Awards program. Email bookawards@mipa.org.