The 35th Annual Midwest Book Awards Gala took place on Saturday, June 28th, 2025 at the Frey Theater, St. Catherine University in Saint Paul, MN. Hosted by Kansas City media personality Cherayla Haynes, the evening featured our winners and finalists of the Midwest Book Awards for the 2025-2026 season.
Finalist titles that are available on the Bookshop platform can be purchased using MiPA’s affiliate link. By using this link, you can support not only our finalists, but also MiPA and independent bookstores!
2025 Finalists – Nonfiction (Gold Winners in Bold)
Anthologies
Beginning Again: Stories of Movement and Migration in Appalachia
Edited by Katrina M. Powell
Introduction by Nikki Giovanni
Haymarket Books
The Last Cabin (maybe)
by Mike Lein
Jackpine Writers Bloc
Arts/Photography/Coffee Table Books
Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains! A Photo History of an American Icon
by Roger Carp
Project Roar Publishing
Autobiography/Memoir
Even So: Stories From An Overpopulated Farmhouse
by David Coster
Ice Cube Press, LLC
Fleetwood Dreams:
Climbing a Mountain After a Landslide
by Amy Sazama
Ten16 Press
Mission to Oslo:
Dancing with the Queen, Dealmaking with the Russians, Shaping History
by Tom Loftus
Little Creek Press
Biography
South Dakota Crusader: Francis Case’s Road to Congress
by Stephen L. Wilson
Joycliff Press
We Had Fun and Nobody Died: Adventures of a Milwaukee Music Promoter
by Amy T. Waldman and Peter Jest
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
Business
365 Day Leader: Recalibrate Your Calling Every Day
by Dick Daniels
The Leadership Development Group
Know Honesty
by Ken Bogard and Grace Gavin
Ethos Collective
My Little Book of Big Money
by Paul Tran
Beaver’s Pond Press
Children’s & Young Adult
Brownie the War Dog: Veterans’ Best Friend
by Kelly Nelson
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
The Resilient Brain: Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury for Kids
by Katianne Olson
Wise Ink Creative Publishing
Song of the Raven
by Amanda Hall
World Wisdom/Wisdom Tales Press
Cookbooks/Crafts/Hobbies
Extra! Extra! Eat All About It!: Recipes and Culinary Curiosities from Historic Wisconsin Newspapers
by Jane Conway and Randi Julia Ramsden
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
Oyster Book: A Chronicle of the World’s Most Fascinating Shellfish—Past, Present, and Future
by Dan Martino
Agate Publishingy
Education/Learning
Bakke’s Shakespeare: Macbeth
by Anthony Bakke
Theran Press
Creating an Urban Ecovillage: A Model for Revitalizing Our Cities
by Jim Schenk
Pine Run Press
Write Like Nobody’s Watching
by Mary Jane Schultz
Word Candy Productions, LLC
Family/Parenting
Mom Dad Not Hear: 30 Powerful Stories and Lessons about Leadership, Life, and Love from My Deaf Parents
by Mickey Carolan
Third Culture Books
Health
Eat Move Groove: Unlock the Simple Steps to Lifelong Nutrition, Fitness & Wellness
by Susan M Kundrat
Eat Move Groove, PLLC
From Pain to Power
by Ellen H. Saul, MS, LP
Kirk House Publishers
The Mastectomy I Always Wanted
by Erica Neubert Campbell
Wise Ink Creative Publishing
History, General
An Artist Goes to War: Leon Granacki in the South Pacific WWII
by Erica Neubert Campbell
Wise Ink Creative Publishing
The First Mobile App
by R.J. King
Written in Detroit
Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains! A Photo History of an American Icon
by Roger Carp
Project Roar Publishing
History, Regional
Journey to Freedom: Uncovering the Grayson Sisters’ Escape from Nebraska Territory
by Gail Shaffer Blankenau
Bison Books
The Landers: Biography of a Theater
by Kara DeBacker
Pearson Creek Publishing
Wisconsin for Kennedy: The Primary That Launched a President and Changed the Course of History
by B.J. Hollars
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
Inspiration
Find Your Beat: Walk in the Rhythm of Life
by Tim Eggebraaten
Kirk House Publishers
An Impossible Life: A True Story of Hope and Mental Illness
by Rachael Siddoway and Sonja Wasden
A Possible Life, LLC
The Play of Masks
by Frithjof Schuon
World Wisdom
Nature
The Salmon Capital of Michigan: The Rise and Fall of a Great Lakes Fishery
by Carson Prichard
Wayne State University Press
Great Nature Wisconsin: A Guide for Nature Immersion in Wisconsin
by Randy Hoffman, Cody Stingley, Laura Stingley
Little Creek Press
Recreation/Sports/Travel
Mirage of Destiny: The Story of the 1990-91 Minnesota North Stars
by Kevin Allenspach
North Star Press of St. Cloud
Religion/Philosophy
For Times Such as These: A Radical’s Guide to the Jewish Year
by Rabbi Ariana Katz and Rabbi Jessica Rosenberg
Wayne State University Press
It’s About Time (Millions of Copies Sold for Dad)
by Mark Connor
Connemara Patch Press
The Mary We Forgot
by Jennifer Powell McNutt
Baker Publishing Group
Social Science/Political Science/Culture
Country Queers: A Love Letter
by Rae Garringer
Haymarket Books
Dodge County, Incorporated: Big Ag and the Undoing of Rural America
by Sonja Trom Eayrs
Bison Books
Icarus Curse: How Western Democracies Derailed and How to Get Back on Track
by Johan Van Overtveldt
Agate Publishing
2025 Finalists – Fiction
Children’s
The Big Aquarium Adventure; Learn about frogs, turtles, sharks, and skates!
by Nancy Roop
Developmental Texts
Fumious Rex
by Freya Manfred
Nodin Press
Marvelous Jackson
by Laura Anne Bird
Orange Hat Publishing
Children’s picture books
I Am Beautiful
by Dionne L. Grayson
Dionne L. Grayson
Petunia the Perfectionist
by Marissa Bader
M.Bader Media, LLC
Zoe the Dinosaur Has the Hiccups
by Claire Rose
Beaver’s Pond Press
Fantasy/SciFi/Horror/Paranormal
Point of Hopes: A Novel of Astreiant
by Melissa Scott and Lisa A. Barnett
Queen of Swords Press
Remnants of a Scarlet Flame: The Last Draegion Book One
by Cindy L. Sell
Aether and Ash Press
Sleepaway: A Novel
by Kevin Prufer
Acre Books
Literary/Contemporary/Historical
54 Miles
by Leonard Pitts, Jr.
Agate Publishing
Last Rancher
by Robert Rebein
Meadowlark Press, LLC
Sister Lumberjack
by Candace Simar
North Star Press of St. Cloud
Mystery/Thriller
Beyond the Flames
by Gregory Lee Renz
Three Towers Press
Incel
by Brian Lutterman
Oak Ridge Press
Omar’s Choice
by Cathy Sultan
Calumet Editions
Romance
To Sense a Passion
by Audrey Lynden
Penske Publishing
Short Story/Anthology
The Machine We Trust
by Tim Conrad
Cornerstone Press
Young Adult
Beyond the Cemetery Gate: The Secret Keeper’s Daughter
by Valerie Biel
Lost Lake Press
Shades of a Warrior
by Robert Saxton
Calumet Editions
2025 Finalists – Poetry
Debut
American Inmate
by Justin Rovillos Monson
Haymarket Books
Find Me When You’re Ready
by Perry Janes
Northwestern University Press/Curbstone Books
Milk for Gall
by Natalie Louise Tombasco
Southern Indiana Review Press
General
Cauterized
by Laura Apol
Michigan State University Press
Incandescent
by Emilie Buchwald
Nodin Press
A Map of My Want
by Faylita Hicks
Haymarket Books
Regional
Ditch Memory: New and Selected Poems
by Todd Davis
Michigan State University Press
Earl’s Own Dakota Odyssey
by Bruce Roseland
Scurfpea Publishing
We Live Here: Poems for an Ojibwe Calendar Year
by Lois Beardslee
Wayne State University Press
2025 Finalists – Design
Cover Design
The Big Aquarium Adventure; Learn about frogs, turtles, sharks, and skates!
by Nancy Roop
Developmental Texts
Designed by TLC Book Designs
The Mermaid of Lake Superior
by Aurora Lothbrok
Beaver’s Pond Press
Cover/sketches by Jill Myer and interior by Laura Drew
Rhino Keeper
by Jillian Forsberg
History Through Fiction
Designed by Christine Horner, The Book Cover Whisperer
Illustration
The Big Aquarium Adventure; Learn about frogs, turtles, sharks, and skates!
by Nancy Roop
Developmental Texts
Designed by TLC Book Designs
Monkey Moon
by Demi
World Wisdom/Wisdom Tales Press
Designed by Demi
Song of the Raven
by Amanda Hall
World Wisdom/Wisdom Tales Press
Designed by Amanda Hall
Interior Design
The Big Aquarium Adventure; Learn about frogs, turtles, sharks, and skates!
by Nancy Roop
Developmental Texts
Designed by TLC Book Designs
Lights, Camera, Lionel Trains! A Photo History of an American Icon
by Roger Carp
Project Roar Publishing
Designed by Lisa Schroeder
Song of the Raven
by Amanda Hall
World Wisdom/Wisdom Tales Press
Designed by Amanda Hall
Total Book Design
The Big Aquarium Adventure; Learn about frogs, turtles, sharks, and skates!
by Nancy Roop
Developmental Texts
TLC Book Designs
Lights,Camera, Lionel Trains! A Photo History of an American IconAdventure; Learn about frogs, turtles, sharks, and skates!
by Roger Carp
Project Roar Publishing
Designed by Lisa Schroeder
Song of the Raven
by Amanda Hall
World Wisdom/Wisdom Tales Press
Designed by Amanda Hall