NEWS RELEASE: Oklahoma Center for the Book Honors Winners of the 37th Annual Oklahoma Book Awards 

Oklahoma Department of Libraries sent this bulletin at 05/22/2026 12:22 PM CDT

 

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May 22, 2026

 

 

For Immediate Release

 

 

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Kaylee Reed

Public Information Office
Oklahoma Department of Libraries

kaylee.reed@libraries.ok.gov

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

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Oklahoma Center for the Book Honors Winners of the 37th Annual Oklahoma Book Awards 


OKLAHOMA CITY — Winners and finalists of the 37th Annual Oklahoma Book Awards were honored during an evening celebrating the stories, voices, and creativity that continue to enrich Oklahoma’s literary community. The awards recognized outstanding books published in 2025 by Oklahoma authors and creators, as well as works centered on Oklahoma themes, with honors presented across multiple categories for excellence in writing, design, and storytelling.

 

The awards ceremony and banquet dinner took place May 16, 2026, at the Oklahoma History Center, bringing together authors, readers, publishers, illustrators, and supporters of Oklahoma literature from across the state.

 

The Oklahoma Center for the Book presented the Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing a lifetime of creativity and contribution to literature. This year’s honor was awarded to Carolyn Brown, a New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, Amazon, and Washington Post bestselling author.

 

The Oklahoma Book Awards continue to highlight the depth and diversity of Oklahoma’s literary landscape while connecting readers with stories inspired by the people, history, and spirit of the state.

 

 

 

 
 

Image: Winners of the 37th Annual Oklahoma Book Awards

 
 

2026 Oklahoma Book Award Winners 


Children

Mary Had a Little Jam by Tammi Sauer, Hachette Book Group, Union Square Kids

 

Young Adult
Gittel by Laurie Schneider, Regal House Publishing

 

Design, Illustration, Photography

Route 66: The First 100 Years Author Jim Ross and photographer Shellee Graham, Reedy Press

 

Fiction

The Filling Station by Vanessa Miller, Thomas Nelson

 

Non-Fiction

Black Moses: A Saga of Ambition and the Fight for a Black State by Caleb Gayle, Riverhead Books

 

Poetry

Blood Wolf Moon by Elise Paschen, Red Hen Press

 

Lynn McIntosh Award for Excellence

Making of the Killers of the Flower Moon by Shannon Shaw Duty, Benny Polacca, Chelsea T. Hicks, Allison Herrera, Ruby Hansen Murray, Tristan Joseph Espinoza, Cody Hammer, Sherry Stinson, Echo Reed, and Louise Red Corn, Osage News

 

Glenda Carlile Distinguished Service Award: Connie Armstrong

 

Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award: Carolyn Brown

 

Special thanks to the sponsors, partners, coordinators, and volunteers whose support helped make this celebration possible. For more information about the Oklahoma Book Awards and the Oklahoma Center for the Book, visit oklahoma.gov/libraries/ocb/ok-book-awards.

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About the collaborators

About the Oklahoma Department of Libraries

The Oklahoma Department of Libraries is the official State Library of Oklahoma. It leads public library development, serves the information and records management needs of state government, coordinates library and information technology projects for the state, and serves the general public through its specialized collections.

About the Oklahoma Center for the Book

The Oklahoma Department of Libraries and the Oklahoma Center for the Book (OCB) has partnered with the non-profit Friends of the Oklahoma Center for the Book for more than 30 years to co-sponsor the annual Oklahoma Book Awards. Housed within ODL, the Center promotes Oklahoma authors, celebrates the state’s literary heritage, and encourages reading for pleasure statewide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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