Courtesy of Literary Arts
Oregon’s literary community will be gathering this spring to celebrate the writers shaping the state’s contemporary voice as the annual Oregon Book Awards return, with a diverse slate of finalists across genres. Thirty-five titles from Oregonians across seven genre categories — including fiction, general nonfiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, graphic literature, young adult literature and children’s literature — were chosen as finalists by panels of out-of-state judges from a pool of 200 submitted titles.
Presented annually by the Portland nonprofit Literary Arts, the awards recognize books published by Oregon authors in the previous year. The 2026 finalists highlight the wide variety of work emerging from the state’s literary scene, from speculative fiction to investigative journalism. The winners will be announced April 20 during a ceremony at Portland Center Stage at the Armory. Tickets are on sale and range from $5 to $65 depending on seating choice and interest in financially supporting the organization. The event will be hosted by Kimberly King Parsons, who authored last year’s winning novel “We Were the Universe.”
Among the finalists for the The Ken Kesey Award for Fiction is Olufunke Grace Bankole for “The Edge of Water,” a sweeping family story that follows generations navigating migration and memory. Also nominated for the award is Ling Ling Huang for “Immaculate Conception,” which blends literary and speculative fiction. The category is joined by Kevin Maloney’s satire “Horse Girl Fever,” Madeline McDonnell’s debut “Lonesome Ballroom” and Karen Thompson Walker’s “The Strange Case of Jane O.”
In the category of poetry books and collections, the Stafford/Hall Award spotlights writers engaging deeply with place, history and identity. Finalists include Joe Wilkins and Lisa Wells, two poets who spoke at LC as a part of the Visiting Writers Series. Wilkins is nominated for his collection “Pastoral, 1994,” and Wells for “The Fire Passage.”
The Sarah Winnemucca Award for Creative Nonfiction honors memoir and personal essays. Among the finalists is Lidia Yuknavitch for “Reading the Waves,” continuing her exploration of creativity, trauma and survival and Judith Barrington for “Virginia’s Apple: Collected Memoirs,” a collection of fourteen short story-length memoirs about Barrington’s life.
In the Frances Fuller Victor Award for General Nonfiction, journalist Leah Sottile is nominated for “Blazing Eye Sees All: Love Has Won, False Prophets, and the Fever Dream of the American New Age,” an examination of the controversial spiritual group Love Has Won and the broader culture of modern American mysticism.
Literature for younger audiences remains an important part of the awards. In the Leslie Bradshaw Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Literature, finalists include Courtney Gould for her psychological horror “What the Woods Took: A Novel,” and Shana Targosz for “River of Spirits,” a high-stakes fantasy novel.
Graphic storytelling is also recognized this year through the Award for Graphic Literature, which rotates with the drama category. Finalists include Steven Christian for Rowan Kingsbury for “Avery and the Fairy Circle,” an illustrated novel following a girl’s migration to a magical cottage.
Beyond honoring individual books, the Oregon Book Awards also highlight the broader literary culture across the state. Finalists and winners participate in a statewide author tour organized by Literary Arts, bringing readings and workshops to schools, libraries and community centers. This year’s Steward H. Holbrook Literary Legacy Award will recognize the organization Willamette Writers, which has supported writers in the region for decades through conferences, critique groups and educational programs.
As Oregon’s literary community prepares to gather in April, the finalists collectively reflect a vibrant regional tradition rooted in the landscapes and histories of the Pacific Northwest, but engaged with questions that resonate far beyond the state’s borders.
About the Author
