Lots of Minnesota books are among the finalists for this year's Midwest Booksellers Choice Awards. Written by Minnesotans, set in Minnesota, published by Minnesota publishers....it's all looking good.

The books were nominated by Midwest booksellers, and over the next month booksellers will vote for their favorites out of the group. The awards will be given out in October, during the Midwest Independent Booksellers trade show in Minneapolis. (Louise Erdrich--both bookseller and author--will be keynote.)

Here are the finalists. Save your applause for the end, please.

Adult fiction

Chad Harbach, "The Art of Fielding." (Set in Wisconsin.)

William Kent Krueger, "Northwest Angle." (St. Paul author.)

Cheryl Strayed

Danielle Sosin, "The Long-Shining Waters." (Duluth author.)

Larry Watson, "American Boy." (Milkweed Editions of Minneapolis.)

Adult non-fiction

Joe Blair, "By the Iowa Sea."

Beth Dooley, "Northern Heartland Kitchen." (Minnesota writer.)

Cheryl Strayed, "Wild." (Minnesota claims her!)

Poetry

Todd Boss, "Pitch." (St. Paul.)

Joseph Campana, "Natural Selections." (Graywolf Press author, though this book is University of Iowa Press.)

Carol Muske-Dukes, "Twin Cities."

Children's literature

Sheila O'Connor, "Sparrow Road." (St. Paul.)

Brian Selznick, "Wonderstruck." (Set in northern Minnesota.)

Jacqueline West, "Spellbound: The books of Elsewhere Volume 2." (Lives in Red Wing.)

Children's picture books

Mary Casanova and Ard Hoyt, "Utterly Otterly Night." (Minnesota writer.)

Sheila O'Connor

Loren Long, "Otis and the Tornado."

Susan Vande Griek and Karen Reczuch, "Loon."

Jim Aylesworth and Brad Sneed, "Cock-a-Doodle Do, Creak, Pop-Pop, Moo."

OK, applaud.