Saturday night was a good night for repeat winners of the Minnesota Book Awards.

Mystery writer Ellen Hart picked up her fourth award (though was not there to do so in person), poet Ray Gonzalez picked up his third, and Charles Baxter and Michael Hall each picked up their second on Saturday night.

The annual gala event drew more than 900 people to St. Paul's Union Depot for a night of music, champagne and celebration of the written word. Here are the winners:

Children's Literature, sponsored by Books for Africa: Michael Hall, "Red: A Crayon's Story," published by Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins. Hall also won in 2011 for "My Heart is Like a Zoo."

General Nonfiction, sponsored by the Waterbury Group at Morgan Stanley: Ryan Berg, "No House to Call My Home: Love, Family and Other Transgressions," published by Nation Books.

Genre Fiction, sponsored by Macalester College: Ellen Hart, "The Grave Soul," published by Minotaur Books. Hart also won in 1995, 1996 and 2006.

Gonzalez

Memoir & Creative Nonfiction, sponsored by Kevin and Greta Warren: Karen Babine, "Water and What We Know: Following the Roots of a Northern Life," University of Minnesota Press.

Minnesota, sponsored by St. Mary's University of Minnesota: Larry Millett, "Minnesota Modern: Architecture and Life at Midcentury," University of Minnesota Press.

Novel & Short Story, sponsored by Education Minnesota: Charles Baxter, "There's Something I Want You to Do," Pantheon. Baxter won in 2008 for the Graywolf Press book, "The Art of Subtext."

Poetry, sponsored by Wellington Management Inc.: Ray Gonzalez, "Beautiful Wall," BOA Editions. Gonzalez has won twice before, in 2001 and 2003.

Young People's Literature, sponsored by the Creative Writing Programs at Hamline University: Shannon Gibney, "See No Color," Carolrhoda Books/Lerner Publishing.

Other awards presented Saturday night were the previously announced Book Artist Award, which went to Wendy Fernstrum, the biannual Hognander Minnesota History Award, which went to William D. Green, and the Kay Sexton Award, which went to Jim Sitter.

A total of 252 books were nominated for awards this year, and 32 books were chosen as finalists by a panel of judges across the state.

A category for middle-grade books will be added next year.

Laurie Hertzel • 612-673-7302 • @StribBooks