Midwest Book Award finalists are announced

The 2016 Midwest Book Awards finalists have been announced. The 80 finalists were chosen from 192 nominations in 30 categories. To qualify, a book must have been published in 2016 and submitted by a publisher in the 12-state Midwestern region. (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.)

The winners will be announced May 12 in St. Paul.

Arts/Coffee Table Books/Photography

A Peace of My Mind: American Stories by John Noltner (John Noltner, Saint Paul, MN)

Mid-Michigan Modern: From Frank Lloyd Wright to Googie by Susan J. Bandes (Michigan State University Press, East Lansing, MI)

Twelve Twenty-Five: The Life and Times of a Steam Locomotive by Kevin P. Keefe (Michigan State University Press, East Lansing, MI)

Autobiography/Memoir

My Sister's Mother: A Memoir of War, Exile, and Stalin's Siberia by Donna Solecka Urbikas (University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, WI)

Suicide Survivors' Club by Laurie Phillips and Rebecca Anderson (SSC Publishing, Saint Paul, MN)

Biography

Going for Wisconsin Gold: Stories of Our State Olympians by Jessie Garcia (Wisconsin Historical Society Press, Madison, WI)

Business

Service Dogs: The Rescue and Training of Heroes by Tom and Julie Coleman (Pawsitivity, Saint Paul, MN)

The Irresponsible Pursuit of Paradise by Jim L. Bowyer (Levins Publishing, Saint Paul, MN)

Children's Fiction

Bubblegum Mike: The Great Skeeter Battle by Geoffrey Saign (KiraKu Press, Saint Paul, MN)

Intrigue in Istanbul by Christine Keleny (CKBooks Publishing, New Glarus, WI)

Children's Nonfiction

A Beaver Tale: The Castors of Conners Creek, written and illustrated by Gerald Wykes (Wayne State University Press, Detroit, MI)

Children's Picture Books

Bingo Did It!, written by Amber Harris, illustrated by Ard Hoyt (Redleaf Lane, Saint Paul, MN)

Casey's Great Escape, written by Nancy Jo Shaw, illustrated by DC Ice (Beaver's Pond Press, Edina, MN)

Zena's Dream, written by Patricia Lea Olson, illustrated by Sherri Faye (Beaver's Pond Press, Edina, MN)

Young Adult Fiction

Divided Draghons: Wyshea Shadows by Geoffrey Saign (Kiraku Press, Saint Paul, MN)

Sail into Treachery by Gary R. Bush (Forty Press, Anoka, MN)

The Beechwood Flute by Pendred Noyce (Calumet Editions, Minneapolis, MN)

I'm a Girl . . . That's Why by Reneé Rongen (Kittleson Creek Press, Fertile, MN)

Cookbooks/Crafts/Hobbies

Secrets of the Pie Place Café: Recipes and Stories through the Seasons by Kathy Rice (Lake Superior Port Cities, Duluth, MN)

Thrill Me: Essays on Fiction by Benjamin Percy (Graywolf Press, Minneapolis, MN)

Education/Learning

Creative Block Play: A Comprehensive Guide to Learning through Building by Rosanne Regan Hansel (Redleaf Press, Saint Paul, MN)

Discovering the Culture of Childhood by Emily Plank (Redleaf Press, Saint Paul, MN)

Family/Parenting

Out to Sea: A Parents' Survival Guide to the Freshman Voyage by Kelly Radi (Beaver's Pond Press, Edina, MN)

Fiction – Fantasy/SciFi/Horror/Paranormal

Daughter of Destiny by Nicole Evelina (Lawson Gartner Publishing, Maryland Heights, MO

The Devereaux Deity by Steve McEllistrem (Calumet Editions, Minneapolis, MN)

Fiction – Literary/Contemporary/Historical

Horsefever by Lee Hope (New Rivers Press, Moorhead, MN)

Into the Sun by Deni Ellis Béchard (Milkweed Editions, Minneapolis, MN)

Fiction – Mystery/Thriller

Behind Every Door by Cynthia A. Graham (Blank Slate Press, Saint Louis, MO)

Black Otter Bay by Vincent Wyckoff (North Star Press, Saint Cloud, MN)

Wolf's Mouth by John Smolens (Michigan State University Press, East Lansing, MI)

Fiction – Romance

When They Come Calling by Sarah Fleming Mountford (Atthis Arts, Centerville, OH)

Fiction – Short Story/Anthology

American Fiction Vol. 15, edited by Bruce Pratt (New Rivers Press, Moorhead, MN)

It Turns Out Like This by Stephen Coyne (New Rivers Press, Moorhead, MN)

Know the Mother by Desiree Cooper (Wayne State University Press, Detroit, MI)

8 Steps to Getting Real with Cancer by Marianne C. McDonough (Sapphire River Publishing, Eden Prairie, MN)

Surviving Brain Injury: Stories of Strength and Inspiration, compiled by Amy Zellmer (Amy Zellmer, Saint Paul, MN)

The Art of Healing from Sexual Trauma: Tending Body and Soul through Creativity, Nature, and Intuition by Naomi Ardea (Wise Ink Creative Publishing, Minneapolis, MN)

History

Hidden Thunder: Rock Art of the Upper Midwest by Geri Schrab and Robert F. Boszhardt (Wisconsin Historical Society Press, Madison, WI)

World of the Teton Sioux Indians: Their Music, Life and Culture by Frances Densmore (World Wisdom, Bloomington, IN)

Humor

Firewood Happens: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness in Minnesota's Northwoods by Mike Lein (Jackpine Writers' Bloc, Menahga, MN)

Inspiration

A Peace of My Mind: American Stories by John Noltner (John Noltner, Saint Paul, MN)

Venerable Women: Transform Ourselves, Transform the World by Dawn Morningstar (Venerable Women, Saint Paul, MN)

Nature

North Dakota's Geologic Legacy: Our Land and How It Formed by John P. Bluemle (North Dakota State University Press, Fargo, ND)

The Essence of Place: The Story of the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center by John Duren and Douglas Wood (Jay C. Nature Center, Austin, MN)

The Last Wild Places of Kansas: Journeys into Hidden Landscapes by George Frazier (University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, KS)

Between Us by Margaret Hasse (Nodin Press, Minneapolis, MN)

Midnight River by Laura L. Hansen (National Federation of State Poetry Societies Press)

Winterkill by Todd Davis (Michigan State University Press, East Lansing, MI)

Recreation/Sports/Travel

Great Lakes Island Escapes: Ferries and Bridges to Adventure by Maureen Dunphy (Wayne State University Press, Detroit, MI)

Here I Walk: A Thousand Miles on Foot to Rome with Martin Luther by Andrew L. Wilson (Brazos Press, Grand Rapids, MI)

Social Science/Political Science/Culture

Garbage Bag Suitcase: A Memoir by Shenandoah Chefalo (Mission Point Press, Traverse City, MI)

Manifold Nature by John Burroughs and the North American Review (North American Review Press, Cedar Fall, IA)

Sacred Spaces: My Journey to the Heart of Military Marriage by Corie Weathers (Elva Resa Publishing, Saint Paul, MN)

Amir's Big Catch by Sheila Jones and Charis Haines, illustrated by Kevin Cannon (Beaver's Pond Press, Edina, MN)

Real Mountains: A Memoir by Dan Seftick, designed by Dan Pitts (Beaver's Pond Press, Edina, MN)

The Christmas Horse and the Three Wise Men, written and illustrated by Isabelle Brent (Wisdom Tales, Bloomington, IN)

Illustration – Graphic

A Beaver Tale: The Castors of Conners Creek, written and illustrated by Gerald Wykes (Wayne State University Press, Detroit, MI)

Wakanda Whooper: The Curious Cinnamon Crane by Sandia Kosmo, illustrated by Lisa Kosmo (Beaver's Pond Press, Edina, MN)

Interior Design

Chicago Monumental by Larry Broutman, design by Carol Haralson (Broutman Photography, Chicago, IL)

Feathers for Peacock by Jacqueline Jules, illustrated by Helen Cann (Wisdom Tales, Bloomington, IN)

Little Lek Longtail Learns to Sleep by Bette Killion, illustrated by Beatriz Vidal (Wisdom Tales, Bloomington, IN)

The Christmas Horse and the Three Wise Men, written and illustrated by Isabelle Brent (Wisdom Tales, Bloomington, IN)

Total Book Design

Foreverafter: An Odd Adventure by K.J. Quint (Atthis Arts, Centerville, OH)

Hidden Thunder: Rock Art of the Upper Midwest by Geri Schrab and Robert F. Boszhardt (Wisconsin Historical Society Press, Madison, WI)