Celebration of Nebraska Books

A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to attend the Celebration of Nebraska Books put on by the Nebraska Center for the Book. They judge books written by Nebraskans, published in Nebraska, or about Nebraska in categories such as fiction, non-fiction, reference, illustration, cover design, Nebraska as a Place, poetry, chapbook, etc. and choose the best one.

Karen Shoemaker

We got to hear from the 2016 One Book One Nebraska winner, Karen Shoemaker who wrote The Meaning of Names. One Book One Nebraska is a "reading program... [that] encourages Nebraskans across the state to read and discuss one book, chosen from books written by Nebraska authors or that have a Nebraska theme or setting." (onebook.nebraska.gov)

They also announced the 2017 One Book One Nebraska Winner which is Black Elk Speaks by John G. Neihardt. It sounds very interesting and I have added it to my "books to be read" list.

Picture from Amazon.

The 2016 Jane Geske Award was given to City Impact (Lincoln), Literacy Center for the Midlands (Omaha), and Platte Valley Literacy Association (Columbus). "The Jane Geske Award recognizes organizations that make exceptional, long-term contributions to one or more of these literary fields in Nebraska: Literacy, Reading, Bookselling, Books, Libraries, and/or Writing."

Platte Valley Literacy Association

Literacy Center for the Midlands

 The 2016 Mildred Bennett Award was given to Twyla Hansen and Marjorie Saiser for making "significant contributions to the fostering of the literary tradition in Nebraska.

Marjorie Saiser

Twyla Hansen

 The 2016 Nebraska Book Award Winners:

Lin Brummels

Nancy Plain

Anthology:

A Sandhills Reader: Thirty Years of Great Writing from the Great Plains by Mark Sanders

Chapbook

Hard Times by Lin Brummels

Children/Young Adult

This Strange Wilderness: The Live and Art of John James Audubon by Nancy Plain

Cover/Design/Illustration

Rodeo Nebraska by Mark Harris, Design by N. Putens

Illustration Honor

The Fishes of Nebraska Illustrated by Justin T. Sipiorski, Design by Jim L. Friesen

Creative Non-Fiction

Chigozie Obioma

Mark Harris (speaking)
and N. Putens

The Ordinary Spaceman: From Boyhood Dreams to Astronaut by Clayton C. Anderson

Fiction

The Fisherman: A Novel by Chigozie Obioma

Fiction: Short Story Honor

A Man in Trouble: Stories by Lon Otto

Nonfiction: Current Biography

Nebrasketball: Coach Tim Miles and a Big Ten Team on the Rise by Scott Winter

Nonfiction: Historical Biography

A Sister's Memories: The Life and Work of Grace Abbott from the Writings of Her Sister, Edith Abbott by Edith Abbot and John Sorensen

Nonfiction: Nebraska as Place

Summer Miller

Dr. Ann Coin on
behalf of Edith Abbot
and John Sorensen

New Prairie Kitchen: Stories and Seasonal Recipes from Chefs, Farmers, and Artisans of the Great Plains by Summer Miller

James Hewitt

Nonfiction: Reference

The Fishes of Nebraska by Robert A. Hrabik, Stephen C. Schainost, Richard H. Stasiak, and Edward J. Peters

Nonfiction: True Crime

In Cold Storage: Sex and Murder on the Plains by James W. Hewitt

Nonfiction: Wildlife

Authors of The Fishes
of Nebraska

A Chorus of Cranes: The Cranes of North America and the World by Paul A. Johnsgard and Thomas D. Mangelsen

Nonfiction: Wildlife Honor

Charles Peek

Hunting for Food: Guide to Harvesting, Field Dressing, and Cooking Wild Game by Jenny Nguyen and Rick Wheatley

Poetry

Breezes on Their Way to Being Winds by Charles Peek

Poetry Honor

Quiet City by Susan Aizenberg

Paul A. Johnsgard

Most of the winners attended and they all said a little something or read something that they had written.

It was an absolutely fantastic afternoon of being surrounded by authors, illustrators, and book lovers.