The 37th annual Minnesota Book Awards, held at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, marked a historic night for the state’s literary scene.
Among the highlights of the evening was writer Kao Kalia Yang’s unprecedented achievement, as she became the first author in the history of the Minnesota Book Awards to win in three categories. Yang’s remarkable feat spanned Children’s Literature, Middle Grade Literature, and Memoir & Creative Nonfiction, solidifying her status as a trailblazer in the Minnesota literary community.
Award-Winning Books
Children’s Literature: The Rock in My Throat by Kao Kalia Yang, illustrated by Jiemei Lin (Carolrhoda Books/Lerner Publishing Group)
Memoir & Creative Nonfiction: Where Rivers Part: A Story of My Mother’s Life by Kao Kalia Yang (Atria Books/Simon & Schuster)
Middle Grade Literature: The Diamond Explorer by Kao Kalia Yang (Dutton Books for Young Readers/Penguin Random House)
Other notable winners included:
General Nonfiction: The New Science of Social Change: A Modern Handbook for Activists by Lisa Mueller (Beacon Press)
Genre Fiction: Where They Last Saw Her by Marcie Rendon (Bantam/Penguin Random House)
Emilie Buchwald Award for Minnesota Nonfiction: The Minneapolis Reckoning: Race, Violence, and the Politics of Policing in America by Michelle S. Phelps (Princeton University Press)
Novel & Short Story: Obligations to the Wounded by Mubanga Kalimamukwento (University of Pittsburgh Press)
Poetry: Bluff by Danez Smith (Graywolf Press)
Young Adult Literature: Where Wolves Don’t Die by Anton Treuer (Arthur Levine/Levine Querido)
In addition, the prestigious Kay Sexton Award, which honors a lifetime of dedication to fostering books and literary activity in Minnesota, was presented to Ann Regan. Regan, who recently retired after over 40 years at the Minnesota Historical Society Press, was recognized for her significant contributions to the state’s literary landscape.
The Minnesota Book Awards serve as a key platform to celebrate and elevate the work of Minnesota authors, and this year’s ceremony underscored the state’s continued commitment to promoting diverse voices and literary excellence.
