Mass Book Awards
The Massachusetts Book Awards recognize significant works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, translated literature, and children’s/young adult literature written, illustrated, or translated by current Commonwealth residents. Submissions open each fall and close at the end of the calendar year.
The 2023 Awards
The 23rd Annual Massachusetts Book Awards were announced on September 6, 2023 and the awards celebration was held at the Massachusetts State House on October 24, 2023. See photos of the event here. Learn more about this year’s honorees at Bookshop.org. Nominations are now being accepted for the next cycle through January 8, 2024.
Fiction Award
The Miraculous True History of Nomi Ali, by Uzma Aslam Khan. (Deep Vellum)
Fiction Honors
Horse, by Geraldine Brooks. (Viking)
Our Missing Hearts, by Celeste Ng. (Penguin Press)
Fiction Must-Reads
Atomic Anna, by Rachel Barenbaum. (Grand Central Publishing)
How to Fall Out Of Love Madly, by Jana Casale. (Dial Press/Penguin Random House)
Pictures of the Shark, by Thomas H. McNeely. (Texas Review Press / Texas A&M University Press)
Shadows of Berlin, by David R. Gillham. (Sourcebooks Landmark)
Thank You, Mr. Nixon, by Gish Jen. (Vintage)
The Beckoning World: A Novel, by Douglas Bauer. (University of Iowa Press)
Tides, by Sara Freeman. (Grove Press/Grove Atlantic)
Tracy Flick Can't Win, by Tom Perrotta. (Scribner)
Vigil Harbor, by Julia Glass. (Pantheon)
Nonfiction Award
How to Raise an Antiracist, by Ibram X. Kendi. (One World)
Nonfiction Honors
By Hands Now Known: Jim Crow’s Legal Executioners, by Margaret A. Burnham. (W.W. Norton and Company)
The Third Person, by Emma Grove. (Drawn & Quarterly)
Nonfiction Must-Reads
Civil Rights Queen: Constance Baker Motley and the Struggle for Equality, by Tomiko Brown-Nagin. (Pantheon Books)
Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution, by Eric Jay Dolin. (Liveright/ Norton)
Six Walks: In the Footsteps of Henry David Thoreau, by Ben Shattuck. (Tin House)
Teaching White Supremacy: America’s Democratic Ordeal and the Forging of Our National Identity, by Donald Yacovone. (Pantheon)
The Imposter's War: The Press, Propaganda and the Newsman who Battled for the Minds of America, by Mark Arsenault. (Pegasus Books)
This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You, by Susan Rogers; Ogi Ogas. (W.W. Norton and Company)
Ways and Means: Lincoln and His Cabinet and the Financing of the Civil War, by Roger Lowenstein. (Penguin Press)
We Refuse to Forget: A True Story of Black Creeks, American Identity, and Power, by Caleb Gayle. (Riverhead Books)
Winslow Homer: American Passage, by William R. Cross. (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Translated Literature Award
An Audible Blue: Selected Poems, by Klaus Merz. Translated by Marc Vincenz. (White Pine Press)
Poetry Award
Hyperphantasia, by Sara Deniz Akant. (Rescue Press)
Poetry Honors
Sleeping in the Dead Girl's Room, by Cynthia Bargar. (Lily Poetry Review Books)
Headstone, by Mark Elber. (Passager Books)
Poetry Must-Reads
American Treasure, by Jill McDonough. (Alice James Books)
Let the World Have You, by Mikko Harvey. (House of Anansi)
On the Mercy Me Planet, by Maya Janson. (Blue Edge Books)
Previously Owned, by Nathan McClain. (Four Way Books)
Star Lake, by Arda Collins. (The Song Cave)
The Queen of Queens, by Jennifer Martelli. (Bordighera Press)
The Study of Human Life, by Joshua Bennett. (Penguin Books)
The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On, by Franny Choi. (Ecco)
We are Mermaids, by Stephanie Burt. (Graywolf Press)
Middle Grade / Young Adult Award
A Scatter of Light, by Malinda Lo. (Dutton Books for Young Readers)
Middle Grade / Young Adult Honors
Hidden Powers, by Jeannine Atkins. (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
Gold Mountain, by Betty G. Yee. (Carolrhoda Lab/Lerner Publishing Group)
Middle Grade / Young Adult Must-Reads
A Dragon Used to Live Here, by Annette LeBlanc Cate. (Candlewick Press)
Cress Watercress, by Gregory Maguire. David Litchfield, illus. (Candlewick Press)
Healer and Witch, by Nancy Werlin. (Candlewick Press)
Myracles in the Void, by Wes Dyson. (WONDERLOVE)
No Filter and Other Lies, by Crystal Maldonado. (Holiday House)
Slip, by Marika McCoola. Aatmaja Pandya, illus. (Algonquin Young Readers)
The Moth Girl, by Heather Kamins. (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers/Penguin Young Readers)
The Polter-Ghost Problem, by Betsy Uhrig. (Margaret K. McElderry Books)
Trouble at Turtle Pond, by Diana Renn. (Fitzroy Books / Regal House)
Picture Book / Early Reader Award
I'll Go and Come Back, by Rajani LaRocca. Sara Palacios, illus. (Candlewick Press)
Picture Book / Early Reader Honors
Sanctuary: Kip Tiernan and Rosie's Place, the Nation's First Shelter for Women, by Christine McDonnell. Victoria Tentler-Krylov, illus. (Candlewick Press)
Sunday Pancakes, by Maya Tatsukawa. Maya Tatsukawa, illus. (Dial Books for Young Readers)
Picture Book / Early Reader Must-Reads
Diving Deep: Using Machines to Explore the Ocean, by Michelle Cusolito. Nicole Wong, illus. (Charlesbridge)
Good Night, Little Bookstore, by Amy Cherrix. E.B. Goodale, illus. (Candlewick Press)
Hope is an Arrow, by Cory McCarthy. Ekua Holmes, illus. (Candlewick Press)
Lulu and Zoey, by Carrie Finison. Bea Jackson, illus. (RP Kids)
My Pet Feet, by Josh Funk. Billy Yong, illus. (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
Show and Tell! Great Graphs and Smart Charts, by Stuart J. Murphy. Teresa Bellón, illus. (Charlesbridge)
Twinkle, Twinkle, Winter Night, by Megan Litwin. Nneka Meyers, illus. (Clarion Books)
Whose Nest Is Best?, by Heidi E. Y. Stemple. Gareth Lucas, illus. (Little Simon)
Wombat Said Come In, by Carmen Agra Deedy. Brian Lies, illus. (Margaret Quinlin Books)
Judges in the 23rd Annual Awards
Karen Ball (Wilbraham Public Library); Jennifer Bruneau (Northborough Free Library); Ellen Elias-Bursac (The American Literary Translators Association); Devon Evans (Brewster Ladies’ Library); Brett French (CWMARS Worcester); Kelly Gates (Somerville Public Library); Jennifer Jones (Mattapoisett Free Public Library); Dory Klein (Boston Public Library); Melissa MacLeod (Carver Public Library); Tegan Mannino (Clapp Memorial Library, Belchertown); Alene Moroni (Forbes Library, Northampton); Sara Rottger (Wilmington Memorial Library); Emily Souza (Rockport Public Library); Melanie Terrill (West Bridgewater Public Library); Jennifer Usovicz (Peabody Institute Library, Peabody); Lexi Wright (High Five Books, Florence); and staff/consultants of Massachusetts Center for the Book.