“WA Do I Read Next?” at #WLA2024 in Spokane!

“WA Do I Read Next?” at #WLA2024 in Spokane!

At the recent Washington Library Association conference in Spokane, we co-coordinated, along with The Seattle Public Library, our annual “WA Do I Read Next?” panel featuring library folks and authors (and sometimes both) talking about recent books by Washington authors that they have read and loved. This year’s panel included THREE incredible Washington State Book Award winning authors: Jess Walter,…

Meet our 2024 WSBA Judges!

Meet our 2024 WSBA Judges!

Meet our 2024 Washington State Book Award (WSBA) Judges! We are thrilled to introduce our wonderful panel of 2024 Washington State Book award judges who are currently deep into reading and reviewing hundreds of books (published in 2023) from authors across the state. Our judging panels are made up of academic, public, school, and Tribal librarians, booksellers, and authors. We…

2023 Washington State Book Award Winners Announced!

2023 Washington State Book Award Winners Announced!

The Washington Center for the Book (an affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book administered by Washington State Library) has selected winners in seven categories for the 2023 Washington State Book Awards (WSBA) for outstanding books published by Washington authors in 2022. This is the 57th year of the program, formerly called the Governor’s Writers Awards. 2023…

2023 Washington State Book Award Finalists Announced!

2023 Washington State Book Award Finalists Announced!

The Washington Center for the Book (an affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book administered by Washington State Library) has selected 30 finalists in seven categories for the 2023 Washington State Book Awards (WSBA) for outstanding books published by Washington authors in 2022. This is the 57th year of the program, formerly called the Governor’s Writers Awards.…

“Maurice” and “We Hereby Refuse” to represent Washington at the 2023 National Book Festival!

“Maurice” and “We Hereby Refuse” to represent Washington at the 2023 National Book Festival!

The Washington Center for Book has selected one youth book and one adult book by Washington authors to represent the state at the 2023 National Book Festival: Maurice by Jessixa Bagley (Chronicle Books) and We Hereby Refuse: Japanese American Resistance to Wartime Incarceration by Frank Abe, Tamiko Nimura, Ross Ishikawa, and Matt Sasaki (Wing Luke Museum/Chin Music Press). Find out more…

2023 Summer Book Bingo – for adults! #BookBingoNW2023

2023 Summer Book Bingo – for adults! #BookBingoNW2023

Washington State Adult Summer Reading Book Bingo 2023 is here!     Libraries and bookstores of Washington, please feel free to download, print, and distribute these Book Bingo forms to your community members! We’ve seen some libraries in Washington do a drawing for prizes at the end of the summer; we’ve also heard from readers who are excited to bring…

8th Annual Washington State Zine Contest Winners Announced!

8th Annual Washington State Zine Contest Winners Announced!

Winners and Honorable Mentions of the 8th Annual Washington State Zine Contest have been announced! Pre-4th Grade Nobody Knows Me Better Than I Know Myself by Ofelia Thompson Gilbert Grades 4-6 Washington Haiku by Spencer B. Ward Grades 7-9 Lead Head by Gina Tran Grades 10-12 The Letter by Iris Iverson Adults Wednesdays by Stephanie Smith Honorable Mentions: Pre 4th…

Congratulations to Arianne True, 2023-2025 Washington State Poet Laureate!

Congratulations to Arianne True, 2023-2025 Washington State Poet Laureate!

Congratulations to Arianne True 2023-2025 Washington State Poet Laureate! In conjunction with National Poetry Month, Governor Jay Inslee has appointed poet Arianne True as the next Washington State Poet Laureate. A member of the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations, True has dedicated years to teaching and mentoring young poets around the Salish Sea. Arianne has received fellowships from Jack Straw Cultural…

Meet our 2023 WSBA Judges!

Meet our 2023 WSBA Judges!

Meet our 2023 Washington State Book Award (WSBA) Judges! We are thrilled to introduce our wonderful panel of 2023 Washington State Book award judges who are currently deep into reading and reviewing hundreds of books (published in 2022) from authors across the state. Our judging panels are made up of academic, public, school, and Tribal librarians, booksellers, and authors. We…