Fiction

Father of the Rain by Lily King (Grove Atlantic). Lily King's third and most ambitious novel to date is a sharply insightful family drama set in an upper-middle-class East Coast suburb where she traces a complex volatile father-daughter relationship from the 1970's to the present day. She lives in Portland, Maine.
 

Non-fiction

Let's Take the Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell (Random House). Gail Caldwell's memoir about the transition from being a fiercely private person to learning to share her life with an exuberant puppy and new best friend, writer Caroline Knapp. They develop a deeply profound friendship and grow increasingly inseparable until Caroline is suddenly diagnosed with lung cancer. Gail Caldwell was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 2001 and resides in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
 

Children's

City Dog, Country Frog written by Mo Willems and illustrated by Jon J Muth (Hyperion). A word and picture perfect first-time collaboration between best-selling children's writer/illustrators, Mo Willems and Jon J Muth. This is a warm and understated story of an unlikely friendship between two seemingly incompatible animals that is fresh, timeless and surely to become a classic. Mo Willems lives in Western Massachusetts. Jon J Muth lives in upstate New York.

The New England Book Awards will be presented at the Annual Fall Conference and Trade Show. Winners will receive $250 for literacy to a charity of their choice.

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For 20 years NEIBA has recognized New England authors’ “body of work” with the New England Book Awards.

Beginning in 2010 NEIBA changed the focus to specific titles, in Fiction, Non-Fiction and Children’s. The titles must be either about New England, set in New England or by an author residing in New England. It can be a hardcover, a paperback original or reissue that was published between September 1 and August 31.

Anyone can nominate as many titles as they would like. The NEIBA Board will pick five finalists in each category. NEIBA bookstore membership will vote to choose the three award winners.