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2009 Best Books of Indiana

The 2009 Best Books of Indiana consisted of five categories each with a panel of judges in who considered all entries and granted awards at their discretion. The winning title, author, author’s hometown and winning publisher are listed below by category.

Children/Young Adult

WINNERDiamond Willow by Helen Frost. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.  New York, NY

FINALISTS
Double-Click for Trouble by Chris Woodworth. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. New York , NY
Gobble Gobble Crash! A Barnyard Counting Bash by Julie Stiegemeyer. Dutton Children’s Books. New York, NY.

Fiction

WINNERAnathema by Colleen Coble.  Thomas Nelson. Nashville, TN.

FINALISTSBlood on the Rimrock by Phil Dunlap. Avalon Books.  New York, NY.
The Incident by Stephen Lucid. New Century Publishing. Indianapolis, IN.

Poetry

WINNERA Matinee in Plato’s Cave by Rob Griffith. Water Press and Media. Argyle, TX

FINALISTSBloodroot by Norbert Krapf.  Indiana University Press. Bloomington, IN.
The Floating Bridge by David Shumate. University of Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, PA

Nonfiction—Historical/Biographical

WINNERRobert F. Kennedy and the 1968 Indiana Primary by Ray Boomhower. Indiana University Press. Bloomington, IN

FINALISTSThe Eccentric Billionaire: John D. MacArthur – Empire Builder, Reluctant Philanthropist, Relentless Adversary by Nancy Kriplen.  Amacom Books. New York, NY.
Racing in Place: Collages, Fragments, Postcards, Ruins by Michael Martone. The University of Georgia Press. Athens, GA
The Ripest Moments: A Southern Indiana Childhood by Norbert Krapf. Indiana Historical Society Press. Indianapolis, IN

Nonfiction—Creative/Instructional

WINNER
Home Grown Indiana by Christine Barbour & Scott Hutcheson. Indiana University Press. Bloomington, IN

FINALISTS
Brookville
by Craig T. Chappelow & Donald Dunaway. Arcadia Publishing. Mt. Pleasant, SC
Every Way Possible: 125 Years of the Indianapolis Museum of Art by Anne P. Robinson & S.L. Berry. Indianapolis Museum of Art. Indianapolis, IN
Perennials Short and Tall by Moya Andrews. Indiana University Press. Bloomington, IN

Award-winning titles of all former, current and future Best Books finalists will be featured in the State Library's Indiana Authors Room indefinitely. In addition, each category winner will be engraved on a plaque placed in the Indiana Authors Room. Also, three copies of each 2009 contest entry have been added to the State Library's collections. One of the copies will not circulate; the other two copies are available to all Hoosiers at the State Library and via interlibrary loan at their local public library.

Complete List of 2009 Best Books of Indiana Contestants

The Best Books of Indiana Competition had a record-tying 61 entries in 2009. View each entry in their corresponding categories below: