WLA Book Awards Home | The Towner Award | 2025 Nominees

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How to Nominate Titles for 2025-2026 Towner Award List                                                                                      

Small image of gold medal that says "The Towner Award" with an engraving of Bill Towner

Towner Award Selection Process
  • Books should be nonfiction picture books that are of interest to students in grades two through six
  • Books need to be published in the year two years before the date of the award (for example, books considered for the 2026 award needed to be published in 2024)
  • Books should be informational in nature; books consisting of folktales, jokes, riddles, & etc. will not be considered
  • Books of poetry or song lyrics will be considered only if the verse serves to convey informational content.
  • Submit 2027 ballot nominations by Friday, January 23, 2026 here!
In addition:
  • We will accept books from authors of any nationality
  • In the case of books first published in another country, eligibility will be determined by the US Publication date
  • We will not consider books that are out of print
  • We will not consider price when choosing books
  • Being part of a series will not disqualify a book from consideration
  • Books with invented dialogue or other fictionalized elements will be considered on a case-by-case basis
  • We will accept nominations from all sources and especially celebrate those coming from students
  • We are looking at books to represent all five kinds of nonfiction.
  • Books with a Washington state or Pacific Northwest focus are especially wanted for consideration