The Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards, or the NEMBA Awards, are awards presented annually for books that "substantially represent northeastern

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the List of U.S. states and territories by population, 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minne ...

in the areas of history, culture, heritage, or lifestyle." The awards, originally established in 1988, are organized by the

University of Minnesota, Duluth The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) is a public university in Duluth, Minnesota. It is part of the University of Minnesota system and offers 16 bachelor's degrees in 88 majors, graduate programs in 25 different fields, and a two-year pr ...

Library, with assistance from the Friends of the

Duluth , settlement_type = City , nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior), Zenith City , motto = , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top: urban Duluth skyline; Minnesota ...

Public Library and Lake Superior Writers. To be eligible for an award, books must be about the region (defined as a nine-county area) but need not be written by local authors. Prizes are currently awarded in six categories: General Nonfiction, Fiction, Art & Photography, Children's Literature, Poetry, and Memoir and Creative Nonfiction.

Winners

* 1988 - Quiet Magic by Sam Cook * 1989 -

The Winter Room ''The Winter Room'' is a Newbery Honor-winning short novel by Gary Paulsen. It is a realistic fiction story about logging and farming, narrated in the first person to two boys by their Norwegian uncle in the "winter room" of a farm in norther ...

Gary Paulsen Gary James Paulsen (May 17, 1939 – October 13, 2021) was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 maga ...

* 1990 - Gunflint: Reflections on the Trail by Justine Kerfoot * 1991 - North Writers: A Strong Woods Collection edited by John Henricksson * 1992 - The Grand Portage Story by

Carolyn Gilman Carolyn M. Gilman (born July 17, 1939) is an American politician from Maine. Gilman, a Republican, served in the Maine State Senate from 2002 to 2004, representing her residence in Westbrook, Maine and nearby areas of Cumberland County. She was ...

* 1993 - Walking the Rez Road by Jim Northrup * 1994 - The Illustrated Voyageur by Howard Sivertson * 1995 - The Duluth Portfolio by Craig and Nadine Blacklock * 1996 - Silent Words by Joan M. Drury * 1997 - Just Above Water by Louis Jenkins * 1998 - Cold Comfort by

Barton Sutter Barton Sutter is a Duluth, Minnesota-based writer of poetry and prose. His work reflects his love of the north country. Early life Barton Sutter is a Lutheran preacher's son and was raised in a large rural family. He received a B.A. in language ...

* 1999 - 50 Circuit Hikes by

Howard Fenton Howard Fenton (born 6 February 1952) is a Jamaican former cyclist. He competed in four events at the 1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1972 (g ...

* 2000 - John Blair and the Great Hinckley Fire by Josephine Nobisso * 2001 – Schooners, Skiffs & Steamships: Stories along Lake Superior Water Trails by Howard Sivertson * 2002 **Fiction, Poetry, Drama: Borealis by Jeff Humphries with woodcut prints by Betsy Bowen **Nonfiction, Art, Scholarship: The Art of the Canoe with Joe Seliga by Jerry Stelmok with photography by Deborah Sussex * 2003 **Fiction, Poetry, Drama: Uncommon Light: A Collection of Poems by Jeanine Lamoureux Emmons, Gladys Koski Holmes, Kathleen McQuillan, Stephanie Stevens, and Sheila Packa **Nonfiction, Art, Scholarship: V Is for Viking: A Minnesota Alphabet by Kathy-jo Wargin, illustrated by Karen Latham and Rebecca Latham * 2004 **Fiction, Poetry, Drama: Ojibwe Tales: Stories of the Ojibwe People by Art Przybilla with the aid of the late Randy Councillor **Nonfiction, Art, Scholarship: Minnesota's Iron Country: Rich Ore, Rich Lives by Marvin Lamppa * 2005 **Fiction, Poetry, Drama: Zoe's Good-bye written and illustrated by Mary Schlangen **Nonfiction, Art, Scholarship: Salmela: Architect by Thomas Fisher, with photographs by Peter Bastianelli-Kerze * 2006 **Fiction, Poetry, Drama: The North Shore written by Gunnard Landers **Nonfiction, Memoir: Waking: A Memoir of Trauma and Transcendence written by Matthew Sanford **Children's Literature: Fearless John: The Legend of John Beargrease written by Kelly Emerling Rauzi and illustrated by Mila Horak * 2007 **Fiction, Poetry, Drama: Thunder Bay: A Cork O'Connor Mystery written by

William Kent Krueger William Kent Krueger is an American novelist and crime writer, best known for his series of novels featuring Cork O'Connor, which are set mainly in Minnesota. In 2005 and 2006, he won back-to-back Anthony Awards for best novel. In 2014, his sta ...

**Nonfiction, Memoir: Morgan Park: Duluth, U.S. Steel, and the Forging of a Company Town written by Arnold R. Alanen **Children's Literature: Agate: What Good is a Moose? written by Joy Morgan Dey and illustrated by

Nikki Johnson Nikki Johnson (born 26 June 1975) is a Canadian former basketball player who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 (Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), ...

**Art, Photography : Celebrating Birch: The Lore, Art, and Craft of an Ancient Tree written by North House Folk School * 2008 **Fiction: A Finntown of the Soul written by Patricia Eilola **Poetry: Trail Guide to the Northland Experience in Prints and Poetry by Northern Printmakers Alliance and Lake Superior Writers **General Nonfiction: Hard Work and a Good Deal: The Civilian Conservation Corps in Minnesota written by Barbara W. Sommer **Children's Literature: Someone Walks By: The Wonders of Winter Wildlife written by Polly Carlson-Voiles **Art, Photography: Driftwood: Stories Picked Up along the Shore written by Howard Sivertson **Memoir and Creative Nonfiction: Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range written by Aaron Brown Library Call # PS3602.R652 O94 2008 * 2009 **Fiction: Minnesota Coldwritten by Cynthia Kraack **Poetry: The Dark Honey: New & Used Poems by Ellie Schoenfeld **General Nonfiction: Minong - The Good Place: Ojibwe and Isle Royale written by Timothy Cochrane **Children's Literature: WIntering written by

William Durbin William Paul Durbin Jr. (born Feb. 17, 1951) is a martial artist and Baptist minister, known for founding , meaning "spiritually positive gentle person system of martial arts", a form of Kempo, in 1982. It is a Gendai Budō martial art in the J ...

**Memoir and Creative Nonfiction: Knife Island written by Stephen Dahl * 2010 **Fiction: Safe from the Sea written by Peter Geye **Poetry: On Speaking Terms by

Connie Wanek Connie Wanek (born June 1, 1952) is an American poet. Life She was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and grew up in Las Cruces, New Mexico. In 1989, she moved with her family to Duluth, Minnesota. She now divides her time between Minnesota and New Mex ...

**General Nonfiction: Paddle North: Canoeing the Boundary Waters-Quetico Wilderness written by Greg Breining, photography by Layne Kennedy **Children's Literature: Minnesota's Hidden Alphabet written by David LaRochelle, photography by Joe Rossi **Memoir and Creative Nonfiction: Brown Sugar Syrup and Jack Pine Sand written by Dennis Herschbach * 2011 **Fiction: Dead Ahead: A Jo Spence Mystery written by Jen Wright **Poetry: Tumbled Dry by Charmaine Donovan **General Nonfiction: Ancient Earth and the First Ancestors: A Cultural and Geological Journey written by Ron Morton and Carl Gawboy, illustrated by Carl Gawboy **Children's Literature: Unforgettable written by Loretta Ellsworth **Art, Photography: Voyageur Skies: Weather and the Wilderness in Minnesota's National Park photography by Don Breneman, weather commentary by Mark Seeley **Memoir and Creative Nonfiction: Shelter written by

Sarah Stonich Sarah Stonich is an American writer and editor based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her novel ''Vacationland'' was published by the University of Minnesota Press in April 2013. Background and career Novelist and screenwriter Sarah Stonich was bo ...

* 2012 **Fiction: The Lighthouse Road written by Peter Geye **Poetry: The First Day of Spring in Northern Minnesota by Jim Johnson **General Nonfiction: Hawk Ridge: Minnesota's Birds of Prey written by Laura Erickson, illustrated by Betsy Bowen **Children's Literature: Summer of the Wolves written by Polly Carlson-Voiles **Art, Photography: Another Year on the Gunflint Trail by Nace Hagemann **Memoir and Creative Nonfiction: My Mother Is Now Earth written by Mark Anthony Rolo * 2013 **Fiction: Tamarack County written by

**Poetry: Bound Together: Like the Grasses by Deborah Cooper, Candace Ginsberg, Ann Floreen Niedringhaus, Ellie Schoenfeld, Anne Simpson **General Nonfiction: The Pie Place Cafe Cookbook: Food & Stories Seasoned by the North Shore written by Kathy Rice **Children's Literature: The Best Part of a Sauna written by Sheryl Peterson, illustrated by Kelly Dupre **Memoir and Creative Nonfiction: Threads of Hope: Caring for Babies Across Three Continents written by Martha Aas, M.D. * 2014 **Fiction:

Sins of Our Fathers ''Sins of Our Fathers'' is the second album by the American musician Andy Prieboy, released in 1995. The album cover graphic is by Josh Agle and is based on ''Hougoumont'' by Robert Gibb. The cover art depicts the repelling of Jerome's noon assau ...

, written by

Shawn Lawrence Otto Shawn Lawrence Otto (born April 21, 1961) is an American novelist, nonfiction author, filmmaker, political strategist, speaker, science advocate, and screenwriter and co-producer of the 2003 film '' House of Sand and Fog''. Biography Otto lives ...

**Poetry: Approaching the Gate, by Lynette Reini-Grandell **General Nonfiction: Twin Ports by Trolley: The Streetcar Era in Duluth-Superior, written by Aaron Isaacs **Children's Literature: Rhoda's Rock Hunt, written by Molly Beth Griffin, illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell **Memoir and Creative Nonfiction: Rooted in Iron and Ice: Innocent Years on the Mesabi, written by Gary W. Barfknecht **Art, Photography: Saved by Beauty: Sister Mary Charles McGough, OSB, written by John Schifsky, Sister Lois Eckes, Peter Spooner, Dustin Lyon and Meridith Schifsky * 2015 **Fiction: Once Were Mountains written by Victoria Richards **Poetry:

Yoik A joik or yoik (anglicised, where the latter spelling in English conforms with the pronunciation; also named , , , or in the Sámi languages) is a traditional form of song in Sámi music performed by the Sámi people of Sapmi in Northern Europ ...

by Jim Johnson **Nonfiction: Taconite Dreams: The Struggle to Sustain Mining on Minnesota's Iron Range, 1915-2000 written by Jeffrey T. Manuel **Children's Literature: Wilder's Ghost written by Diane Bradley **Memoir: Hillsider: Snapshots of a Curious Political Journeywritten by

Don Ness Don Ness (born January 9, 1974) is an American politician who served as the 38th Mayor of Duluth, Minnesota from 2008 to 2016. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Early life and education Ness was born in Duluth to Don ...

**Art, Photography: The Way of Cheng-Khee Chee: Paintings 1974-2014 curated by

Peter Spooner Peter Goodwill Spooner (30 August 1910 in Hepscott, England – 1987) was an English association football, footballer. Career Spooner played for Newbiggin United before joining Ashington A.F.C., Ashington in 1928. He had trials with Newcastle U ...

, The

Tweed Museum of Art The Tweed Museum of Art is a museum on the campus of the University of Minnesota Duluth, in Duluth, Minnesota, United States. The Tweed Museum of Art was established in 1950 when Alice Tweed Tuohy, widow of George P. Tweed, donated their house ...

* 2016 **Fiction: Wintering written by Peter Geye **Poetry: The Sky Watched: Poems of Ojibwe Lives by

Linda LeGarde Grover Linda LeGarde Grover is an Anishinaabe novelist and short story writer. An enrolled member of the Bois Forte Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, she is a professor of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota Duluth, as well as a c ...

**Nonfiction: What Should A Clever Moose Eat? Natural History, Ecology, and the North Woods written by John Pastor **Children's Literature: One North Star: A Counting Book written by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Betsy Bowen and Beckie Prange **Memoir: Homemade: Finnish Rye, Feed Sack Fashion, and Other Simple Ingredients from My Life in Food written by Beatrice Ojakangas **Art, Photography: Glensheen: The Official Guide to Duluth's Historic Congdon Estate by Tony Dierckins, photography by Dennis O'Hara

Other Minnesota literary awards

Since 1988, the Minnesota Fantasy Award has been presented annually to a person or persons with ties to Minnesota in recognition of their contributions to the fields of fantasy, science fiction and horror. Also, since 1988, the Minnesota Book Awards are presented annually for books created by writers, illustrators or book artists who are Minnesotans.

References

External links

Official website
American literary awards Minnesota culture Awards established in 1988 1988 establishments in Minnesota