It can be a real challenge to pick your next read. We at Book Outlet completely understand this struggle! That’s why we’ve compiled a list of award-winning books we think would look great on your bookshelves! Some awards or books may not be familiar, but we’re here to show you what’s so special about them. Our list has books from different genres, on different subjects, and are of different lengths so that you can be sure to find the perfect read to add to your TBR.

Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell

Genre: Picture Book – Children’s Fiction

Award: The Caldecott Medal (2018)

List Price: $17.99 USD

Our Price: $8.69 USD

Click here to learn more about this book

Children’s books often tell the tale of characters on a quest to develop kindness or compassion, and Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell is no exception. In this award-winning book, a young girl gets lost on her way home from school and unexpectedly forms a friendship with a wolf. Told through both the author’s words as well as his own illustrations, this book depicts that unique ability that children have to find their own path, forged through bravery and survival. With beautiful scenic, crisp-colored pictures and a fun reading experience (did we mention it’s written entirely in onomatopoeias?!), we think this book deserves its title as the 2018 winner of the Caldecott Medal. Let your imagination run wild as you read this tale of honesty and courage, perfect for children and adults alike!

Marlena by Julie Buntin

Genre: Fiction

Awards: Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize (2017)

List Price: $16.00 USD

Our Price: $3.29 USD

Click here to learn more about this book

Julie Buntin’s debut novel Marlena, which was published in 2017, was both a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize as well as longlisted for “The Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize.” In this electric coming-of-age novel, Buntin exemplifies the highs and lows of teenage life: combining angst, adventure, and boredom in equal measure. This novel is narrated through flashbacks experienced by the main character, Cat, in her 30s beginning with one of the main character’s death! Buntin entices readers through her careful weaving together of all of the familiar complexities of young adulthood, regret, friendship, loyalty, and trauma to create a tapestry all readers will be able to relate to.

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott with Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Prize: The Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year Selection Title (2018)

List Price: $18.99 USD

Our Price: $6.49 USD

Click here to learn more about this book

In an interview with Hannah Lynn from the Pittsburgh City Paper, author Rachael Lippincott explains the unique backstory to her novel. After submitting a chapter to publisher Simon & Shuster, she was chosen to adapt the screenplay of the successful film into a novel. Subsequently, the book was chosen as a “Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year Selection Title,” and is a New York Times #1 bestselling novel. Five Feet Apart follows the lives of two individuals with cystic fibrosis who develop a romantic relationship in spite of the strict limitations of their illness. Lippincott’s book is simultaneously beautiful and heart-wrenching, and brings all the feels while it raises awareness of and represents the struggle of those who suffer from cystic fibrosis. Five Feet Apart is a required read for fans of the YA genre, just make sure to bring the Kleenex!

The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O’Neill

Genre: Fiction

Prize: The Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction (2017)

List Price: $20.99 USD

Our Price: $6.49 USD

Click here to learn more about this book

If you’re a fan of dark fiction, you won’t be disappointed with this offering by Canadian author Heather O’Neill! O’Neill’s 2017 novel The Lonely Hearts Hotel won the “Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction,” but as an author, O’Neill has been short-listed and long-listed for multiple awards, including the “Scotiabank Giller Prize.” Through fantastical twists and visceral prose, O’Neill challenges readers to confront both dark realities and enthralling reveries. Set in the Great Depression-era in Montréal, the novel begins with the origin stories of two main characters — Rose and Pierrot — who go on to grapple with exceptionally difficult experiences while also enchanting extraordinary ideas of circuses and performances. O’Neill’s strange and whimsical world pulls you in and refuses to let go.

I’m Supposed to Protect You from All This by Nadja Spiegelman

Genre: Non-fiction – Memoir

Prize: A Vogue Best Book of the Year (2016)

Book I'm Supposed to Protect You From All This which has a drawing of someone smoking on it.

List Price: $27.00 USD

Our Price: $5.99 USD

Click here to learn more about this book

Nadja Spiegelman’s I’m Supposed to Protect You from All This is a powerful memoir that navigates the complexity of nostalgia, family memory, and storytelling. Published in 2016, the book was awarded “A Vogue Best Book of the Year” and received accolades from multiple authors, notably Sheila Heti. This memoir is a charged portrayal of the fragility of familial bonds and contested memories, as well as the author’s bold exploration of four generations of women. Growing up as the daughter of Art Spiegelman (author of Maus) and Françoise Mouly (art editor for The New Yorker), Nadja Spiegelman’s memoir establishes her own formidable voice and style of writing. We cannot recommend this memoir enough! It’s both compelling and honest and leads the reader to question the always blurry lines between the art of storytelling and the crafting of autobiography.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of award-winning titles! With so many to choose from, we know we’re sure to have missed some great reads. Feel free to share your favorite award-winning books in the comments below; we’d love to hear what you’ve been reading!

Author: Vanessa

*Please note: As stock fluctuates on our website, we are unable to guarantee that all of the award-winning books listed in this article will be available for purchase. Actual covers of books ordered may vary. See Our Product page for more information.

Our Blog

Keep up with the latest book recommendations, reading tips, fun facts & more!

Award-Winning Books You Need to Know About

How to Raise a Reader in 15 Minutes a Day