The 2017 National Book Award Shortlist

The National Book Award shortlist is here and across all of the categories 15 of the 20 nominated authors are women and in the category we really care about here at Someday, all of the finalists were written by women!

Here are the five nominees:

What Girls Are Made Of by Elana K. Arnold

Far From the Tree by Robin Benway

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez

Clayton Byrd Goes Underground by Rita Williams-Garcia

American Street by Ibi Zoboi

We were already planning to cover the Benway and Zoboi. With this announcement I’m excited to move Elana K. Arnold and Erika L. Sanchez’s books on to our review schedule. The description of Clayton Byrd sounds like a middle grade so I’m not sure if it has any young adult crossover appeal, but I’d love to hear from someone who has read it. Personally, I’m surprised and a bit disappointed that Angie Thomas’s brilliant The Hate U Give didn’t make the shortlist, which was my favorite of the ten longlisted novels but this is a great group of books. Of the five finalists, which book are you most excited about? Tell us the in the comments!

Filed under: Books to look for, Year end lists