Category Archives: Books & Reading

October Literary Events

Posted on September 28, 2021 by Kayla Henzel

October is right around the corner! Check out the NCB Calendar to see what literary events are happening near you and across the state of Nebraska.

The time, date, and location of these events are subject to change. Some events, workshops, or conferences may charge a fee or require registration prior to the event.

Please contact us if you have an event that you think should be featured on the NCB Calendar!

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Celebrate Nebraska’s 2021 Book Award Winners

Posted on September 15, 2021 by Kayla Henzel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
September 15, 2021

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Terry
402-471-3434
800-307-2665

Celebrate Nebraska’s 2021 Book Award Winners

Celebrate Nebraska’s 2021 Book Award winners with author readings and an awards presentation ceremony at the Nebraska Center for the Book’s Celebration of Nebraska Books. Held at the Nebraska History Museum on October 23rd, winners of the 2021 Nebraska Book Awards will be honored and the celebration will include readings by some of the winning authors, designers and illustrators of books with a Nebraska connection published in 2020. And the winners are:

Children’s Picture Book: Letters from Space by Clayton Anderson, Illustrated by Susan Batori. Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press

Design: Sy’s Barbershop and Pool Hall: New and Selected Poems and Paintings by Jay D. Gerber. Publisher: Infusionmedia

Illustration: Lily Discovers People are Like Donuts by Rob Otte, Illustrated by Carey Goddard. Publisher: Jelly Donut Publishing

Illustration Honor: The Day We Went to the Park by Linda Stephen and Christine Manno, origami artwork by Linda Stephen. Publisher: Handersen Publishing

Fiction: The Brightest Place in the World by David Philip Mullins. Publisher: University of Nevada Press

Nonfiction Legal History: A Question of Freedom: The Families Who Challenged Slavery from the Nation’s Founding to the Civil War by William G. Thomas III. Publisher: Yale University Press

Nonfiction Memoir: Dancing with the Octopus: A Memoir of a Crime by Debora Harding. Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Nonfiction Memoir Honor: Yards After Contact – Team Jack: Scoring a Touchdown Against Childhood Brain Cancer by Andrew Hoffman, foreword by Rex Burkhead. Publisher: Nico 11 Publishing and Design

Nonfiction Military History: A Mighty Force for Peace: A History of the Former Lincoln Air Force Base by Robert M. Branting. Publisher: Infusionmedia

Nonfiction Nebraska History: Never Caught Twice: Horse Stealing in Western Nebraska, 1850-1890 by Matthew S. Luckett. Publisher: University of Nebraska Press

Nonfiction Nebraska as Place: Cut in Stone, Cast in Bronze: Nebraska’s Historical Markers and Monuments, 1854-1967 by Jeff Barnes. Publisher: The Donning Company Publishers

Nonfiction Solidarity: American Harvest: God, Country, and Farming in the Heartland by Marie Mutsuki Mockett. Publisher: Graywolf Press

Nonfiction Urban History: My Omaha Obsession: Searching for the City by Miss Cassette, foreword by Chris Ware. Publisher: Bison Books

Poetry: Two-Toned Dress Lucy Adkins. Publisher: Blue Light Press

Poetry Honor: Forever War by Kate Gaskin. Publisher: YesYes Books

The Celebration of Nebraska Books, on October 23rd, will also honor winners of the 2021 Jane Geske and Mildred Bennett awards. The Mildred Bennett Award recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to fostering the literary tradition in Nebraska, reminding us of the literary and intellectual heritage that enriches our lives and molds our world. The Jane Geske Award is presented to a Nebraska organization for exceptional contribution to literacy, books, reading, libraries, or literature in Nebraska. It commemorates Geske’s passion for books, and was established in recognition of her contributions to the well-being of the libraries of Nebraska.

The 2021 One Book One Nebraska selection, Prairie Forge: The Extraordinary Story of the Nebraska Scrap Metal Drive of World War II by James J. Kimble (Bison Books, 2014) will be featured in a keynote presentation by the author. The introduction of the 2022 One Book One Nebraska book choice will conclude the festivities.

The Celebration of Nebraska Books is sponsored by Nebraska Center for the Book and the Nebraska Library Commission, with support from History Nebraska’s Nebraska History Museum. Humanities Nebraska provides support for One Book One Nebraska. The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the national Center for the Book in the Library of Congress and the Nebraska Library Commission.

As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”

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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.    

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“Your Bridge to History” by Portia and Preston Love, Jr. to Represent Nebraska at National Book Festival

Posted on September 3, 2021 by Kayla Henzel

A children’s picture book that encourages children to know their history will represent Nebraska at the 2021 National Book Festival. The Nebraska Center for the Book selected Your Bridge to History by Portia Love and Preston Love, Jr. (‎Preston Publishing, 2019) as the state’s selection for the National Book Festival’s Great Reads from Great Places programing. Each state selects one book about the state, or by an author from the state, that is a good read for children or young adults. The book will be featured in the Great Reads from Great Places – History Edition author panel, which will be available September 17th on the websites of both the National Book Festival and Nebraska Center for the Book. The National Book Festival will run Sept. 17-26, with the theme “Open a Book, Open the World.”

This book, written by Portia and Preston Love, Jr. and illustrated by Regina Jeanpierre, takes you along with the Black Votes Matter Tour across the American South. The characters tour sites where individuals and organizations focus on Civil Rights, Voting Rights, and Black History in the United States. Beautiful illustrations depict the pictures the tour participants experienced along the way. QR codes are included to take readers to websites that are important to further learning. Nebraska’s Great Reads from Great Places book is chosen from the previous year’s Nebraska Book Award winners and this book was awarded the 2020 Nebraska Book Award in the Children’s Picture Book category. Entries for the Nebraska Book Awards are accepted every year between March 1st and June 30th – see http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/awards/nebookawards.html.

The National Book Festival will feature virtual and live presentations by award-winning authors, poets, and illustrators. One such featured author is Nebraskan, Roxanne Gay. Gay’s presentation will be available September 17th on the festival’s Video On-Demand page. We encourage all Nebraskans to tune in for both author talks and experience two voices representing our state’s literary heritage. Find out more about the 2021 National Book Festival (including a list of featured authors) at www.loc.gov/events/2021-national-book-festival/about-this-event/.  

The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.  

As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, bringing together people and information.  


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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases .  

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Events in September

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Kayla Henzel

Happy first day of September! Check out the NCB Calendar to see what new opportunities and literary events are happening near you.

The time, date, and location of these events are subject to change. Some events, workshops, or conferences may charge a fee or require registration prior to the event.

Due to the current pandemic, some venues may require you to follow social distancing practices as well as wear a face covering.

Please contact us if you have an event that you think should be featured on the NCB Calendar!

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August Literary Events

Posted on July 29, 2021 by Kayla Henzel

A new month is quickly approaching! That means new opportunities and new literary events happening near you. Check out the NCB calendar to see what events are going on near you and across the state!

The time, date, and location of these events are subject to change. Some events, workshops, or conferences may charge a fee or require prior registration.

Contact us if you have an event that you would like to be posted on the NCB calendar!

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Events in July

Posted on June 28, 2021 by Kayla Henzel

A new month is on its way! Ready for some new literary events? Keep up with the NCB calendar to see what events and opportunities are happening near you!

The time, date, and location of these events are subject to change. Some events, workshops, or conferences may charge a fee or require prior registration.

If you have an event that you would like to be posted on the NCB calendar, feel free to contact us!

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June Literary Events

Posted on May 28, 2021 by Kayla Henzel

June is right around the corner! A new month brings new opportunities and new literary events near you. Take a look at the NCB calendar to see what’s happening across the state this month.

Some events or workshops may require registration prior to attending or charge a fee. The time, date, and location of these events or workshops are subject to change.

Contact us if you have an event that you would like to be shared!

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NCompass Live: The Nebraska Book Awards Competition: Honoring Nebraska Literature

Posted on May 5, 2021 by Kayla Henzel

What are the Nebraska Book Awards? How can I nominate a book? What makes a winner?

The Nebraska Book Awards program, sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, recognizes and honors books that are written by Nebraska authors, published by Nebraska publishers, set in Nebraska, or concerning Nebraska

The recording of this episode of NCompass Live is now available! Learn all about this Nebraska literary competition and hear from some of the judges as they share their experiences participating in the program.

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Young Nebraskans Win Writing Competition

Posted on May 4, 2021 by Kayla Henzel

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 4, 2021

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Tessa Terry
402-471-3434
800-307-2665

Young Nebraskans Win Writing Competition

Nebraska student’s competed for the twenty-second year in the annual Letters About Literature competition. They wrote to tell an author about how books can make a difference in a young person’s life. Young Nebraska writers who wrote winning letters in the Letters About Literature competition will receive award certificates signed by Gov. Pete Ricketts. Letters About Literature is a state-wide reading and writing promotion program. The competition encourages young people to read, be inspired, and write back to the author (living or dead) who had an impact on their lives.

This annual contest is coordinated and sponsored by the Nebraska Center for the Book, Nebraska Library Commission, Houchen Bindery Ltd., Humanities Nebraska, and Chapters Bookstore in Seward.

Young Nebraska writers to be honored are:

Winners
Oslo Gegg, of Lincoln, who wrote to Homer Hickman
Annika Srivastav, of Lincoln, for her letter to Michelle Obama
Anna Dailey, of Omaha, for her letter to Ray Bradbury

Runners-up
Alondra Ramos Figueroa, of Grand Island, who wrote to Alan Gratz
Lina Dvorak, of Lincoln, for her letter to Melissa Bashardoust
Kaydence LaPuzza, of Valley, for her letter to John Green

The students wrote personal letters to authors explaining how his or her work changed their view of themselves or the world. They selected authors from any genre, fiction or nonfiction, contemporary or classic. Winners were chosen from three competition levels: upper elementary, middle, and secondary school.

The Nebraska winners receive cash prizes and gift certificates, and will be honored at a virtual event on May 12th. Their winning letters are placed in the Jane Pope Geske Heritage Room of Nebraska Authors at Bennett Martin Public Library in Lincoln. For more information about the competition see http://centerforthebook.nebraska.gov/programs/LAL.html.

The Nebraska Center for the Book is housed at the Nebraska Library Commission and brings together the state’s readers, writers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, printers, educators, and scholars to build the community of the book, supporting programs to celebrate and stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. The Nebraska Center for the Book is supported by the Nebraska Library Commission.

As the state library agency, the Nebraska Library Commission is an advocate for the library and information needs of all Nebraskans. The mission of the Library Commission is statewide promotion, development, and coordination of library and information services, “bringing together people and information.”

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The most up-to-date news releases from the Nebraska Library Commission are always available on the Library Commission Website, http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/newsreleases.

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Literary Events in May

Posted on April 28, 2021 by Kayla Henzel

The month of May is quickly approaching! That means new and exciting literary events near you.

Check out the NCB calendar on our website to see what events are happening in your area and across the state of Nebraska.

Some events or workshops may require prior registration or charge a fee. The time, date, and location of the events featured on the NCB calendar are subject to change.

Due to COVID-19, some events may be cancelled, postponed, or shifted to an online/virtual formal. In addition, some venues may require you to follow social distancing practices as well as wear a face covering.

Feel free to contact us if you have an event that you would like to be featured on the NCB calendar!

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