State Library of Kansas announces 21st class of Kansas-authored
or Kansas-related Notable Books
The State Library of Kansas is happy to announce the 2026 Kansas Notable Books selections. This year’s Notable Books include stories for readers of a variety of interests including wild west action, true crime, fantasy rom-com, poetry, and culture among people of the past, present and future.
“As always, the variety of Kansas Notable Books does not disappoint,” said Valarie Lamoreaux, deputy state of Kansas librarian and Kansas Center for the Book affiliate director. “In 2026, we find historical Kansans with more to tell us, authors who encourage readers to see Kansas’ beauty in its waterways and birding hotspots, and writers who draw readers into unique moments in history. Stories of fortitude, belonging, family, small towns, and romance beyond reality are well represented, as well as authors and illustrators who nurture joy in reading, and writers whose poetic humor and insights confirm Kansas —itself — as a notable state.”
Each year, the Kansas Notable Books committee recommends 25 books written by Kansans or about Kansas to the State Librarian. The State Librarian selects 15 of these books as Notable Books, a celebration of the sunflower state’s rich culture and storytelling. This year’s Notable Book selection committee included representatives of public, university and school libraries, scholars and writers from across Kansas.
Kansas Notable Books authors will be recognized and awarded medals during the Kansas Book Festival at Washburn University, Saturday, September 26, 2026.
Kansas Notable Books is a project of the Kansas Center for the Book, a program at the State Library of Kansas which is the state affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. The mission of the Kansas Center for the Book is to highlight the state’s literary heritage and foster an interest in books, reading, and libraries.
2026 Kansas Notable Books
The Aviator and the Showman, by Laurie Gwen Shapiro
Black Moses, by Caleb Gayle
Brain Train: An Off-the-Rails Journey from A to Zzz, by Charlie Mylie, author and illustrator
The Guide to Kansas Birds and Birding Hotspots, by Pete Janzen and Bob Gress
I Make Jokes When I’m Devastated, by Luisa Muradyan
Kansas Matters: Twenty-First Century Writers on the Sunflower State, edited by Thomas Fox Averill and Leslie VonHolten
Lady or the Tiger, by Heather M. Herrman
The Light of Battle: Eisenhower, D-Day, and the Birth of the American Superpower, by Michel Paradis
Lightning Bug Jamboree, by Stephanie Brinkley, illustrated by Victoria Mikki
The Magic of Light, by Jordan Abitz
Mask of the Deer Woman, by Laurie L. Dove
Riverine Dreams: Away to the Glorious and Forgotten Grassland Rivers of America, by George Frazier
A Town with Half the Lights On, by Page Getz
The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam, by Megan Bannen
Whack Job: A History of Axe Murder, by Rachel McCarthy James
Visit library.ks.gov/KSNotableBooks for more information. If you have questions about Kansas Notable Books, contact the State Library of Kansas at 785-296-3154 or email [email protected].
The State Library of Kansas supports the informational needs of government entities and the public and serves as a repository for government publications. The State Library plays a crucial role in strengthening public libraries through grant programs and the coordination of statewide resource-sharing initiatives. The State Library of Kansas includes talking books, which provides specialized materials and support services to qualifying Kansans. Learn more at library.ks.gov. |
