October 12, 2026
We Learn Through Stories
Southern independent booksellers have selected eighteen finalists — six per category — for the 2026 Southern Book Prize. Now it’s time to vote for the winners.
2026 Southern Book Prize Finalists: Fiction
Brawler
“These stories operate with an incredible economy of words…”
Morgan, Auburn Oil Co. Booksellers, Auburn, AL
The Calamity Club
“You’ll be immersed in the plot of this both humorous and heartbreaking novel…”
Kandi, WordsWorth Books, Little Rock, AR
Kin
“Jones’s beautiful prose transported me into the world of Annie and Niecey…”
Tyler, Wild Aster, Chamblee, GA
Last First Kiss
“Watching Jordan grow and figure himself out felt so personal, and I loved his relationships with others…”
Ellie, A Novel Romance, Louisville, KY
Where the Wildflowers Grow
“My heart breaks for Leigh…but at the same time it was on fire to read her story and watch her bloom.”
Morgan, The Book Worm, Powder Springs, GA
Yesteryear
“Absolutely riveting. Spiked my cortisol levels EXPONENTIALLY.”
Shelby, Cavalier House Books, Denham Springs, LA
Bookseller Buzz
Bad Words
“Poses so many interesting questions about the book industry and what readers want from it, what writers want too.”
— Christina, The Snail on the Wall, Huntsville, AL
“Beautifully written and gut-wrenchingly messy, with so much to say about the art of criticism…”
— Bronte, The Bookshop, Nashville, TN
“I am so completely floored by this book.”
— Writers Block Bookstore, Columbus, GA
“A startling, propulsive look at why we create, why we critique, and the deeply tenuous landscape of publishing…”
— Taylor, Baldwin & Co., New Orleans, LA
Read This Now: Fresh Reads from Southern Indies
Dog Days of Planet Earth
“Theresa Shea writes quite the stirring tale, along with establishing her beliefs about environmental hazards…”
Nancy, Bookmiser, Marietta, GA
The Rally
“The Rally has it all — travel, food, fashion, cancel culture, champagne — all the requirements of a really fun read.”
Jamie Anderson, Duck’s Cottage Coffee & Books, Duck, NC
Mobu’s Diary
“I want to live in Kathy Lam’s world, with her charming art style and expressive animal characters…”
Kate, Fountain Bookstore, Richmond, VA
Children’s Section
Fancy Dogs
“For the dog lovers in your life, no matter the age. The pictures are cute, and the rhymes are silly.”
Erika, Righton Books, St. Simons Island, GA
Decide for Yourself
Decide for Yourself: Song of Solomon
“A touching look at Black life between the 1930s and the 1960s. This book is Morrison’s take on Homer’s Odyssey…”
Southern Bestsellers
Hardcover Fiction
- Whistler — Ann Patchett
- Yesteryear — Caro Claire Burke
- The Calamity Club — Kathryn Stockett
- The Correspondent — Virginia Evans
- The Things We Never Say — Elizabeth Strout
Hardcover Nonfiction
- The Land and Its People: Essays — David Sedaris
- Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump — Maggie Haberman & Jonathan Swan
- Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage — Belle Burden
- Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About — Isabel Klee
- The Nerd Reich — Gil Durán
Children’s Illustrated
- Little Blue Truck Lost and Found — Alice Schertle
- Goodnight Moon — Margaret Wise Brown
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar — Eric Carle
- This Book Is Seriously Silly! — Ben Clanton
- Owl by Myself — Pete Oswald