Three Oregon authors win awards for their books

(JANUARY 25, 2021) The 2021 Pacific Northwest Book Awards were announced. 400 books were nominated by bookstores in five states. There were six winners. Three of the winners were from Oregon:

• Kim Johnson (Eugene) This Is My America

Every week, seventeen-year-old Tracy writes letters to help her father, who is an innocent Black man on death row. But Tracy is running out of time. Her dad has only 267 days left. Then the police arrive in the night for her older brother Jamal. He is accused of killing a white girl. Tracy investigates what really happened. But will Tracy and her family survive the truth of their Texas town's racist history?

• Tina Ontiveros (Hood River) Rough House

This story of poverty is a very real look at growing up in small logging communities of the Pacific Northwest. Ontiveros tells stories of her father Loyd. He was a charming, ill-tempered man who battled addiction. Readers will have strong feelings for this family and fall deeply into this story.

• Aiden Thomas (Portland) Cemetery Boys

Seeking acknowledgement from his family, sixteen-year-old Yadriel, a gay, transgender brujo, performs a ritual that will not only prove who he is but will uncover his cousin’s killer. Only, things do not go as planned. He instead meets the spirit of resident "bad boy" Julian. This story has a rich, multicultural narrative full of intrigue and adventure. The story is alive with the joy of community, identity, friendship, and love.