Kansas Notable Books List - Winners (67 books)

Discover new books on Goodreads

Meet your next favorite book

Listopia > Kansas Notable Books List - Winners

"The Kansas Notable Books List is the annual recognition of 15 outstanding titles by Kansas authors or about Kansas. It is the only honor for Kansas books by Kansans, highlighting our lively contemporary writing community and encouraging readers to enjoy some of the best writing of the authors among us."

Visit the Kansas Center for the Book at the State Library of Kansas to learn more about this distinction.

flag

All Votes Add Books To This List

1	The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty (Goodreads Author) 3.88 avg rating — 65,079 ratings score: 499, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard 3.82 avg rating — 19,883 ratings score: 454, and 5 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Our Boys: A Perfect Season on the Plains with the Smith Center Redmen by Joe Drape (Goodreads Author) 4.14 avg rating — 682 ratings score: 295, and 3 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Wide Open by Larry Bjornson (Goodreads Author) 4.10 avg rating — 284 ratings score: 198, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	The Man from the Train: The Solving of a Century-Old Serial Killer Mystery by Bill James 3.47 avg rating — 10,037 ratings score: 197, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Dodge City: Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and the Wickedest Town in the American West by Tom Clavin 3.83 avg rating — 4,598 ratings score: 192, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Charlatan: America's Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of Flimflam by Pope Brock 3.82 avg rating — 3,406 ratings score: 182, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce (Goodreads Author) 3.61 avg rating — 13,954 ratings score: 177, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	From Emporia; The Story of William Allen White by Beverly Olsen Buller 4.08 avg rating — 25 ratings score: 161, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	The Rest of Her Life by Laura Moriarty (Goodreads Author) 3.43 avg rating — 8,293 ratings score: 159, and 2 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Lisa's Flying Electric Piano by Kevin Rabas 4.50 avg rating — 22 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Music I Once Could Dance To by Roy J. Beckemeyer (Goodreads Author) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 7 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Wolf's Christmas: A Christmas Story of renewed Faith, Hope, and Love by Todd Dayton Fox 4.50 avg rating — 4 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood (Goodreads Author) 3.98 avg rating — 15,709 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	Easy Beauty by Chloé Cooper Jones (Goodreads Author) 4.06 avg rating — 6,624 ratings score: 100, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	A Kansas Year by Mike Blair 4.21 avg rating — 14 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Biting through the Skin: An Indian Kitchen in America's Heartland by Nina Mukerjee Furstenau (Goodreads Author) 3.77 avg rating — 63 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	The Deepest Roots by Miranda Asebedo (Goodreads Author) 3.91 avg rating — 1,317 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Cabby Potts, Duchess of Dirt by Kathleen Wilford (Goodreads Author) 4.83 avg rating — 35 ratings score: 99, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Nothing Right by Antonya Nelson 3.86 avg rating — 461 ratings score: 98, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	One Kansas Farmer: A Kansas Number Book (America by the Numbers) by Devin Scillian 4.12 avg rating — 23 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	Seafire (Seafire, #1) by Natalie C. Parker (Goodreads Author) 3.82 avg rating — 10,902 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	West Like Lightning: The Brief, Legendary Ride of the Pony Express by Jim DeFelice (Goodreads Author) 3.42 avg rating — 676 ratings score: 97, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	StarCrossed (Thief Errant, #1) by Elizabeth C. Bunce (Goodreads Author) 3.80 avg rating — 6,738 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	No Place Like Home: Lessons in Activism from LGBT Kansas by C.J. Janovy 4.23 avg rating — 133 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History by John M. Barry 3.98 avg rating — 43,557 ratings score: 96, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Silver Shoes by Paul Miles Schneider (Goodreads Author) 3.48 avg rating — 56 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The Pastor Wears a Skirt: stories of gender and ministry by Dorothy Nickel Friesen 3.55 avg rating — 16 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Cattle Kingdom: The Hidden History of the Cowboy West by Christopher Knowlton (Goodreads Author) 4.10 avg rating — 1,504 ratings score: 95, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	The Storm in the Barn by Matt Phelan 3.73 avg rating — 3,788 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	The Saint of Wolves and Butchers by Alex Grecian (Goodreads Author) 3.81 avg rating — 2,002 ratings score: 94, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	Under Siege!: Three Children at the Civil War Battle for Vicksburg by Andrea Warren 3.99 avg rating — 89 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	Brown Enough: a tale of a mixed-race baseball team, summer of '56 by Ken Ohm 3.80 avg rating — 10 ratings score: 93, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Years of Dust: The Story of the Dust Bowl by Albert Marrin 3.92 avg rating — 310 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape, and the Making of Winston Churchill by Candice Millard 4.12 avg rating — 18,446 ratings score: 92, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Addie of the Flint Hills: A Prairie Child During the Depression (1915-1935) by Adaline Sorace 4.14 avg rating — 14 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	To Leave a Shadow by Michael D. Graves (Goodreads Author) 3.74 avg rating — 47 ratings score: 91, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	The Blue Shoe: A Tale of Thievery, Villainy, Sorcery, and Shoes by Roderick Townley 3.57 avg rating — 500 ratings score: 90, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
39	The Evolution of Shadows by Jason Quinn Malott 3.85 avg rating — 53 ratings score: 89, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	Ghost Town by Richard W. Jennings 3.04 avg rating — 79 ratings score: 88, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
41	Carter Finally Gets It (Carter Finally Gets It, #1) by Brent Crawford 3.88 avg rating — 3,521 ratings score: 87, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	To the Stars: Kansas Poets of the Ad Astra Poetry Project by Dr Denise Low (Editor) 4.25 avg rating — 8 ratings score: 86, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	Amelia Earhart: The Legend of the Lost Aviator by Shelley Tanaka (Goodreads Author) 3.95 avg rating — 258 ratings score: 85, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	Artfully Done: Food, Flowers & Joy Across Generations by Friends of the Wichita Art Museum (Editor) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating score: 84, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	Burn by Kathleen Johnson it was ok 2.00 avg rating — 1 rating score: 83, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	Kansas Opera Houses, Actors, and Community Events 1855-1925 by Jane Glotfelty Rhoads 4.50 avg rating — 2 ratings score: 81, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	The Guide to Kansas Birds and Birding Hot Spots by Bob Gress 4.44 avg rating — 25 ratings score: 79, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	Making History: Quilts & Fabric from 1890-1970 by Barbara Brackman 4.31 avg rating — 52 ratings score: 78, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	Hometown Appetites: The Story of Clementine Paddleford, the Forgotten Food Writer Who Chronicled How America Ate by Kelly Alexander 3.86 avg rating — 162 ratings score: 77, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	Marco Polo Didn't Go There: Stories and Revelations from One Decade as a Postmodern Travel Writer by Rolf Potts 3.96 avg rating — 638 ratings score: 76, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
51	The Nature of Kansas Lands by Elizabeth Schultz 3.25 avg rating — 12 ratings score: 75, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	A Passion for Nature: The Life of John Muir by Donald Worster 4.09 avg rating — 1,291 ratings score: 74, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
53	Seeding Civil War: Kansas in the National News, 1854-1858 by Craig Miner 3.50 avg rating — 6 ratings score: 73, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
54	Survival of Rural America: Small Victories and Bitter Harvests by Richard Wood 4.25 avg rating — 4 ratings score: 72, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	The Boy Who Was Raised By Librarians by Carla Morris 4.15 avg rating — 2,496 ratings score: 71, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
56	American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch: An Odyssey in theNe w China by Matthew Polly 4.02 avg rating — 3,263 ratings score: 70, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
57	Can I Keep My Jersey?: 11 Teams, 5 Countries, and 4 Years in My Life as a Basketball Vagabond by Paul Shirley (Goodreads Author) 3.82 avg rating — 3,532 ratings score: 69, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	The Curse of Catunkhamun by Tim Raglin 4.42 avg rating — 12 ratings score: 68, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
59	The Farther Shore by Matthew Eck 3.40 avg rating — 232 ratings score: 67, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
60	Hellfire Canyon by Max McCoy (Goodreads Author) 3.83 avg rating — 52 ratings score: 65, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
61	Hunger for the Wild: America's Obsession with the Untamed West by Michael L. Johnson really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 3 ratings score: 64, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
62	The Kitchen Sink: New and Selected Poems, 1972-2007 by Albert Goldbarth 4.26 avg rating — 119 ratings score: 63, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
63	A Matter of Justice: Eisenhower and the Beginning of the Civil Rights Revolution by David A. Nichols 4.14 avg rating — 72 ratings score: 62, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
64	The Middle of Somewhere by J.B. Cheaney 3.47 avg rating — 180 ratings score: 61, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
65	Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Creatures of the Deep by Mike Everhart 4.13 avg rating — 68 ratings score: 59, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
66	Storm Chaser: A Photographer's Journey by Jim Reed 4.05 avg rating — 66 ratings score: 58, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
67	Writing in an Age of Silence by Sara Paretsky (Goodreads Author) 3.92 avg rating — 356 ratings score: 57, and 1 person voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars