2025 Oklahoma Book Awards

On May 16, 2024, a vibrant community of authors, poets, illustrators, designers, publishers, and passionate readers gathered to celebrate Oklahoma’s outstanding literary talent. The Arrell Gibson Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to internationally renowned artist, educator, and illustrator Mike Wimmer.

Awards were given for exceptional works in the categories of fiction, nonfiction, children’s and young adult literature, poetry, and the combined category of design, illustration, and photography. To be eligible, books must be written by an Oklahoman, center on the state, or feature an Oklahoma-related theme.

This memorable evening was made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors: Bob Burke, the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, Adam and Betty Falato, Full Circle Books, and the Oklahoma Department of Libraries.

Design: Echoes of Light: Images into Writing
Designed by Carl Brune
Twin Feathers Ink

Echoes of Light: Images into Writing is a captivating fusion of photography and prose. Featuring 45 black and white images by Sam Joyner, the book travels the globe—from Sicily to Bali—capturing striking scenes of architecture, nature, and people. Writer Steve Gerkin responds to each photo with creative nonfiction, historical nonfiction, flash fiction, poetry, or historical fiction, turning visual moments into literary reflections.

Illustration: Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States
Illustrated by Paul Peart-Smith
Beacon Press

Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz’s groundbreaking An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States is powerfully reimagined through the vivid, full-color artwork of acclaimed illustrator Paul Peart-Smith. Peart-Smith brings this watershed book to life, centering the perspective of the peoples displaced by Europeans and their white descendants to trace Indigenous perseverance over four centuries against policies intended to obliterate them. This edition retains the voice and spirit of the original while broadening its impact to new audiences.

Photography: findings: translations hallazgos: traducciones
Photography by Jeanie Gooden
Peach Can Press

This vibrant composition explores the nature of inspiration. Framed by Carl Brune’s thoughtful design work, Gooden’s paintings interpret their source images, both reflecting what can be seen and adding innovative elements that transform the work. Phrases written in both Spanish and English echo throughout the book. Readers are invited to translate the visuals according to their own unique perspectives. This work is rhythmic and meditative: a masterful collaboration between two talented creators.

The Promise of Unbroken Straw
By Ken Steele
Yorkshire Publishing

In 1944 Oklahoma, 13-year-old Paul watches his family farm teeter on the edge of ruin, until an unexpected windfall changes everything. Sudden wealth brings even greater challenges. Uprooted to Tulsa, Paul and his brother face elite schools, bullies, and a distant father whose expectations weigh heavily. Haunted by guilt, grief, and long-buried secrets, Paul’s journey stretches across decades as he searches for a sense of the father he never truly knew. The Promise of Unbroken Straw is a powerful coming-of-age story about loss, resilience, and an enduring hope.

By The Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land
By Rebecca Nagle
HarperCollins

Before 2020, the U.S. reserved more land for forests than for First Nations. By the Fire We Carry traces the generations-long fight for tribal land and sovereignty in eastern Oklahoma, culminating in the 2020 Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the continued existence of multiple reservations. Focusing on the Muscogee Nation, Nagle recounts forced removal, broken promises, and a death penalty case that challenged Oklahoma’s jurisdiction. Blending contemporary legal action with centuries of Indigenous resistance, this powerful narrative reveals a history of exploitation and a struggle for justice that continues to shape the United States today. By the Fire We Carry stands as a landmark work of American history.

Until Air Itself is Tinted
By Cullen Whisenhunt
Turning Plow Press

In Until Air Itself Is Tinted, Cullen Whisenhunt approaches his poems with a photographer’s keen eye, drawing into sharp focus details that often go overlooked. In this collection, Whisenhunt creates a rich poetic texture, interwoven with cranes and herons, leafy sidewalks and cypress trees. These are poems we can sink our teeth into, the rich imagery set against a vivid backdrop of birdsong and Oklahoma soul.

Mike Wimmer is an internationally acclaimed portrait artist whose work transcends likeness to capture the spirit and story of his subjects. From his studio in Savannah, Wimmer creates timeless tributes that celebrate character, achievement, and legacy. Over a four-decade career, he has collaborated with cultural icons, CEOs, and institutions across the country.

Raised in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Wimmer found early purpose in drawing: a passion that led him to earn a BFA at the University of Oklahoma and an MFA from the University of Hartford. His illustrations have appeared on over 300 book covers, brought award-winning children’s books to life, and characterized iconic brand identities like Celestial Seasonings Tea. Portraiture remains his predominant medium, with works put on display by the Oklahoma State Capitol, the University of Arkansas, and leading corporate curators.

Wimmer is also a dedicated educator and Professor of Illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design. His personal motto—“Learn It. Live It. Teach It.”—reflects his commitment to sharing both skill and passion with the next generation of artists. Grounded by his deep love for family, Wimmer continues to draw inspiration from the lives he depicts. Each portrait he creates is more than a painting; it’s a visual narrative, rich with meaning and crafted to endure for generations.