Since 1985, the Ottawa Book Awards have been shining a spotlight on the very best books published in English and French. With categories in both fiction and non-fiction, the awards celebrate the voices that make our literary community so vibrant. Finalists each receive $1,000, while winners take home $7,500.
More than just prizes, the Ottawa Book Awards are a celebration of creativity and storytelling. They honour local authors—past and present—whose words have not only shaped our community but also earned recognition on the international stage.
This year’s jury has chosen works that dive deep into the richness of human experience, bringing powerful, moving, and unforgettable stories to light. As autumn settles in, it’s the perfect time to curl up with these books and lose yourself in a world of emotions, ideas, and imagination.
2025 Ottawa Book Awards finalists:
English Fiction
- Manahil Bandukwala, Heliotropia (Brick Books)
- Nina Berkhout, The Bright Dust (Goose Lane Editions)
- Paul Carlucci, The Voyageur (Swift Press)
- rob mclennan, On Beauty (University of Alberta Press)
- Chuqiao Yang, The Last to the Party (Goose Lane Editions)
English Non-fiction
- Denise Chong, Out of Darkness: Rumana Monzur's journey through betrayal, tyranny and abuse (Penguin Random House Canada)
- Tim Cook, The Good Allies: How Canada and the United States Fought Together to Defeat Fascism during the Second World War (Penguin Random House Canada)
- Katherine Leyton, Motherlike (Second Story Press)
- Misty Pratt, All In Her Head: How Gender Bias Harms Women's Mental Health (Greystone Books)
- Ian Smillie, Under Development: A journey without maps (Practical Action Publishing)
Prix du livre d’Ottawa
- Margaret Michèle Cook, La lumière de minuit (Éditions Malaïka)
- Emmanuelle Erny, Charlotte au pays des mots (Les Éditions L’Interligne)
- Monia Mazigh, Histoires de racines (Les Éditions David)
- Claire Ménard-Roussy, Un lourd prix à payer (Les Éditions David)
Join us on Saturday, November 15, at 7 p.m. at Meridian Theatres (Centrepointe) to honour the 2025 Ottawa Book Awards winners! In the meantime, explore the list below and enjoy these titles.
The finalists for the 2025 Ottawa Book Awards have been announced. This year’s compelling and diverse literary works will explore the human condition and how it is shaped by life’s events – from familial ties and historical narratives to exploring one’s identity and societal changes. These annual awards recognize the finest English and French books released in the previous year, authored by 14 local writers, who exemplify Ottawa’s rich literary talent. Les finalistes ont été dévoilés pour les Prix du livre d’Ottawa 2025. Cette année, leur travail présente un éventail diversifié et captivant d’histoires sur les expériences humaines et comment celles-ci sont façonnées par les événements de la vie; des liens familiaux et des récits historiques à l’exploration de son identité, en passant par les changements sociétaux. Ces prix annuels récompensent les meilleurs livres publiés au cours de la dernière année, en français et en anglais, par 14 auteurs locaux qui incarnent la richesse du talent littéraire à Ottawa.
