OWL Awards
The OWL Awards
OUTSTANDING WORKS OF LITERATURE
The OWL Awards
OUTSTANDING WORKS OF LITERATURE
Our Outstanding Works of Literature (OWL) Awards spotlight the best books shaping society today. Every year, our book experts explore and assess the thousands of books published each year for titles that change the way organizations do business, educators create and teach curriculum, and communities understand and pursue wellbeing. We’ve done the work so you don’t have to! Come see what books of the year deserve to get noticed.
View our 2022 OWL Award Longlist now!
How it works
SUBMISSIONS OPEN
Publishers will submit nominations of noteworthy titles for the selected categories. Submissions open in August and close end of September.
LONGLIST IS SELECTED
Our team of book experts will carefully review each title submitted based on our criteria. Five books will move on to the next round.
SHORTLIST IS SELECTED
The Longlist is narrowed down to the top three titles that deserve recognition for their unique impact.
WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED
One book per category is awarded the title of Outstanding Work of Literature!
About the awards
Our Outstanding Works of Literature (OWL) Awards spotlight the best books shaping society today. Every year, our book experts explore and assess the thousands of books published each year for titles that change the way organizations do business, educators create and teach curriculum, and communities understand and pursue wellbeing. We’ve done the work so you don’t have to! Come see what books of the year deserve to get noticed.
How it works
SUBMISSIONS OPEN
Publishers will submit nominations of noteworthy titles for the selected categories. Submissions open in August and close end of September.
LONGLIST IS SELECTED
Our team of book experts will carefully review each title submitted based on our criteria. Five books will move on to the next round.
SHORTLIST IS SELECTED
The Longlist is narrowed down to the top three titles that deserve recognition for their unique impact.
WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED
One book per category is awarded the title of Outstanding Work of Literature!
2022 Award categories & criteria
The Outstanding Works of Literature Awards are granted to titles that are, well... outstanding! They are impactful, distinguished, one-of-a-kind, admirable, and/or inspirational. Our 2022 categories were chosen based on topics that best resonate with the companies, schools, and organizations we partner with.
BUSINESS CATEGORIES
Big Idea
Leadership
Management & Culture
Sales & Marketing
Women in Business
EDUCATION CATEGORIES
Picture Books
Elementary
Middle School
First Year Experience (FYE)
Community Read
AWARD CRITERIA
Originality
Engagement
Readability
Clarity
Relevancy
Winners over the years
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2022
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2021
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2020
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2019
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2018
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2017
Big Idea
Leadership
Management & Culture
Sales & Marketing
Women in Business
Business
Category Winners
Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention- And How to Think Deeply Again
by Johann Hari
Trust and Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others
by Stephen M.R. Covey
The Gift of Influence: Creating Life-Changing and Lasting Impact in Your Everyday Interactions
by Tommy Spaulding
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect
by Will Guidara
Secrets of the Sprakkar: Iceland's Extraordinary Women and How They Are Changing the World
by Eliza Reid
Picture Books
Elementary
Middle School
First Year Experience
Community Read
Education
Category Winners
Out of a Jar
by Deborah Marcero
Thirst
by Varsha Bajaj
New From Here
by Kelly Yang
Solito: A Memoir
by Javier Zamora
Just Pursuit: A Black Prosecutor's Fight for Fairness
by Laura Coates
Big Idea
Leadership
Management & Culture
Sales & Marketing
Women in Business
Business
Category Winners
Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking
by Matthew Syed
Bringing Up the Boss: Practical Lessons for New Managers
by Rachel Pacheco
Just Work: How to Root Out Bias, Prejudice, and Bullying to Build a Kick-Ass Culture of Inclusivity
by Kim Scott
Get Different: Marketing that Can't Be Ignored!
by Mike Michalowicz
My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future
by Indra Nooyi
Picture Books
Elementary
Middle School
High School
Advanced Reading
Education
Category Winners
The 1619 Project: Born on the Water
by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Renée Watson, & Nikkolas Smith
Gerladine Pu and Her Lunch Box, Too!
by Maggie P. Chang
Dead Wednesday
by Jerry Spinelli
The Cost of Knowing
by Brittney Morris
We Are Not Like Them
by Christine Pride & Jo Piazza
Health & Wellness
Gift & Special Interest
Religion
Politics & Current Events
Biography & Memoir
Miscellaneous
Category Winners
What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing
by Oprah Winfrey & Bruce D. Perry
Per My Last Email: Witty, Wicked, and Wonderfully Weird Workplace Words and Phrases
by Stephanie K. Wright
Pillars: How Muslim Friends Led Me Closer to Jesus
by Rachel Pieh Jones
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together
by Heather McGhee
Hola Papi: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons
by John Paul Brammer
Business
Category Winners
Big Idea
Rebel Ideas: The Power of Diverse Thinking
by Matthew Syed
Leadership
Bringing Up the Boss: Practical Lessons for New Managers
by Rachel Pacheco
Management & Culture
Just Work: How to Root Out Bias, Prejudice, and Bullying to Build a Kick-Ass Culture of Inclusivity
by Kim Scott
Sales & Marketing
Get Different: Marketing That Can't Be Ignored!
by Mike Michalowicz
Women in Business
My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future
by Indra Nooyi
Education
Category Winners
Picture Books
The 1619 Project: Born on the Water
by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Renée Watson, & Nikkolas Smith
Elementary
Geraldine Pu and Her Lunch Box, Too!
by Maggie P. Chang
Middle School
Dead Wednesday
by Jerry Spinelli
High School
The Cost of Knowing
by Brittney Morris
Advanced Reading
We Are Not Like Them
by Christine Pride & Jo Piazza
Miscellaneous
Category Winners
Health & We
What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing
by Oprah Winfrey & Bruce D. Perry
Gift & Special Interest
Per My Last Email: Witty, Wicked, and Wonderfully Weird Workplace Words and Phrases
by Stephanie K. Wright
Religion
Pillars: How Muslim Friends Led Me Closer to Jesus
by Rachel Pieh Jones
Politics & Current Events
The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together
by Heather McGhee
Biography & Memoir
Hola Papi: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons
by John Paul Brammer
Big Idea
Leadership
Management & Culture
Sales & Marketing
Women in Business
Business
Category Winners
The Future is Faster Than You Think: How Converging Technologies Are Transforming Business, Industries, and Our Lives
by Peter H. Diamandis & Steve Kotler
Leading with Gratitude: Eight Leadership Practices for Extraordinary Business Results
by Adrian Gostick & Chester Elton
The Leader's Guide to Unconscious Bias: How to Reframe Bias, Cultivate Connection, and Create High-Performing Teams
by Pamela Fuller, Mark Murphy, & Anne Chow
The Forever Transaction: How to Build a Subscription Model So Compelling, Your Customers Will Never Want to Leave
by Robbie Kellman Baxter
Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms
by Shellye Archambeau
Picture Books
Elementary
Middle School
High School
Advanced Reading
Education
Category Winners
I Am Every Good Thing
by Derrick Barnes & Gordon C. James
Tune It Out
by Jamie Sumner
When Stars Are Scattered
by Victoria Jamieson & Omar Mohamed
We Are Not Free
by Traci Chee
Transcendent Kingdom
by Yaa Gyasi
Health & Wellness
Gift & Special Interest
Religion
Politics & Current Events
Biography & Memoir
Miscellaneous
Category Winners
Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day
by Jay Shetty
The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design
by Roman Mars & Kurt Kohlstedt
We Are Called to Be a Movement
by William J. Barber
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
by Isabel Wilkerson
Untamed
by Glennon Doyle
Business
Category Winners
Big Idea
The Future is Faster Than You Think: How Converging Technologies Are Transforming Business, Industries, and Our Lives
by Peter H. Diamandis & Steven Kotler
Leadership
Leading with Gratitude: Eight Leadership Practices for Extraordinary Business Results
by Adrian Gostick & Chester Elton
Management & Culture
The Leader's Guide to Unconscious Bias: How to Reframe Bias, Cultivate Connection, and Create High-Performing Teams
by Pamela Fuller, Mark Murphy, & Anne Chow
Sales & Marketing
The Forever Transaction: How to Build a Subscription Model So Compelling, Your Customers Will Never Want to Leave
by Robbie Kellman Baxter
Women in Business
Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms
by Shellye Archambeau
Education
Category Winners
Picture Books
I Am Every Good Thing
by Derrick Barnes & Gordon C. James
Elementary
Tune It Out
by Jamie Sumner
Middle School
When Stars Are Scattered
by Victoria jamieson & Omar Mohamed
High School
We Are Not Free
by Traci Chee
Advanced Reading
Transcendent Kingdom
by Yaa Gyasi
Miscellaneous
Category Winners
Health & Wellness
Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day
by Jay Shetty
Gift & Special Interest
The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design
by Roman Mars & Kurt Kohlstedt
Religion
We Are Called to Be a Movement
by William J. Barber
Politics & Current Events
Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents
by Isabel Wilkerson
Biography & Memoir
Untamed
by Glennon Doyle
Big Idea
Leadership
Management & Culture
Sales & Marketing
Women in Business
Business
Category Winners
Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life
by Nir Eyal
Management Mess to Leadership Success: 30 Challenges to Become the Leader You Would Follow
by Scott Jeffrey Miller
The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multi-generational Workplace
The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multigenerational Workplace
by Lindsey Pollak
The Iconist: The Art and Science of Standing Out
by Jamie Mustard
Everything is Figureoutable
by Marie Forleo
Picture Books
Elementary
Middle School
High School
Advanced Reading
Education
Category Winners
Sulwe
by Lupita Nyong'o & Vashti Harrison
Guts
by Raina Telgemeier
The Boy at the Back of the Class
by Onjali Q. Raúf
Scars Like Wings
by Erin Stewart
I'm Telling the Truth, But I'm Lying: Essays
by Bassey Ikpi
Health & Wellness
Gift & Special Interest
Religion
Politics & Current Events
Biography & Memoir
Miscellaneous
Category Winners
Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive
by Marc Brackett
1,000 Places to See Before You Die (Deluxe Edition): The World as You've Never Seen It Before
by Patricia Schultz
Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others
by Barbara Brown Taylor
The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump
by Andrew G. McCabe
They Called Us Enemy
by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, & Harmony Becker
Business
Category Winners
Big Idea
Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life
by Nir Eyal
Leadership
Management Mess to Leadership Success: 30 Challenges to Become the Leader You Would Follow
by Scott Jeffrey Miller
Management & Culture
The Remix: How to Lead and Succeed in the Multigenerational Workplace
by Lindsey Pollak
Sales & Marketing
The Iconist: The Art and Science of Standing Out
by Jamie Mustard
Women in Business
Everything is Figureoutable
by Marie Forleo
Education
Category Winners
Picture Books
Sulwe
by Lupita Nyong'o & Vashti Harrison
Elementary
Guts
by Raina Telgemeier
Middle School
The Boy at the Back of the Class
by Onjali Q. Raúf
High School
Scars Like Wings
by Erin Stewart
Advanced Reading
I'm Telling the Truth, But I'm Lying: Essays
by Bassey Ikpi
Miscellaneous
Category Winners
Health & Wellness
Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive
by Marc Brackett
Gift & Special Interest
1,000 Places to See Before You Die (Deluxe Edition): The World as You've Never Seen It Before
by Patricia Schultz
Religion
Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others
by Barbara Brown Taylor
Politics & Current Events
The Threat: How the FBI Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump
by Andrew G. McCabe
Biography & Memoir
They Called Us Enemy
by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, & Harmony Becker
Business
Children's Literature
Wellness
Religion
Politics & Current Events
Category Winners
Business
The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups
by Daniel Coyle
Children's Literature
Llamaphones
by Janik Coat
Wellness
This is Me: Loving the Person You Are Today
by Chrissy Metz
Religion
The Third Option: Hope for a Racially Divided Nation
by Miles McPherson
Politics & Current Events
When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir
by Patrisse Khan-Cullors & asha bandele
The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups
by Daniel Coyle
Llamaphones
by Janik Coat
This is Me: Loving the Person You Are Today
by Chrissy Metz
The Third Option: Hope for a Racially Divided Nation
by Miles McPherson
When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir
by Patrisse Khan-Cullors & asha bandele
Business
Education
Health
Category Winners
The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact
by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks about Race
edited by Jesmyn Ward
When Breath Becomes Air
by Paul Kalanithi
Category Winners
Business
The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact
by Chip Heath & Dan Heath
Education
The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks about Race
edited by Jesmyn Ward
Health
When Breath Becomes Air
by Paul Kalanithi