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.  

View our 2022 OWL Award Winners NOW!

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!

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

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