The 2024 Library Mouse Literary Awards

As this is my final post of 2024, I thought it only fitting to hand out some end-of-year literary awards (mostly as a joke). So here you are.

The Library Mouse Literary Award for Failing at Christian Fiction

Winner: A Song Called Home by Sara Zarr

This award is given to a book that tries to be Christian fiction but doesn't manage it.

The Library Mouse Literary Award for Getting Your Biblical History Wrong

Winner: Pyramid Hunters: The Iron Tomb by Peter Vegas

This award, 'tis given to the book that included Biblical history but got it the most wrong.

The Library Mouse Literary Award for Not Being a Drill

Winner: This Is Not a Drill by K. A. Holt

I think you can guess why that book won this award.

The Library Mouse Literary Award for Absolute Hilarity

Winner: Discworld series by Terry Pratchett

Runner-up: The Adventurer's Guide to Successful Escapes by Wade Albert White

This award is for books that are completely hilarious.

The Library Mouse Literary Award for Having a Really Great Cover

Winner: Iron Hearted Violet by Kenny Barnhill

Runners-up: Soul Music by Terry Pratchett, The Girl who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill, Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett

This award is given to books with covers I really like.

The Library Mouse Literary Award for Graphic Violence

Winner: Walk Through Fire by Yasmine S. Ali, MD

This award is given to the most graphically violent book I've read this year. In this case, it's a nonfiction book about a train disaster and the subsequent giant explosion.

📚🐭    📔🏆:    📖🖼

🥇:  The Lego Technic Idea Book: Simple Machines by Yoshihito Isogawa

🏆    ➡    📖(🖼)✔,   📖(📄)❌

The Library Mouse Literary Award for Involving Trains

Winner: Raising Steam by Terry Pratchett

Runner-up: Walk Through Fire by Yasmine S. Ali, MD

This award is for books that involve trains.

The Library Mouse Literary Award for Spookiness

Winner: Out to Get You by Josh Allen

Which wasn't actually terribly spooky, but I don't read much horror.

The Library Mouse Literary Award for Best Isekai

Winner: The Barren Grounds by David A. Robertson

Runner-up: A Tale of Time City by Diana Wynne Jones

"Isekai" is basically "someone gets yeeted into another world to do stuff". This award is for the best book about that which I've reviewed this year.

The Library Mouse Literary Award for Being Very Confusing

Winner: The Map of Stars (York book 3) by Laura Ruby

Runner-up: Caraval by Stephanie Garber

Does anyone know what was going on with the end of The Map of Stars? Me neither.

The Pointless Trophy of Shame

Winner: It Wasn't Me by Dana Alison Levy

This award is for the book I liked the least but still reviewed.

And to end on a high note,

The Library Mouse Literary Award for My Favorite New Book I Read This Year

Winner: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

This award is the polar opposite of the Pointless Trophy of Shame; it's for being the one I liked the most.

[EDIT, 11/30/2025: Changed it from "Librarymouse Literary Awards" to "Library Mouse Literary Awards" because it sounded nicer that way.]

(Endnote: The Librarymouse Literary Award for Recursive Self-Reference goes to this post.)