Following voting by American Booksellers Association members, the shortlist has been set for the Indies Choice Book Awards literary prize. Voting for the winners has begun and runs through Wednesday, November 18; winners will be announced on November 25, in time for Indies First/Small Business Saturday.
The award categories include Adult Fiction, Adult Nonfiction, Picture Book, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Indie Press Fiction, Indie Press Nonfiction, Debut Adult, and Debut Children's. Indie Press Fiction and Indie Press Nonfiction are new this year. Winners in each category will receive $1,500. There are 47 shortlisted titles altogether in the nine categories.
The awards showcase the 487 titles that appeared on the ABA's Indie Next List, Kids' Indie Next List, and Indies Introduce list in 2026. The Indie Next List program features bookseller-recommended favorites for adults and kids from indie bookstores across the country. Indies Introduce is a twice-a-year list of 20 standout debuts--10 adult titles and 10 titles for young readers.
"The Indies Choice Book Awards are a celebration of what makes independent bookstores so vital to the literary ecosystem," ABA CEO Allison Hill said. "These awards are voted on entirely by independent booksellers--people who read widely, recommend passionately, and engage with readers and authors every day. By drawing from titles featured on the ABA's Indie Next List, Kids' Indie Next List, and Indies Introduce book recommendations, these awards reflect a year of thoughtful curation, deep enthusiasm, and books we can't stop talking about. The Indies Choice Book Awards are a celebration and the best way for readers to find their next favorite book."