The first question that arrives at one’s mind as soon as his eyes fall upon the topic is, “What are Florida Books?” Of course, many people are familiar with the term “A Florida Book,” but then there are quite a handful of people who feel a little bewildered after hearing this term. Trust us, and the time is pretty simple.
“A Florida Book” can refer to books mainly about Florida or written by Floridian authors. The books about Florida are based on a wide range of compelling topics, including the history of Florida, any mythological event that happened against the backdrop of Florida, Florida Literature, the natural beauty of Florida, its flora and fauna, and so on.
See Also: Best Book Series | Top 12 Must-Reads In 2023
Contents
What Are Florida Book Awards?
They are a series of annual literary awards that acknowledge the books mainly about Florida and the books written by Floridian authors every year. In 2006, the awards were supervised and administered by the Florida State University Libraries and The Florida Center for the Book, The Florida Historical Society, The State Library and the archives of Florida, and The Florida Humanities Council.
They are coming to the main topic, which books were the Top 7 Florida books in 2021? A book as such which might have a high chance of winning a Florida Book Award?
The Florida Book Awards accept nominations in the following categories:
- Cooking books
- Florida Nonfiction
- Older Children’s Literature
- General Fiction
- General Nonfiction
- Popular Fiction
- Visual Arts
- Young Adults Literature
- Younger Children’s Literature
- Spanish Language
- Poetry
Top 7 Florida Books To Read
Here are some of the Top Florida Books of 2023. There are seven books listed below, and each one of them is a strong contender for the Florida Book Awards 2021.
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ The Yearling
The Yearling, authored by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings in 1938, was the most influential book in America that year. The story follows little Jody Baxter and his friendship with a young horse in the dense woods of Florida in 1870.
JodLike other youngsters, Jody enjoys playing outside, but he is continually told of his household’s difficulties. When A snake bites Jody’s mom, she is compelled to kill a doe so that she can drain the poison out of its body. Jodyhiss’s household’s difficulties persuade his folks to foster the newborn fawn after the doe left behind such a tiny youngster.
Buy: Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ The Yearling
See also: Mike Wood Books
Amazing, Misunderstood Bats
This fantastic book on bats was authored by Marta Magellan and was published by Eifrig Publishing in early 2021. This book has 34 pages, and Merlin Tuttle clicked all the astonishing photographs in the book.
Who would wish to live in a world where bats do not exist? They are helpful and functional in countless ways, including pollinating plants, eating millions of bugs, and other methods. This is one of the best Florida books.
This book mainly clears a few misconceptions which people generally have regarding bats and throws light upon a plethora of ways in which they are helpful. This book of Nonfictional literature is an excellent source of enlightening children about bats and thus deserves to be an award-winning book.
Buy: Amazing, Misunderstood Bats
See Also: 9 Must-Read Books About Switzerland
The Secret Science of Sports
The Math, Physics, and Mechanical Engineering Behind Every Grand Slam, Triple Axel, and Penalty Kick. This book, authored by Jennifer Swanson, deals with the scientific phenomenon associated with sports and each activity of a sportsperson. The book was published in July 2021 by the Running Press Publishers.
This book deals with some of the fundamental yet essential questions: How do athletes jump so high? How does a football spiral? Science and only science are responsible for all of it.
Whether basketball or football, or even athletics, every sport requires a little bit of science, mathematics, and engineering, the kids get to understand the most thrilling concepts of science and mathematics through the favorite sports they watch.
This book surely deserves to be an award-winning book. This is one of the best Florida books.
Buy: The Secret Science of Sports
See Also: Top 10 Upcoming Books You Must Give A Try
Tropic of Stupid
Tropic of stupid has a funny plot and yet enlightens the readers in so many ways.
Authored by Tim Dorsey and published in February 2021 by Duckworth books, this book deals with the story of Serge Storms, a lover of history, so he decides to investigate and find his account using one of the DNA services. What follows is a seemingly funny plot with many twists and turns and an unpredictable ending.
With all the capabilities, this book has to attract many readers. This book surely deserves to be one of the top 7 Florida books.
Buy: Tropic of Stupid
John D. MacDonald’s Green Ripper
John D. McDonald, a thriller writer, wrote The Green Ripper, a mystery novel. MacDonald was a prolific crime and thriller novelist, with many of his works set in Florida, his adoptive home. The renowned and critically praised Travis McGee series, of which The Green Ripper is the 18th of 21 installments, is one of his best-known works.
McGee’s lover, Gretel, was murdered by a mysterious terrorist organization, and the plot revolves around avenging her. The title is a wordplay on the Grim Reaper’s name. This is one of the best Florida books.
Buy: John D. MacDonald’s Green Ripper
See Also: Top 10 Southern Authors You Should Know
Tourist Season
Carl Hiassen, famous for his Florida satire literature, has a beautiful knack for portraying the humor in fake but eerily realistic Florida murders and protection. Hiaasen’s works have a plethora of storylines and plotlines, many of which intertwine in some wonderfully ludicrous storylines.
Carl has also written books, brief tales, Miami Herald articles, and even picture stories. Tourist Season, his self-titled debut novel, was published in 1986 and tells the story of Brian Keyes, a private detective and erstwhile newscaster for The Miami Sun.
Buy: Tourist Season
The Wilder Heart of Florida
More Writers Inspired by Florida Nature. Yet another book that takes us on a fascinating tour of Florida, its natural beauty, flora and fauna, and whatnot. Edited by Jack E Devis and authored by Leslie K Poole, this book is one of the best sellers of 2023 in Florida and worldwide.
Published in March 2021 by the University Press of Florida. The book describes the wild beauty of the Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park. The beautiful way the book describes the enchanting beauty of the park attracts a lot of visitors, no wonder it made it to the list of one of the topmost Florida books of 2023.
Buy: The Wilder Heart of Florida
FAQs
Should I Read Fiction Or Nonfiction?
Several studies have shown that reading fiction provides more benefits than reading nonfiction. It has been shown that reading fiction can increase social acuity and enhance the ability to comprehend other people's motivations.
How Much Should I Read A Day?
The recommended reading time for adults is two hours per day. Adults should read two hours a day, with one hour per sitting. It is great to read two different books for new insights and creative association.
How do I find a book I read years ago?
You can quickly view sample pages to ensure that the book you've found is the book you've been looking for. There are several other book databases you can find as well, such as Book Finder, Word Cat, LibraryThing, Book Sleuth, Goodreads, Amazon's Advanced Book Search, and Library of Congress.
What is Google Books library Project?
By using The Library Project, users can access millions of books written in a wide range of languages, including rare, out-of-print or generally unavailable books.
Conclusion
So the list is endless, to be precise. Also, all the Florida books mentioned above managed to secure a special place in the readers’ minds and hearts and, as a result, paved their way into the list of the Top 7 Florida Books 2023. Also, not one or two of them, but all the books deserve to be on the list of the books honored by the Florida Book Awards 2023.
See Also: Top Books Set In Massachusetts
A slow runner and a fast reader. A Janeite and Jamaican. Recovering political junkie. I am a writer and communication scholar studying media, politics and identity, an avid reader, and an ardent film, art and music enthusiast. My research explores the relationship between media, politics, public opinion and public policy.