Massive congratulations to JABberwocky author Robin Gow, who has TWO books listed as finalists for the prestigious Lambda Literary Award. DEAR MOTHMAN, which has been raking in accolades, is a finalist in the category of Best LGBTQ+ Middle Grade, and LANTERNFLY AUGUST is a finalist for Best LGBTQ+ Poetry

DEAR MOTHMAN is a moving novel-in-verse, “a ­triumphant coming-of-age story about gender identity, strength, and friendship, as well as the different ways that people ­discover who they are.” (School Library Journal) Halfway through sixth grade, Noah’s best friend and the only other trans boy in his school, Lewis, passed away in a car accident. Together they daydreamed about cryptids and shared discovering their genders and names. After his death, Noah starts writing letters to Mothman, wondering if he would understand how Noah feels, and also looking for evidence of Mothman’s existence in the vast woods surrounding his small Poconos town. As strange things start to happen and Noah becomes sure of Mothman’s existence, his parents and teachers don’t believe him. Noah decides it’s up to him to risk everything, trek into the woods, and find Mothman himself.

AJ Irving’s THE WISHING FLOWER is also a Lammy finalist, and is up for Best LGBTQ+ Children’s Book.

In this beautifully illustrated picture book, Birdie finds comfort in nature and books, but more than anything she longs for connection, to be understood.

At school, Birdie feels like an outsider. Quiet and shy, she prefers to read by herself, rather than jump rope or swing with the other kids. That all changes when Sunny, the new girl, comes along. Like Birdie, Sunny has a nature name. She also likes to read, and loves to rescue bugs. And when Sunny smiles at her, Birdie’s heart balloons like a parachute.

Also announced this week were the 2024 Hugo finalists! The list of finalists, including 4 JABberwocky authors and editors, was released today in advance of this year’s awards, which will be presented at Worldcon 82 in Glasgow, Scotland in August.

Best Short Story: “The Mausoleum’s Children” by Aliette de Bodard (Uncanny Magazine, May-June 2023)

Best Series: The Universe of Xuya by Aliette de Bodard. The Xuya Universe series was also nominated for the Best Series award in 2019, and Aliette has had nine separate works shortlisted for prose categories in the Hugo awards.

The latest of the Xuya Universe novels, A Fire Born of Exile, is available for purchase now through JABberwocky’s ebook program!

Best Editor Short Form: Neil Clarke, who is Publisher and Editor-In-Chief at the incomparable Clarkesworld Magazine. Neil has won Best Editor Short form twice before, and since its launch in 2006, Clarkesworld has also been honored with Hugo, World Fantasy, and British Fantasy Awards. Neil is also the editor of the annual Best Science Fiction of the Year anthologies, now in their seventh year. 

Best Semiprozine: Uncanny Magazine, publishers and editors-in-chief: Lynne M. Thomas and Michael Damian Thomas; managing editor Monte Lin; nonfiction editor Meg Elison; podcast producers Erika Ensign and Steven Schapansky. Uncanny has won the Best Semiprozine Award seven times since 2016. Lynne and Michael were also awarded with the Hugo for Best Editor, Short Form in 2018.

Enormous congratulations to all of our Lambda and Hugo finalists!