Two Kitsap authors have been nominated for the 2026 Washington State Book Awards, celebrating its 60th anniversary, with an announcement of winners selected by 2026 WSBA judges expected on Sept. 15.
Julian Brave NoiseCat of Bremerton and Donna Barba Higuera of Poulsbo are among the 41 Washington-based finalists — from Vashon to Vancouver and Spokane to San Juan Island — with seven categories for outstanding literary works published in 2025, presented by the Washington Center for the Book. This year, judges evaluated 308 submissions based on the strength of the novel’s literary merit, lasting importance and overall quality.
NoiseCat’s novel “We Survived the Night” is a finalist in the Creative Nonfiction/Memoir category, and Barba Higuera earned two nominations in the Books for Young Readers category for “The Unlikely Aventuras of Ramón and El Cucuy and Xolo.”
Inspired by family story and Native tradition
NoiseCat, a writer and filmmaker, explores Indigenous culture, trauma and familial bonds in his debut novel “We Survived the Night.” Inspired by his relationship with his father, a desire to correct misconceptions about Native history, and the tradition of sharing stories old and new, NoiseCat weaves a deeply personal narrative through journalism and storytelling…