The 2011 Orion Book Award process is underway. Out of nearly 100 eligible books, a winner and four finalists will be chosen. Watch this page for updates.

The award will be conferred at the annual Orion Book Award ceremony and reception on April 6, 2011, at The powerHouse Arena in Brooklyn.

The Orion Book Award is given annually to a book that addresses the human relationship with the natural world in a fresh, thought provoking, and engaging manner. Four additional books are named as finalists.

Books eligible for the Orion Book Award are judged against these criteria:

• That it deepens our connection to the natural world

• That it presents new ideas about our relationship with nature

• That it achieves excellence in writing

The Orion Book Award recognizes books published in North America during the previous calendar year. Nominations for the award are made by advisors, writers, editors, and contributing editors of Orion. Selection of the winning book and four finalists are made by a five-person selection committee, which changes annually. Nominations from authors or from publishers, editors, or agents of books that they have been involved with are not accepted.

More information about previous Orion Book Award winners and finalists is available here.

The Orion Book Award is made possible through the generous support of Organic Valley.