Several hundred readers have already submitted their picks for The 2025 Southern Book Prize, and more votes are pouring in every day. Voting continues until February 1st, so it's far too early to make any predictions about which of the eighteen finalists books will be selected as "the best Southern book of the year." One thing that can be reported, however, is how much readers love their local indie bookstore. The last question on the Southern Book Prize Ballot is a simple prompt: "Say something nice about your favorite local bookstore."

Here are some of the wonderful things readers have to say about SIBA stores:

• "Page 158 Books, Sue and Dave Lucey, and all the rest who work there make you feel like family." (Page 158 Books, Wake Forest, NC)
• "Conundrum Books is adorable—it looks like the set of a Hallmark movie!" (The Conundrum, St. Francisville, LA)
• "Tombolo Books is a second home for so many writers and readers" (Tombolo Books in St. Petersburg, FL)
• "They made me excited about reading again." (Blinking Owl Books, Fort Myers, FL)
• "Doug and co. are attuned to something true about literature in the South. The store takes me back to a time before "prime" time." (Eagle Eye Books, Decatur, GA)
• "Jen never forgets her patrons. Her store feels like home, like my childhood bedroom, like the dogwood tree I would climb to hide out and read." (Bookmiser, Marietta, GA)

The Southern Book Prize toolkit includes code stores can use to embed the Southern Book Prize ballot on their own websites, so they can encourage their customers to vote (and say nice things about them!), The toolkit also has signage, shelf talkers, logos and ISBN lists for building a list on your store's website or Bookshop page.