You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.
Thousands of students across Texas voted, and the results are in! The 2026 Texas Bluebonnet Award winner is The Girl Who Figured It Out, written by Minda Dentler and illustrated by Stephanie Dehennin.
Watch the announcement.
In this inspiring and colorful book, readers are introduced to the uplifting true story of Minda Dentler.
Minda made history when she became the first female wheelchair athlete to complete the world’s toughest triathlon, using only her arms to finish a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride, and 26.2-mile marathon. But the journey there wasn’t easy. Minda was paralyzed as an infant in India after contracting polio and was left in the care of an orphanage. After she was adopted by an American family and moved to Washington, she underwent surgeries to enable her to walk with leg braces and crutches.
As she grew, she faced many challenges but remained undeterred by her disability. Her decision to begin training and competing in triathlons was no different. Despite the obstacles she experienced along the way, Minda’s persistence and determination in the face of setbacks helped her to make sports history and inspire people around the world to rethink what’s possible!
View the Texas Bluebonnet Award book trailer for The Girl Who Figured It Out here.
The Texas Bluebonnet Award is one of the oldest and most prestigious children’s choice literary awards in the country. Each student had to read at least five books from the 2025-2026 Texas Bluebonnet Award list in order to vote.
Students will present the award to Dentler at the Texas Bluebonnet Award Author Session on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, from 11:45 am to 1:00 pm, during the TLA 2026 Annual Conference in Houston.
Register for the conference and purchase tickets to the TBA Author Session today.
You can also support the Texas Bluebonnet Award by purchasing one of our TBA T-shirts. Order online (men’s, women’s, and children’s sizes available; women’s sizes run small) and have it shipped to your home. Proceeds go to the Texas Bluebonnet Award program.
The Texas Library Association (TLA) executive board has adopted new core values reflecting our commitment to embracing, uniting, and amplifying the voices of the Texas library community. This update will shape the work […]
In February’s TLA Libraries Transform Texas podcast get insights into the 2026 TLA Annual Conference including sessions, speakers, and tips.
