| 2024 | The Eyes and the Impossible | John Newbery Medal source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Children's Literature | |
| 2023 | The Eyes and the Impossible | New York Public Library Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books for Kids | |
| 2023 | The Eyes & the Impossible | Chicago Public Library Best of the Best source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Fiction for Older Readers | |
| 2023 | The Eyes and the Impossible | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2023 | The Eyes and the Impossible | Booklist Editors' Choice source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books for Youth: Fiction, Middle Readers | |
| 2023 | The Eyes & the Impossible | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Middle Grade | |
| 2023 | The Eyes and the Impossible | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Middle Grade | |
| 2020 | The Lights And Types Of Ships At Night | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2019 | The Parade: A Novel | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2018 | Her Right Foot | NCTE Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Honor · Nonfiction for Children | |
| 2018 | Heroes of the Frontier | Dublin Literary Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2018 | The Monk of Mokha | Goodreads Choice Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Nominee · History & Biography | |
| 2017 | Heroes of the Frontier | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2017 | Her Right Foot | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2017 | Her Right Foot | Smithsonian Magazine Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Children's | |
| 2017 | Her Right Foot | School Library Journal Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2017 | Her Right Foot | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Picture Books | |
| 2016 | Your Fathers, Where Are They? And the Prophets, Do They Live Forever? | Dublin Literary Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Shortlist · Fiction | |
| 2016 | Heroes of the Frontier | The Globe and Mail Globe 100 source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2016 | Heroes of the Frontier | Paste Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2015 | The Circle | Dublin Literary Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2015 | This Bridge Will Not Be Gray | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Picture Books | |
| 2014 | The Circle | John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Best Science Fiction Novel | |
| 2014 | A Hologram for the King | Dublin Literary Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2014 | The Circle | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2013 | A Hologram for the King | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2013 | The Circle | Booklist Editors' Choice source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Adult Books: Fiction | |
| 2013 | The Circle | NPR Books We Love source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Books We Love | |
| 2013 | The Circle | The Guardian Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2013 | The Circle | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction & Poetry | |
| 2012 | A Hologram for the King | National Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |
| 2012 | A Hologram for the King | The Boston Globe Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2012 | A Hologram for the King | The Globe and Mail Globe 100 source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2012 | A Hologram for the King | Kirkus Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2012 | A Hologram for the King | New York Times 10 Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2012 | A Hologram for the King | Publishers Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2012 | A Hologram for the King | Financial Times Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2012 | A Hologram for the King | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction & Poetry | |
| 2012 | A Hologram for the King | Amazon Editors' Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Top 100 | |
| 2011 | The Wild Things | Dublin Literary Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2010 | Zeitoun | American Book Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Book | |
| 2010 | Zeitoun | Dayton Literary Peace Prize source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Nonfiction | |
| 2009 | Zeitoun | Los Angeles Times Book Prizes source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Winner · Current Interest | |
| 2009 | Zeitoun | The Globe and Mail Globe 100 source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Non-Fiction | |
| 2009 | Zeitoun | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2009 | Zeitoun | Entertainment Weekly Best Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Nonfiction | |
| 2009 | Zeitoun | Amazon Editors' Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Top 100 | |
| 2008 | What is the What | Dublin Literary Award source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Longlist · Fiction | |
| 2007 | What is the What | The Observer Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction | |
| 2007 | What Is the What | New York Times 100 Notable Books source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Fiction & Poetry | |
| 2006 | What Is the What | National Book Critics Circle Awards source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Finalist · Fiction | |
| 2006 | What Is the What: The Autobiography of Valentino Achak Deng | Booklist Editors' Choice source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Adult Books: Fiction | |
| 2006 | What Is the What | Chicago Tribune Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |
| 2006 | What Is the What | TIME Best Books of the Year source ↗ (opens in a new tab) | Selection · Best Books | |