Booksology Since 2006, the Fiction Center has recognized the best debut novels of the year through the First Novel Award. This year’s 180 eligible titles were narrowed down to 19 books published in the United States between January 1st and December 31st by more than 500 authors, librarians, booksellers, and others. The finalist list will be announced in the fall, and the winning author will receive $15,000 and each finalist will receive $1,000 in early December.
Past recipients include Viet Thanh Nguyen, Tommy Orange, Raven Leilani, Marisha Pesl, and Deshaun Charles Winslow.
This year’s longlist includes everyone’s most anticipated literary mysteries of the year (Whidbey), family stories with their own unique twists (Honey in the Wound, Lost Lamb), stories of community and resistance (ruins, children) etc.
The list is quite diverse, and some of these books are some of our favorites and some are on our all-time best lists of the year (Whidbey, Upward Bound, kitten).
2026 First Novel Prize Candidate List
fallow Written by Sarah Anderson
real animals Written by Emmeline Atwood
hope house Written by Joe Bond
upward bound – Artist: Woody Brown
lost lambs Written by Madeline Cash
Retro by Jessica M. Goldstein
stay, stay, stay Written by Devon Halliday
honey in the wound Written by Han Ji-young
carry Written by Samantha Josephs
Whidbey Written by T. Kira Madden
200 mona Written by Jan Saenz
she picked flowers on sunday Written by Ya Ya Scholfield
ruins, children Written by Giada Scodellaro
off season Written by Avigail Sharp
Should water take us? Written by Stephanie Soileau
blow yourself up Written by Ankur Thakar
Richard Milford’s four wives and five deaths Written by Nafissa Thompson-Spires
rabbit, fox, tar Written by PC Verone
kitten Written by Stacey Yu
Shortlisted authors will read their books at the inaugural Novel Festival on December 4, 2026, and winners will be announced on December 8, 2026.
Sign up to get all the latest book news. Subscribe to the Riot Newsletter.
