Another year, another stack of incredible books to discover! We already have our eye on some exciting 2026 releases for book clubs, but we're also excited to see which titles will win over the critics and snag those coveted literary awards.
We'll be updating this post throughout the year as the winners roll in. No prizes have been announced yet, but we've noted when each award is typically given out so you know what to expect. (And if you're curious about last year's winners, check out our 2025 awards post!)
Want to level up your reading list or find books that'll get your book club talking? Award winners are always a great place to start. Bookmark your favorites, add them to your "Want to Read" shelf, or drop them in your next book club poll.
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Prizes are listed in order of announcement timing
National Book Critics Circle Award
Founded in 1974, the National Book Critics Circle Awards are given annually to honor the finest books published in English in six categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Biography, Autobiography, Poetry, and Criticism. An additional two awards are bestowed on the best debut book in any genre (The John Leonard Prize) and the best book translated into English (both of these awards are given to books of any genre). Books must be published in the United States but may be by authors from any country. These awards are unique because they are chosen by book critics representing critical opinion about the best books of the year.
Announcement timing: The 2025 awards (covering books published during calendar year 2025) will be announced in March 2026. The longlist has been released as of December 2025.
Pulitzer Prize
Established in 1917, the Pulitzer Prize is one of America's most prestigious literary honors. While a majority of the two dozen prizes administered are for achievements in journalism, six of the prizes are for books, with categories for fiction, poetry, general nonfiction, history, biography and memoir/autobiography. Often considered the highest national honor for American writing, the Pulitzer has recognized many works that have become classics of American literature and includes a $15,000 award.
Announcement timing: Pulitzer Prize winners will be announced in May.
International Booker Prize
A companion to the Booker Prize, the International Booker Prize recognizes the best book translated into English and published in the UK and Ireland, with the £50,000 prize split equally between the author and translator. This award celebrates the vital work of translators and promotes literature in translation, helping to break down cultural and linguistic barriers through literature.
Announcement timing: The longlist of 12 or 13 books will be announced on February 24, 2026, with the shortlist of six books to follow on March 31. The winner will be announced in May 2026.
PEN/Faulkner Award
Founded in 1981, the PEN/Faulkner Award is one of the more prestigious American literary prizes, awarded for fiction written by an American citizen or permanent resident. With a $15,000 prize, it celebrates the excellence and diversity of American fiction and is judged by fellow writers, making it a recognition of literary merit by peers in the field.
Announcement timing: The winner will be announced in May 2026.
British Book Awards (The Nibbies)
The British Book Awards, or "Nibbies," recognize the commercial successes of publishers, authors, and bookshops across categories including Fiction Book of the Year, Non-Fiction Book of the Year, and overall Book of the Year. The awards are currently administered by The Bookseller, a British magazine which reports on publishing industry news. These awards are distinctive for acknowledging both the literary quality and commercial success of books, as well as highlighting the crucial role of publishers and booksellers in bringing literature to the public.
Announcement timing: The winners will be announced on May 11, 2026.
Carol Shields Prize
Launched in 2022, the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction is a major literary award honoring exceptional writing by women and non-binary writers in the United States and Canada. With a prize of $150,000, it is one of the most valuable literary awards in the world and aims to address gender imbalance in recognition and financial compensation for writers. Named after Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carol Shields, the prize celebrates literature that demonstrates extraordinary artistic merit while providing visibility to women's experiences and perspectives.
Announcement timing: The 2026 longlist will be announced on March 11, 2026 and the shortlist will be announced on April 22. The Prize announcement will be on June 2, 2026.
Women's Prize
Established in 1996, the Women's Prize (formerly the Orange Prize for Fiction) is awarded annually to female authors for outstanding writing, with separate prizes for fiction and, starting in 2023, for nonfiction. The Fiction prize honors the best original full-length novel written in English by a woman of any nationality, while the newer Nonfiction category recognizes exceptional nonfiction work. Created in response to gender bias in other major literary awards (after the 1991 Booker Prize shortlist included no female authors), the £30,000 prizes celebrate excellence, originality, and accessibility in women's writing and have helped bring attention to many important works.
Announcement timing: The winners of both the fiction and nonfiction prizes will be announced on June 11, 2026 following the earlier announcements of the shortlist on April 22, and the long list on March 4, 2026.
Nobel Prize in Literature
Established as part of Alfred Nobel's will and first awarded in 1901, the Nobel Prize in Literature is awarded annually by the Swedish Academy to an author who has produced "the most outstanding work in an idealistic direction." Considered the world's most prestigious literary award, it recognizes a writer's entire body of work rather than a single title and includes a medal, diploma, and substantial monetary award that changes yearly but has recently exceeded US $1,000,000.
Announcement timing: Early October.
Kirkus Prize
Established in 2014, the Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with $50,000 given annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction, and young readers' literature. The prize, bestowed by the book review magazine Kirkus Reviews, is notable for considering books from both traditional publishers and independent presses, including self-published works that receive a starred Kirkus review, making it one of the more inclusive major literary prizes.
Announcement timing: Typically, finalists are announced in August and winners are announced at a prize ceremony in October.
National Book Awards
The National Book Awards, initially established in 1936, are presented by the National Book Foundation in the United States across several categories including Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature, and Young People's Literature. Among the most respected literary prizes in the United States, these $10,000 awards bring national attention to distinguished writing and help elevate important voices in American literature.
Announcement timing: The 10-book longlists will be announced in mid-September, and narrowed to five finalists per category in early October. The winners will be announced in November.
Booker Prize
Founded in 1969, the Booker Prize (formerly the Booker Prize for Fiction and the Man Booker Prize) is awarded annually to the best novel written in English and published in the UK and Ireland. In 2014, eligibility was expanded to include all books wirtten in English (previously the prize was limited to authors from Commonwealth countries, Ireland and South Africa. Coming with a £50,000 prize, it's known for transforming authors' careers and significantly boosting book sales.
Announcement timing: The longlist of 12 or 13 books will be announced on July 28, 2026, with the shortlist of six books to follow in September. The winner of the Booker Prize 2026 will be announced in November.