The 2026 First Novel Prize Longlist Has Been Announced by the Center for Fiction

Since 2006, the Center for Fiction has been highlighting the best debut novels of the year through its First Novel Prize. This year’s 180 eligible titles were published in the US between January 1st and December 31st, and were narrowed down to 19 books by more than 500 writers, librarians, booksellers, and others. The shortlist will be announced in the fall, and in early December, the winning author will receive $15,000, while each shortlisted author will receive $1,000. A few of the past award winners include Viet Thanh Nguyen, Tommy Orange, Raven Leilani, Marisha Pessl, and De’Shawn Charles Winslow. This year’s longlist includes a literary mystery that has been on everyone’s most anticipated of the year (Whidbey), family sagas, each with its own unique spin (Honey in the Wound, Lost Lambs), a tale of community and resistance (Ruins, Child), and lots more. The list is fairly diverse, and some of these books have also been among our favorites or made it to our Best of the Year So Far list (Whidbey, Upward Bound, and Kitten). 2026 First Novel Prize Longlist Fallow by Sarah Anderson A Real Animal by Emeline Atwood Hope House by Joe Bond Upward Bound by Woody Brown Lost Lambs by Madel...