Since 2006, the Center for Fiction has been highlighting the best debut novels of the year through its First Novel Prize<\/a>. This year\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n A few of the past award winners include Viet Thanh Nguyen, Tommy Orange, Raven Leilani, Marisha Pessl, and De\u2019Shawn Charles Winslow.<\/p>\n This year\u2019s longlist includes a literary mystery that has been on everyone\u2019s most anticipated of the year (Whidbey<\/a><\/em>), family sagas, each with its own unique spin (Honey in the Wound<\/a>, Lost Lambs<\/a>), a tale of community and resistance (Ruins, Child<\/a><\/em>), and lots more. <\/p>\n 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<\/a> list (Whidbey<\/a>, Upward Bound<\/a>, and Kitten<\/a><\/em>).<\/p>\n Fallow<\/a><\/em> by Sarah Anderson<\/p>\n A Real Animal<\/a><\/em> by Emeline Atwood<\/p>\n Hope House<\/a><\/em> by Joe Bond<\/p>\n Upward Bound<\/a><\/em> by Woody Brown<\/p>\n Lost Lambs<\/a><\/em> by Madeline Cash<\/p>\n Retro<\/a> by Jessica M. Goldstein<\/p>\n To Stay, To Stay, To Stay<\/a><\/em> by Devon Halliday<\/p>\n Honey in the Wound<\/a><\/em> by Jiyoung Han<\/p>\n Carrying<\/a><\/em> by Samantha Josephs<\/p>\n Whidbey<\/a><\/em> by T Kira Madden<\/p>\n 200 Monas<\/a><\/em> by Jan Saenz<\/p>\n On Sundays She Picked Flowers<\/a><\/em> by Yah Yah Scholfield<\/p>\n Ruins, Child<\/a><\/em> by Giada Scodellaro<\/p>\n Offseason <\/a><\/em>by Avigayl Sharp<\/p>\n Should the Waters Take Us<\/a><\/em> by Stephanie Soileau<\/p>\n Blow Yourself Up<\/a><\/em> by Ankur Thakkar<\/p>\n The Four Wives and Five Deaths of Richard Milford <\/a><\/em>by Nafissa Thompson-Spires<\/p>\n Rabbit, Fox, Tar<\/a><\/em> by P. C. Verrone<\/p>\n Kitten<\/a><\/em> by Stacey Yu<\/p>\n The shortlisted authors will read from their books on December 4, 2026, for the First Novel F\u00eate, and the winner will be announced on December 8, 2026.<\/p>\n Keep up with all the latest book news by signing up for the\u00a0Book Riot Newsletter<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n2026 First Novel Prize Longlist<\/h2>\n
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