Since 2006, the Center for Fiction has been highlighting the best debut novels of the year through its First Novel Award. This year’s 180 eligible titles were published in the US between January 1 and December 31, and were narrowed down to 19 books by more than 500 authors, librarians, booksellers and others. The shortlist will be announced in the autumn, and in early December, with the winning author receiving $15,000, while each shortlisted author will receive $1,000.
Some of the past award winners include Viet Thanh Nguyen, Tommy Orange, Raven Leilani, Marisha Pessell, and De’Shawn Charles Winslow.
This year’s long list includes a literary mystery that has been much-awaited by everyone in the year (Whidbey), family sagas, each with its own unique character (honey in wound, lost lamb), a story of community and resistance (ruins, child), and many more.
The list is quite diverse, and some of these books have even been among our favorites or made our best of the year so far list (Whidbey, tied upAnd kitten).
2026 First Novel Award Longlist
fallow by sarah anderson
a real animal by emmeline atwood
hope house by joe bond
tied up by woody brown
lost lamb By Madeline Cash
retro By Jessica M. Goldstein
stay, stay, stay by devon holiday
honey in wound by jeong han
lifting weights By Samantha Josephs
Whidbey T by Kira Madden
200 mona by Jan Saenz
she picked flowers on sunday Yah Yah by Scholfield
ruins, child By Giada Scodelaro
off season By Avigail Sharp
Should the water carry us? By Stephanie Soileau
nuke yourself By Ankur Thakkar
Richard Milford’s four wives and five deaths By Nafeesa Thompson-Spires
rabbit, fox, tar by PC Veron
kitten By Stacey Yu
Shortlisted authors for the Debut Novel Fête will read their books on December 4, 2026 and the winner will be announced on December 8, 2026.
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