Wales Book of the Year Shortlist 2026 reveals Wales’ ‘extraordinary talent’

The 2026 Wales Book of the Year Shortlist has been announced on Wales’ national radio stations, celebrating outstanding literary talent from Wales across many genres in both English and Welsh.

The English-language shortlist was revealed by judge Shirish Kulkarni on the Lynn Bowles show on BBC Radio Wales, and the Welsh-language shortlist by the Welsh judging panel on BBC Radio Cymru’s Y Clwb Darllen with Nest Jenkins.

The judges and presenters were joined by Claire Furlong for the announcements, the Executive Director of Literature Wales, the charity that runs Wales Book of the Year.

Wales Book of the Year is an annual national award which celebrates outstanding literary talent from Wales  in both English and Welsh.

There are four categories in each language – Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction, and Children & Young People, with one of the category winners going on to win the Overall Award and claiming the title, Wales Book of the Year.

The Shortlist consists of 24 books in total – twelve in each language, three in each category.
The overall English-language prize is sponsored by Cardiff University’s School of English, Communication and Philosophy, and the overall Welsh-language prize is sponsored by Cardiff University’s School of Welsh.

The Short List comprises of 24 books in total. There are former winners selected amongst debut writers. The books take readers on numerous journeys from the poignant to the triumphant, through fantasy and reality.

There are deep explorations into the human experience – overcoming obstacles, dealing with the past, and looking to the future with hope.

Poetry Award – supported by Parry Davies Clwyd-Jones & Lloyd

Hôtel Amour, Deryn Rees-Jones (Seren Books)
 The Storm’s Flora, Laura Wainwright (Seren Books) 
Fourth & Walnut, Jeremy Over (Carcanet Press)

Fiction Award – supported by the Rhys Davies Trust

Pulse, Cynan Jones (Granta Publications) 
Cold Grace, Meredith Miller (Honno Press) 
A Room Above A Shop, Anthony Shapland (Granta Publications)

Creative Non-Fiction Award

One Woman Walks Europe, Ursula Martin (Honno Press)
 Children of Radium: A Buried Inheritance, Joe Dunthorne (Hamish Hamilton) 
There She Goes, My Beautiful World, Gosia Buzzanca (Calon)

Children & Young People Award – sponsored by Darwin Gray

Vanishing Edge, Zillah Bethell (Firefly Press)
My Dog, Olivia Wakeford (Harper Collins Children’s Books/ Harper Fire)
The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire, Anna Fiteni (Electric Monkey, HarperCollins)

A panel of judges is appointed each year to read, debate and select their favourite titles. The English-language panel includes four eminent figures from the literary and cultural world; the poet, literary critic and Professor of Poetry and Creative Writing at Bangor University Zoë Skoulding; the writer and winner of the main English language Wales Book of the Year Award 2021, Catrin Kean; the award-winning journalist and researcher Shirish Kulkarni; and Maesteg Library Supervisor Julie Golden, who won a coveted place on the CILIP 125 List.

On behalf of the judging panel, Julie Golden said: “I have loved reading the nominated books and now have a whole host of new favourite authors that I can recommend! I am proud and glad to say that sharing stories in Wales is in safe hands with our current authors.

“As a Maesteg ‘girl’ – born, bred and educated – the feeling of Welshness, and of seeing myself and my community within these adventures, is a feeling that will never get old. We can’t underplay how important this is in engaging people in literacy and stories.

“My only issue is I wanted to choose them all!”

Judge Shirish Kulkarni said: “The breadth of voices, perspectives and styles has been remarkable, but what’s struck me most is the depth of the work — the care, insight and honesty that runs through it. Each book feels rooted in something deeply felt — whether that’s identity, experience or curiosity — and together they reveal the extraordinary talent we have in Wales.”

The Welsh-language Shortlist

Poetry Award – Supported by Parry Davies Clwyd-Jones & Lloyd

Trochi, Carwyn Eckley (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)
Mae, Mererid Hopwood (Barddas) 
Chwarter Eiliad, Jo Heyde (Barddas)

Creative Non-Fiction Award – Sponsored by Stori Cymru
Lobsgows, Ruth Richards (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)

Y Cyfan a Fu Rhyngom Ni, Iestyn Tyne (Gwasg y Bwthyn)
Ynysoedd Gobaith, Llion Wigley (Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru)

Fiction Award – Sponsored by HSJ Accountants

Dau, Bethan Nantcyll (Gwasg y Bwthyn)
Hiraeth Neifion, Simon Chandler (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)
Tri, Sonia Edwards (Gwasg y Bwthyn)

Children and Young People Award – Supported by Cronfa Elw Park-Jones

Anfarwol, Rebecca Roberts (Gwasg Carreg Gwalch)
Gerwyn Gwrthod, Sion Tomos Owen (Atebol)
Y Cae Ras, Manon Steffan Ross (Y Lolfa)

The members of the Welsh-language judging panel are: the Chaired Poet, author and former National Poet of Wales, Ifor ap Glyn; the Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor Welsh Language, Heritage and Culture at Swansea University and Director Academi Hywel Teifi, Professor Gwenno Ffrancon; the author, editor and Managing Editor of O’r Pedwar Gwynt, Sioned Puw Rowlands; and presenter of the television programme Cyw, who is also a drama practitioner, Dafydd Lennon.

Wales Book of the Year has been run by Literature Wales, the national charity for the development of literature, since 2004. During this period, the award has seen Wales’ most prolific and well-known writers being recognised, alongside new and emerging talents.

Claire Furlong, Executive Director of Literature Wales, said: “Llongyfarchiadau mawr to the writers on this year’s shortlist. It’s been another stellar year for Welsh literature, reflected not only in this incredible list but also in the many brilliant books that missed out.

“We always look forward to finding out which titles the judges select, and find great enjoyment in the stretch between the shortlist announcement and the award ceremony – a time to read, discuss, and celebrate the writers behind these works.

“Head over to your local bookshop or library, discover these remarkable books, and join the conversation: what’s your Wales Book of the Year 2026?”

The Wales Book of the Year awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, 9 July at Galeri Caernarfon. 12 prizes and a total of £14,000 will be shared amongst the writers – £1,000 each for the category winners and an additional £3,000 for the overall winners in both languages. In addition, they will receive iconic Book of the Year trophies specially designed by the talented artist, Angharad Pearce Jones.

Tickets to the ceremony will be on sale from the Literature Wales website from 10 May onwards.

Readers have the opportunity to have their say once again this year as Nation.Cymru and Golwg360 host the People’s Choice and Barn y Bobl polls on their websites immediately after the shortlists have been announced. The winners of these awards will also be named at the awards ceremony.

To find out more about the shortlisted titles and the writers who penned them, head over to www.literaturewales.org/wales-book-year.