2026 Booker Prize facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 2026 Booker Prize |
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| Date | 9 November 2026 | |||
| Location | Old Billingsgate, London | |||
| Country | United Kingdom & Ireland | |||
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The 2026 Booker Prize is a very important literary award that celebrates the best novels written in English. This special prize is given to a book published in the United Kingdom or Ireland. To be considered, books must have been released between October 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026. The winning author receives a fantastic prize of £50,000!
A long list of amazing books, called the "longlist," for the 2026 Booker Prize was announced on July 28, 2026. This list includes many talented writers and their stories. A shorter list of finalists, known as the "shortlist," will be revealed at a special event in London on September 22. The exciting announcement of the winner will happen on November 9, 2026, at Old Billingsgate in London.
Meet the Judges: Who Decides the Booker Prize?
A group of experts carefully reads all the submitted books to choose the best ones. These judges are often writers, critics, or academics. They have the big job of picking the longlist, the shortlist, and finally, the winner! For the 2026 Booker Prize, the judging panel includes:
- Mary Beard (who is leading the judges)
- Raymond Antrobus
- Jarvis Cocker
- Patricia Lockwood
- Rebecca Liu
The Amazing Books on the Longlist
The "longlist" is a selection of books that the judges think are truly outstanding. All the books on this list for 2026 are novels, which are long fictional stories. Here are the talented authors and their books that made it onto this special list:
| Author | Title | Country | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chloe Aridjis | The Shadow of the Object | Mexico/USA | Chatto & Windus |
| Emma Cline | Switzy | USA | Chatto & Windus |
| Makenna Goodman | Helen of Nowhere | USA | Fitzcarraldo Editions |
| M. John Harrison | The End of Everything | UK | Serpent's Tail |
| Marlon James | The Disappearers | Jamaica | Hamish Hamilton |
| Luke Kennard | Black Bag | UK | John Murray |
| Kenan Orhan | The Renovation | Turkey/USA | Hamish Hamilton |
| Rebecca Perry | May We Feed the King | UK | Granta |
| Gwendoline Riley | The Palm House | UK | Picador |
| Elizabeth Strout | The Things We Never Say | USA | Viking Press |
| Douglas Stuart | John of John | UK/USA | Picador |
| Djamel White | All Them Dogs | Ireland | John Murray |
| Missouri Williams | The Vivisectors | UK | 4th Estate |
Want to Learn More About the Booker Prize?
- List of winners and nominated authors of the Booker Prize
