National Book Prize 2024 – Applications are open

The National Book Council is pleased to announce the call for submissions for the National Book Prize, including the Terramaxka Prize for children and young adults (for books published in 2023). 

The National Book prize is the highest literary award given to authors, editors, translators, publishers and illustrators for books published in Malta during the preceding year, and serves as the benchmark of excellence for Maltese publications. 

Eligible titles published in 2023 with a Maltese ISBN can be submitted in one of the fourteen categories of the Prize. A board of independent adjudicators will evaluate the submissions and determine the eligibility of each entry. This process will result in the publication of a longlist, followed by a shortlist in June. As of this edition, the adjudicators will be allowed a longer adjudication period. The winners of the National Book Prize will be announced during the award-giving ceremony to be held on 20 September.

The National Book Prize is accepting applications in eight categories for books for adults – Novel, Short Story, Poetry, Drama, Non-Fiction, Translation, Research, and Historiographic Research; and six categories of the Terramaxka Prize – Picture books for children (ages 0–7), Children’s Literature (ages 8–12) and Young Adult Literature, as well as Picture books translated into Maltese (ages 0-7), Children’s Literature translated into Maltese (ages 8-12), and Young Adult Literature in Maltese Translation. All categories are open to publications in the Maltese and English languages with the exception of categories for translations into Maltese. The National Book Prize also awards special prizes for Best Book Production for both adult and children books, Best Emergent Writer, and Lifetime Achievement Award.

Only one prize may be awarded per category, and prizes will only be given in categories where the shortlisted titles meet a high standard of literary, cultural, or academic merit, with a minimum score of 90%.

The prize money awarded in each National Book Prize category, including the special prizes, is €4,000. The only exception is the prize money for the translation categories of the Terramaxka Prize, which is €2,000. The publisher of each winning book will also receive an additional prize of €1,000 per winning book. 

The National Book Prize regulations, online application form and evaluation criteria can be accessed here on the National Book Council’s website.

The FULL application, including the submission of the online application form and delivery of the books, should reach the National Book Council not later than 29 February 2024 at noon. Late entries will not be accepted.

Book deliveries are received at the National Book Council offices Mon-Fri from 08:00-16:00. For any queries email Michael Mercieca on michael.mercieca@gov.mt.

National Book Council
Bice Mizzi Vassallo Complex
Arnheim Road
Pembroke PBK1776