The National Book Prize is the highest literary prize assigned to authors,ย editors, translators, publishers and illustrators for books published in Malta during the preceding year. Titles are shortlisted and awarded according to the various categories of the National Book Prize and Terramaxka Prize for children and young adults. The National Book Prize is evaluated by an independent adjudication board ensuring the highest degree of transparency and fairness.
Applications for the 2024 edition of the Malta Book Prize will be open between 13 and 29 February 2024.
The National Book Prize Ceremony will be taking place on 20 September 2024.ย
National Book Prize Regulations and Criteria
Application Form and Regulations for the National Book Prize and Terramaxka Prizeย
Application Form // National Book Prize 2024
Regulations and Criteria // National Book Prize 2024
Completed applications, including the submission of the online application form and delivery of 4 copies of the books entered for consideration, should reach the National Book Council by not later than 29 February at noon – please note the shorter than usual application period. 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
Address: National Book Council
Bice Mizzi Vassallo Complex,
Arnheim Road,
Pembroke – PBK 1776
The application form can be downloaded as a printable pdf. We however urge applicants to apply via the online application form.
Previous editions
2023
The 2023 National Book Prize awards ceremony was held on 24 November.
See the full list of the 2023 National Book Prize Winners.
2022
The 2022 National Book Prize awards ceremony was held at Muลผa on 4 November.
Click here to view the full list of the 2022 National Book Prize Winners.
2021
The 2021 National Book Prize awards ceremony was held at the Auberge de Castille on 10 December.
Watch the Terramaxka Prize ceremony as part of the opening night of the 2021 Malta Book Festival or the list of winning titles here.
2020
The 2020 National Book Prize awards ceremony was held entirely online for the very first time and streamed on the National Book Council Facebook page and website on 18 December.
2019
The 2019 National Book Prize ceremony was held on 30 January 2020 at San Anton Palace under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Malta, His Excellency George Vella.
The full list of the 2019 National Book Prize winners.
All National Book Prize winners can be viewed at our page dedicated to The National Book Prize History.
The 2021 National Book Prize and Terramaxka Prize – shortlist announced
The application period for the 2021 National Book Prize: books published in 2020 was open between 8 March –ย 26 April 2021.
The National Book Prize is the highest literary prize assigned to authors, publishers and illustrators for work published locally the year before. The shortlisted titles and the winning titles in the now 9 categories of the National Book Prize for Adults and the 6 categories of the Terramaxka Prize (National Book Prize for Children and Adolescents) are selected by an independent board of adjudication, whose members are obliged to follow a set of criteria in their evaluation order to ensure the highest degree of transparency and fairness as is appropriate for such an important and prestigious prize.
Criteria and regulations may be found below.
Entries will then be evaluated by the board of adjudication and the longlist was announced at the end of April 2021: https://ktieb.org.mt/news/the-national-book-prize-and-terramaxka-prize-2021-the-longlist/
The shortlist of both the Terramaxka and National Book Prize for adults titles will be announced at the beginning of August 2021.
The Terramaxka Prize ceremony will take place in November during the opening night of the 2021 Malta Book Festival, while the 2021 National Book Prize award ceremony date will be announced later this year.
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Below please find the Application Form and Regulations of the National Book Prize (including the Terramaxka Prize)
Application // National Book Prize 2021
Regulations // National Book Prize 2021
The Categories and Criteria of the National Book Prize for Adults โ Adjudication Guidelines and Criteria โ are as follows:
NOVELS IN MALTESE AND ENGLISH: Criteria
SHORT STORIES MALTESE AND ENGLISH: Criteria
POETRY IN MALTESE AND ENGLISH: Criteria
DRAMA (MALTESE AND ENGLISH): Criteria
LITERARY NON-FICTION: Criteria
TRANSLATION: Criteria
GENERAL RESEARCH: Criteria
BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORIOGRAPHIC RESEARCH: Criteria
The Categories and Criteria of the National Book Prize for Children and Adolescents (Terramaxka Prize) โ Adjudication Criteria โ are as follows:
Criteria 8-12 yrs ORIGINAL WORK
Criteria 13-16 yrs ORIGINAL WORK
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The 2020 National Book Prize awards ceremony was held entirely online for the very first time and streamedย on the National Book Council Facebook page and website on 18 December. We are therefore extending our invitation to the public to join us for the announcement of the best books published locally in 2019.
We would also like to take this opportunity to encourage the public to keep reading and purchasing shortlisted Maltese publications and more from the online shops of local publishers. More information from where you can find local publications for sale online can be found here: https://ktieb.org.mt/national-book-festival-2020-publishers/
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The 2019 National Book Prize ceremony was held on 30 January 2020 at San Anton Palace under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Malta, His Excellency George Vella. Follow this link for the full list of the 2019 National Book Prize winners.