National Book Prize 2026 – Applications Are Open

The National Book Council (NBC) is pleased to announce the call for submissions for the National Book Prize (NBP), for books published in 2025. 

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. 

Titles published in 2025 with a Maltese ISBN can be submitted in one of the 15 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 list of eligible titles on 30 March, followed by a shortlist announced on 25 August. The winners of the National Book Prize will be announced during the award-giving ceremony to be held on 17 September.

The National Book Prize is accepting applications in Maltese and English in 15 categories, which include Novels, Short Stories, Poetry, Drama, Non-Fiction, Prose Fiction in Translation, Research and Historiographic Research, and seven categories of children’s books known as the National Book Prize for Children and Young Adults: Picture books for children (ages 0–7), Children’s Literature (ages 8–12) and Young Adult Literature, as well as Picture books in translation (ages 0-7), Children’s Literature in translation, Young Adult Literature in Translation. In addition, for the first time ever, sport literature is to be included as a category within the 2026 National Book Prize. This inclusion was facilitated through an agreement between SportMalta and NBC, fostering a collaboration by which sport could receive warranted exposure from a literary aspect. This integration is to furthermore be facilitated through the inclusion of a category in this year’s National Book Prize for Children and Young Adults 2026, falling under titled Children and Young Adults’s Sport Literature (ages 8-16). Submissions must be original works, either fiction or non-fiction, and should promote themes of sport and physical activity. Translations are not eligible.

As of 2026, works published online, for example in a literary journal, but which is submitted in printed form, will be considered as an original printed work and hence eligible for submission.The National Book Prize will also be accepting literary translations into Maltese, but only in the genres of prose fiction (novels and short stories). Submissions must ideally be direct translations from the source text, with any use of bridge translations or additional sources clearly declared. All entries must be accompanied by a copy of the source text in digital format – either in its original language or, in the case of translations via a bridge language, in English. Submissions without the required source text will not be considered, applicants must provide an English version of the book to ensure a fair evaluation.

Books published by agencies whose primary goal is to distribute copies for free – often funded by government departments and not sold in bookstores – are not eligible for the Prize. As these publications are not commercially available, they fall outside the scope of the National Book Prize, which aims to support and promote books within the market.

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 board may not award the prize if no publication satisfies the set criteria and does not reach the required level.

The National Book Prize also awards three special prizes for Best Book Production – one each from eligible titles submitted for children and young adults, research, and adult fiction –  and a Lifetime Achievement Award along with the renewal of the Illustrators’ Recognition Award category from last year’s edition. This award, which is supported by Arts Council Malta, guarantees that a certificate of merit and a grant of €2,500 to invest in professional development and training will be awarded to an illustrator for outstanding achievement in the field of book illustration. The Illustrator Recognition Prize will be awarded to an illustrator following an open call for submissions and selected from the list of eligible submissions. The selected awardee will be chosen by a board established by Arts Council Malta and the NBC, which will include an external evaluator. 

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 National Book Prize for Children and Young Adults 2026, which is €2,000. The publisher of each winning book will also receive an additional prize of €1,000 per winning book, as well as a certificate. 

The National Book Prize regulations, online application form and evaluation criteria can be accessed 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 by no later than 20 February 2026 at 4pm. Late entries will not be accepted.

Book deliveries are received at the National Book Council offices Mon-Fri from 08:00-16:00 by 20 February. For any queries email Ivania Attard on ivania.attard@gov.mt or Matthew Borg on matthew.borg@ktieb.org.mt

National Book Council
Bice Mizzi Vassallo Complex
Arnheim Road
Pembroke PBK1776