back to news

National Book Prize and Terramaxka Shortlist 2018

Festivals • National Book Prize • News

24th August, 2018

Image of National Book Prize and Terramaxka Shortlist 2018

The National Book Council is hereby releasing the National Book Prize 2018 Shortlist for books published in 2017. The Adjudication Board communicated the choice of finalists yesterday during a formal meeting at the NBC premises. The selection process started on 11 May with a total of 172 entries, out of which 40 have been shortlisted – 25 for the National Book Prize and 15 for the Terramaxka Prize. Two of the shortlisted novels are debut novels by well-known local poets: Ir-rota daret dawra (kważi) sħiħa by Nadia Mifsud and Tħabbat Xtaqtek by Gioele Galea.

The Adjudication Board will now be selecting the winners of the Book Prize for each separate category in both adult literature (National Book Prize) and children’s literature (Terramaxka Prize). The winners of the Terramaxka Prize will be announced on Tuesday 6 November at the official opening of the Malta Book Festival 2018 (Sir Temi Zammit Hall, MCC, Valletta). The winners of the National Book Prize will be announced on 30 November during the award-giving ceremony, which will be held at Auberge de Castille under the patronage of the Prime Minister.

National Book Prize 2018: shortlist

Novels in Maltese and English

Title of book	Author/Editor	Publisher
Ir-rota daret dawra (kważi) sħiħa	Nadia Mifsud	Merlin Publishers
Kapitali	Wayne Flask	Merlin Publishers
Rokit	Loranne Vella	Merlin Publishers
Love in the time of the Inquisition	Lou Drofenik	Horizons
It-Tawmaturgu: il-ħmura ta' filgħaxija	Mark Anthony Fenech	Horizons
L-Iżvijati	Walid Nabhan	Klabb Kotba Maltin
Tħabbat xtaqtek: djarju mill-eremitaġġ	Gioele Galea	Horizons
It-Taàr: Distopja, l-ewwel ktieb	John A. Bonello	Serafin Books

Poetry in Maltese and English

Title of book	Author/Editor	Publisher
Ġenesi: Poeżiji 2007-2016	Achille Mizzi	Horizons
Xewqat tal-passa: Poeżiji 2008-2016	John P. Portelli	Horizons
Erbgħin jum	Antoine Cassar	EDE Books

General Research

Title of book	Author/Editor	Publisher
Woven Splendour: The Tapestries of the Conventual Church of the Knights of Malta	Cyntia de Giorgio	Midsea Books
Birds of the Maltese Islands (Nature Guide Series)	Natalino Fenech	BDL
Gozo and the Grand Tour	Thomas Freller	Midsea Books
Kaxxa infernali: dizzjunarju tal-logħob tan-nar b'iktar minn 1200 terminu	Carlston Grima	Klabb Kotba Maltin
Spiritual Direction with the Divine Milieu: Insights of Pierre Teilhard du Chardin	Mary Anne Sultana
Curtain Up!	Paul Xuereb	Midsea Books

Biographical and Historiographic Research

Title of book	Author/Editor	Publisher
L-istorja tal-Partit Laburista	Francis Galea	SKS Publishers
Ritratti ta' tfuliti	Reno Muscat	Faraxa Publishers
''Kollni kemm jien għalikom'': Il-ħajja mqanqla ta' Mikiel Gonzi u żminjietna (1885-1984)	Louis Cilia	Klabb Kotba Maltin
A visual guide to the fortifications of Malta	Stephen C. Spiteri	BDL
Minn fomm il-poplu by Guido Lanfranco	Guido Lanfranco	Klabb Kotba Maltin
Il-Maltin: għemilhom, drawwiethom, ġrajjiethom: L-evwwel volum	Steve Borg	Klabb Kotba Maltin
Sal-quċċata tal-Everest	Marco Cremona and Glen Calleja	Merlin Publishers
Birżebbuġa...storja u kultura	Conrad D'Amato and Matthew Balzan	Għaqda Storja u Kultura Birżebbuġa

Terramaxka 2018: books published in 2017

Original works: books for children (ages 0-7)

Title of book	Author/Editor	Publisher
Imeldina u l-uċuħ	Sandra Hili Vassallo	Merlin Publishers
Ġanni jżur Londra	Sherise Zammit	Merlin Publishers
Is-sinjura Klaws	Clare Azzopardi	Merlin Publishers
Mamà, allura din imħabba?	Moira Scicluna Zahra and Mark Scicluna	Merlin Publishers
Dar ġdida għal Ġużi	Clare Azzopardi and Rachel Portelli	Merlin Publishers
Super Nina	Clare Azzopardi and Rachel Portelli	Merlin Publishers
We're the New Superheroes	Sabrina Mulligan	Faraxa Publishers

Original works: books for children (ages 8-12)

Title of book	Author/Editor	Publisher
Jissokta l-Każ tal-Aħwa ta' Saver u Ludmilla de Molizz	Clare Azzopardi	Merlin Publishers
Il-vjaġġaturi taż-żmien	Simone Spiteri	Merlin Publishers
Il-misteru tal-għoġol tad-deheb	Ruth Frendo	Pro Motion