Win the Jhalak Prize 2026 shortlists!

Discover the very best books by writers and illustrators of colour in the UK and Ireland. This year's shortlists, announced during the Prize's tenth anniversary celebrations, celebrate bold storytelling that excavates histories, pushes boundaries, and opens up bright, imagined worlds. From sparkling fiction and non-fiction to poetry that spans a broad spectrum of tones, these lists showcase extraordinary voices and adventurous ideas across pages and across genres. There are three sets of each shortlist to give away, so nine lucky winners can discover these breathtaking books. The Jhalak Prose Prize 2026 shortlist features titles such as Act Normal: Joy and Despair in Postcolonial Britain by Pete Kalu; Call Me Ishmaelle by Xiaolu Guo; Foreign Fruit by Katie Goh; Hail Mary by Funmi Fetto; I Want to Talk to You by Diana Evans; The South by Tash Aw.

In the Jhalak Children's & YA Prize 2026 shortlist you will find offerings like Augmented by Kenechi Udogu; How to Catch an Idea by Forest Xiao; My Name is Samim by Fidan Miekle; Roar by Manjeet Mann; Supa Nova by Chanté Timothy; The Shell Keepers by Truly Johnson.

And the Jhalak Poetry Prize 2026 shortlist brings together Foretokens by Sarah Howe; Holy Boys by Andres N. Ordorica; I Sing to the Greenhearts by Maggie Harris; My Dearest Friend by Lady Red Ego; The New Carthaginians by Nick Makoha; Why I am not a Bus Driver by Ashley Hickson-Lovence.

These lists reflect the creativity, imagination, and scholarly excellence of writers and illustrators of colour in the UK and Ireland. With three prize sets in play, nine winners will have the opportunity to explore a diverse range of contemporary literature across fiction, non-fiction, poetry and children's literature, showcased by National Book Tokens.

Prose 2026 shortlist

• Act Normal: Joy and Despair in Postcolonial Britain by Pete Kalu
• Call Me Ishmaelle by Xiaolu Guo
• Foreign Fruit by Katie Goh
• Hail Mary by Funmi Fetto
• I Want to Talk to You by Diana Evans
• The South by Tash Aw

Children's & YA 2026 shortlist

• Augmented by Kenechi Udogu
• How to Catch an Idea by Forest Xiao
• My Name is Samim by Fidan Miekle
• Roar by Manjeet Mann
• Supa Nova by Chanté Timothy
• The Shell Keepers by Truly Johnson

Poetry 2026 shortlist

• Foretokens by Sarah Howe
• Holy Boys by Andres N. Ordorica
• I Sing to the Greenhearts by Maggie Harris
• My Dearest Friend by Lady Red Ego
• The New Carthaginians by Nick Makoha
• Why I am not a Bus Driver by Ashley Hickson-Lovence

These lists celebrate the creativity, imagination and scholarly excellence of writers and illustrators of colour in the UK and Ireland. With three prize sets in play, nine winners will have the opportunity to explore a diverse range of contemporary literature across fiction, non-fiction, poetry and children’s literature.