New Adult Book Prize 2026
Sun Oct 11, 2026
12:30 - 13:30
Cheltenham Literature Festival
The New Adult Book Prize is the first award of its kind to recognise and affirm new adult fiction as an established space for books.
The New Adult Book Prize is an award dedicated to showcasing the best of new adult fiction. Launched in 2025, the prize is setting out once again to celebrate an amazing array of authors and their writing. Last year’s shortlist celebrated a variety of genres and writers from romantasy favourite Rebecca Yarros, hard-hitting contemporary fiction, swooning romances and epic fantasy.
In 2026, the New Adult Book Prize wants to celebrate connection and champion readers in the new adult space. In The National Year of Reading we want books to be the heart of the conversation and we will be shouting about the plethora of new adult books that should make their way into the hands of every reader and non-reader alike.
Submissions for the New Adult Book Prize 2026 are now closed. The award ceremony will once again be hosted at Cheltenham Literature Festival in October as part of the prize’s partnership with VOICEBOX.
New Adult Book Prize Partners
About Us
Launched in 2025 in association with Cheltenham Literature Festival, the New Adult Book Prize is the first award of its kind to celebrate new adult fiction.
What is the New Adult Book Prize?
The New Adult Book Prize is a new award celebrating fiction that explores the lives and challenges of people in early adulthood. Launched by The Bookseller and Cheltenham Literature Festival, it highlights the growing space of new adult fiction—stories focused on the transition from adolescence to early adulthood. Open to all genres, the prize aims to showcase exceptional writing that speaks to the "quarter-life" experience, with the winner announced at the Cheltenham Literature Festival.
When will the New Adult Book Prize winner be announced?
The New Adult Book Prize winner will be announced at the Cheltenham Literature Festival as part of their VOICEBOX programme.
What books are eligible for the New Adult Book Prize?
The 2026 prize is open to an English language new adult fiction title first published in print form in the UK or Ireland, between 1st March 2025 and 28th February 2026. Self-published titles, non-fiction, anthologies and graphic novels are not eligible.
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Images from Voicebox at Cheltenham Literature Festival
