The winners of the 2026 Kirkus Prize were just announced October 7th during a ceremony. With its $50,000 prize for winning authors, the Prize, in its 13th year, is one of the richest literary awards in the world. It exists to highlight the more than 93 years of thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to the world of books.

It awards authors in three categories—Fiction, Nonfiction, and Young Readers’ Literature. The titles considered for this year’s prize have publish dates that run from November 1, 2025, to October 31, 2026. The selection process starts with books reviewed by Kirkus Reviews that get the Kirkus star, which is about 10% of the 8,000-10,000 books reviewed each year. From those books, a list of finalists is determined, and finally, three winners are chosen.

The Winners of the 2026 Kirkus Prize

Fiction

Kin by Tayari Jones

That Kin won is no surprise to our Editors, who have it down as one of our favorites of the year so far.

Here’s what Kirkus jurors had to say: “In a powerfully compelling novel that brims with the cadences of the Black South, Jones explores the women’s diverging lives while using them as a lens to observe social injustice in language that is intimate, conversational, and musical.”

Nonfiction

Catch the Devil: A True Story of Murder, Deception, and Injustice on the Gulf Coast by Pamela Colloff

This investigation into a 1987 conviction reveals how unjust the justice system can be. The jurors said, “Colloff’s exposure of a criminal justice system that is all too happy to look the other way in cutting deals that can have devastating consequences.”

Young Readers’ Literature

Anger Is Only a Shadow by Elizabeth Acevedo

Acevedo is a favorite at Book Riot, and apparently Kirkus loves her too!

Here’s what the prize jurors had to say: “Nuanced, resonant verse paints a clear-eyed, profoundly loving portrait of a teen navigating the complexities of growing up. Acevedo’s cast of fully rounded, compassionately drawn characters will live on in readers’ hearts.”

For more on the 2026 Prize, visit Kirkus Reviews.

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