Literary prizes in 2026

All year round authors and illustrators from Flanders win literary prizes, both at home and abroad. Find out which authors, illustrators and translators have won prizes in 2026.

• Atman! by Bart Moeyaert, ‘Bunnies in the Graveyard’ by Peer Wittenbols en Shamisa Debroey, and The Origin of Things by Jacques & Lise have been nominated for the Woutertje Pieterse Prize, an annual Flemish and Dutch prize for the best children’s book written in Dutch.

• Groundwork by Tijl Nuyts has won the Boon Literature Prize, one of the three major literary awards in the Dutch-language region. In his debut novel, Nuyts writes from the perspective of a naked mole rat who is literally undermining Brussels. From the jury report: “‘Groundwork’ digs deep: it is both socially engaged climate fiction and sharp social critique. Thanks to its distinctive perspective and lyrical prose, this novel is also a remarkable feat of literary technique.”
• The Animals Within by Lieselot Mariën was shortlisted for both the Boon Literature Prize and the Libris Prize. Also on the shortlist for the Libris Prize is Far From Winter by Peter Terrin.
• The Gift by Gaea Schoeters was shortlisted for the Boon Literature Prize.

• The jury of the Bronzen Adhemar 2026, chaired by former winner Brecht Evens, has unanimously awarded the prestigious biennial comic book prize to Olivier Schrauwen. According to the jury report, “the body of work that Schrauwen has built up over the years is characterised by originality and depth, and inspires new generations of comic book authors around the world.”

• Women in Dark Times by Alicja Gescinska is on the shortlist for the Socrates Beker Prize, an annual Dutch prize to celebrate the author of the most urgent, original and stimulating philosophical work published in the previous year, written in Dutch.