Today, Amazon Canada and The Walrus unveiled the nominees for the 50th annual Amazon Canada First Novel Award, recognizing the exceptional talent of debut novelists and their contributions to Canada’s literary landscape.
Each finalist this year will receive $6,000, with the winner receiving $60,000. The winner will be announced at the in-person award ceremony in Toronto on Thursday, June 4, 2026. The event will be hosted by Jennifer Hollett, executive director of The Walrus, and will feature renowned Canadian novelist Lawrence Hill as the special guest speaker.
The finalists for the 2026 Amazon Canada First Novel Award are listed alphabetically by each author’s last name:
- Property, Kate Cayley (Coach House Books)
- Nowhere, Jon Claytor (Goose Lane Editions)
- Black Cherokee, Antonio Michael Downing (Scribner Canada)
- Small Ceremonies, Kyle Edwards (McClelland & Stewart)
- I Remember Lights, Ben Ladouceur (Book*hug Press)
- Endling, Maria Reva (Knopf Canada)
Now in its ninth year, the Youth Short Story category award will also be presented at the ceremony, celebrating the emerging talent of young Canadian writers. Authors aged thirteen to seventeen were invited to submit original short stories of up to 3,000 words. The five finalists will each receive $500, with the winner receiving $5,000.
The finalists for the 2026 Amazon Canada Youth Short Story Award are listed alphabetically by last name:
- Lara Chamoun, “The Smallest Rattlesnake under the Skin”
- Jenna Currey, “Threadbox”
- Clementine Dempsey-Hall, “Bad Day for Saint Cheerful”
- Rocco Notroff-Tomlinson, “Count”
- Nandini Parihar, “Space between Certainties”
- Rowan Soley, “Rot”
This year’s panel of judges is composed of esteemed authors and literary figures, including Anne Fleming, author of Curiosities; Conor Kerr, author of Prairie Edge; Terese Mason Pierre, author of Myth; and SJ Sindu, author of Marriage of a Thousand Lies. The judges bring a range of perspectives and expertise to the selection process.
The Amazon Canada First Novel Award represents Amazon's commitment to amplifying new literary voices who are defining Canada’s future literary identity. These debut authors’ works span diverse genres and perspectives, reflecting the rich cultural mosaic of Canadian storytelling. By recognizing these emerging talents, Amazon Canada acknowledges the remarkable creativity found in first-time novelists across the country.
Since its establishment in 1976, the First Novel Award program has launched the careers of some of Canada’s most prestigious authors. Previous winners include Michael Ondaatje, Joan Barfoot, Joy Kogawa, W. P. Kinsella, Nino Ricci, Rohinton Mistry, Michael Redhill, Katherena Vermette, Casey Plett, Michelle Good, Alicia Elliott, and last year’s winner, Valérie Bah.
For additional information about the finalists and the Amazon Canada First Novel Award, visit amazon.ca/firstnovelaward or thewalrus.ca/afna.
