The National Book Council has announced the shortlist for the 2022 National Book Prize and Terramaxka Prize, for books published in 2021.

Now in its 45th edition, the National Book Prize is the highest literary prize assigned to authors, editors, translators, publishers and illustrators, and serves as guide to standout books published in Malta during the preceding year.

The shortlist has been selected by an independent adjudication board appointed annually by the National Book Council according to a set of established criteria.

The 2022 shortlist includes 63 titles selected out of 199 longlisted and eligible works received by March 28 of this year, 43 of which have been shortlisted across the eight National Book Prize categories, with 20 books for children and young adults shortlisted in the six Terramaxka Prize categories.

The categories of the National Book Prize for adults are novels, short stories, poetry, drama, literary non-fiction, translation, general research and biographical and historiographic research. The categories in the Terramaxka prize are original works for children ages 0–7, 8–12 and young adult literature, books in translation for children ages 0–7 and 8–12 and young adult literature in translation.

The adjudication process for the 2022 National Book Prize was launched in May 2022 with the publication of the longlist. The winners in each category of the National Book Prize and the Terramaxka Prize will be selected in the coming months and will be announced during an award-giving ceremony on November 4.

All of the National Book Prize shortlisted books are available in local bookstores and online shops and will be sold at the upcoming 2022 Malta Book Festival (November 23-27) held at the Malta Fairs & Conventions Centre (MFCC), Ta’ Qali.

To see the full list of nominees for the 2022 National Book Prize and Terramaxka Prize, follow us on Facebook or visit ktieb.org.mt.

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