Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1547002
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 4 OCTOBER 2026 THE WINNERS The best books published locally in 2025 were selected by the independent adjudication board of the National Book Prize 2026 and are available from all bookstores and each publisher's online shop. These books will also be available at the Malta Book Festival from Wednesday 4 to Sunday 8 November at the MFCC. Novels Eħlisna mid-deni by Karl Schembri (Merlin Publishers) Short Stories Is-sajf mhux għat-tfal by Lon Kirkop (Merlin Publishers) Poetry dahri darek by Klara Vassallo (Self-published) Drama Il-Każin tal-Imqarbin by Luke Saydon (Saydon Studio) Prose Fiction in Translation Isem il-Warda (Umberto Eco) translated by Adrian Stivala (Klabb Kotba Maltin) Best Book Production Kotba Calleja for dahri darek by Klara Vassallo Literary Non-Fiction Qarn by Romeo Roxman Gatt (Aphroconfuso) Research The Malta Royal Opera House Power, Culture, and the Stage by Vicki Ann Cremona (Kite Group; Fondazzjoni Patrimonju Malti) Historiographic Research A Mediterranean History of Modern Art Volume 1: Tension between History and Metahistory by Giuseppe Schembri Bonaci (Horizons) Best Book Production Midsea Books for Wrinkles by Paul Caruana ktieb.org.mt Lifetime Achievement Award Joe Friggieri Picture Books for Children (Ages 0–7) Tales from San Anton Gardens: The Garden and I by Francesca Tabone, illustrated by Naomi Gatt (Faraxa Publishing) Children's Literature (Ages 8–12) Kaħlani: Skoss pożi u karamboli by Clare Azzopardi and Leanne Ellul, illustrated by Romont Willy (Merlin Publishers) Young Adult Literature Ta' Taħt Fuq: Il-Missjoni tal-Mostru by Matthew Schembri (Merlin Publishers) Picture books in Translation (Ages 0–7) Lupu Lupettu jħobb id-dinosawri (Orianne Lallemand, Éléonore Thuillier) translated by Clare Azzopardi (Merlin Publishers) Children's Literature in Translation (Ages 8–12) Malvarina: Irrid insir saħħara (Susanna Isern, Laura Proietti) translated by Clare Azzopardi (Merlin Publishers) Best Book Production Merlin Publishers for be;n il-kmiem by Leanne Ellul Illustration Recognition Prize (National Book Council in collaboration with Arts Council Malta) Mark Scicluna