Five writers have been shortlisted for the prestigious 2026 Giller Prize. Tara Gereaux, Michelle Good, Nicholas Herring, Nazanine Hozar, and Patmeena Sabit are in the running for the $100,000 award that celebrates outstanding Canadian fiction. The diverse shortlist includes Gereaux’s “Wild People Quiet,” a historical fiction set in 1940s Saskatchewan, Herring’s “Your Breath in Charcoal,” a contemporary road trip tale from New Brunswick to Toronto, and Hozar’s “The Small Ones,” a gripping story about child soldiers in the Iran-Iraq war.
Good, known for “Eliza Sunshine,” is the only author on the list with previous Giller Prize recognition. Her debut novel, “Five Little Indians,” made the 2020 longlist and secured victory in Canada Reads 2022. On the other hand, Sabit is a finalist for her debut work of fiction, “Good People.”
The Giller Prize shortlist was selected by a jury consisting of independent booksellers from various regions across Canada. The winner will be revealed at the Giller Prize award ceremony on November 16 in Toronto, hosted by comedian Rick Mercer. The event will be broadcast on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One, and CBC Listen. Additionally, the Giller finalists will participate in live events as part of the Between the Pages series in Calgary, Ottawa, Halifax, and Toronto.
After recent funding controversies, the Giller Prize ended its association with Scotiabank in 2025 and is now supported by the Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation’s $4 million gift. Last year’s winner was Souvankham Thammavongsa for “Pick a Colour.”
Each of the shortlisted books offers a unique and compelling narrative. “Wild People Quiet” by Tara Gereaux delves into themes of colonial trauma and self-acceptance, “Eliza Sunshine” by Michelle Good portrays the power of storytelling in overcoming adversity, “Your Breath in Charcoal” by Nicholas Herring explores a young man’s journey to find his place in the world, “The Small Ones” by Nazanine Hozar presents a poignant tale of children in wartime, and “Good People” by Patmeena Sabit delves into the complexities of an immigrant family’s American dream.
