Prix Vendredi 2026 shortlist reveals ten

The jury for the tenth Prix Vendredi has announced its shortlist of ten books. The winner of this French-language award for teenage literature will be revealed on November 12 at a ceremony in Paris hosted by Babelio.

According to the source, Livres Hebdo, the jury met on September 8 at the Syndicat national de l'édition (SNE) to whittle down a pre-selection of around forty titles. Simon Roguet, a long-standing juror and bookseller, noted that while much of the list was prepared in advance, animated discussions focused on choosing the tenth and final title.

A diverse selection of themes and genres

Jurors aimed for a list that speaks to 13-18 year-olds, guarantees diversity in content and genre, and includes only one title per publishing house. They expressed satisfaction with the resulting selection. "I think it's the first time we've had such a wide diversity," observed juror Simon Roguet. New juror Isabelle Harbonnier-Valdher, a school librarian, agreed, noting the mix includes new series beginnings, established authors, and debut voices.

Genre literature is strongly represented this year with several fantasy titles. Romance stories, described as particularly popular with teenage girls, also feature alongside gripping plots bordering on thrillers.

The jury's perspective and challenge

Author and genre specialist Tom Levêque, also a juror, explained the panel's criteria. "Of course, we pay attention to the strength of the writing and the construction of the narrative, but some proposals, sometimes a little less polished, can win us over because they offer something totally new," he said. The key challenge remains projecting themselves into the mind of a teenage readership, with all the difficulty that entails.

Before the November announcement, jurors will re-read the shortlisted books. The parallel Prix Vendredi du pass Culture jury will also begin reviewing the selection. Isabelle Harbonnier-Valdher looks forward to comparing the jury's perspective with that of young readers, who she says are already awaiting the release of some titles. As a librarian, she states she orders the Prix Vendredi books "les yeux fermes" - with her eyes closed.

The 2026 shortlist

The ten books in contention for the 2026 award are listed below.

Jury composition and award background

The jury includes members such as Emmanuelle Kabala, Tom Levêque, Lucie Kosmala, Anne Ricou, Simon Roguet, and author Coline Pierré, who won the parallel readers' prize last year. Three new recruits joined: Pierre Krause, editorial manager at Babelio; school librarian Isabelle Harbonnier-Valdher; and Mahaut de Butler, a critic for France Inter's Bibliothèque des ados segment.

Created in 2016 and first awarded in 2017 by the SNE's youth publishing group, the Prix Vendredi rewards a French-language book for readers over 13 published between October 1 of the previous year and September 30 of the current year. The historical partner, La Fondation La Poste, provides the endowment. The award has established itself as a premier national prize for Francophone literature. This year's November ceremony will double as a literary party to celebrate the prize's tenth anniversary.