The winners of the 2024 National Book Prize – for books published in 2023 – were announced on Friday evening during a private ceremony held at the Maritime Museum in Birgu. The National Book Prize is presented annually by the National Book Council, with winning titles chosen by an independent board of adjudicators in line with a rigorous selection process.
In his opening address, the National Book Council (NBC) Executive Chairperson Mark Camilleri highlighted the achievements of Maltese literature in 2023 and the continued efforts to raise local publishing standards to international levels. He emphasised the importance of collaboration between authors, editors, publishers, and the Council in enhancing the quality of Maltese literature. Camilleri also announced ongoing initiatives, including the launch of a Foreign Rights Catalogue and the Malta Book Centre, while reaffirming the Council’s commitment to fostering local talent and promoting Maltese books on the global stage. He concluded by congratulating the winners and finalists for their contributions to Maltese literature.
The Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation Clifton Grima emphasized the importance of literary excellence as a reflection of a nation’s intellectual development. He highlighted that strong literature is a product of thoughtful writing and contributes to the advancement of society. The Minister encouraged more Maltese writers to create works in the Maltese language, aiming to elevate the status of the national language through a rich literary tradition. He commended the efforts of the NBC in promoting Maltese literature both locally and internationally, emphasising their role in ensuring that the nation remains dedicated to books and the written word. Grima concluded by congratulating all finalists, with special recognition for the winners celebrated at the event.
The winning titles were selected from a shortlist of 61 titles, published in the preceding year, across 12 competitive categories: 49 books have been shortlisted across six National Book Prize categories, and 27 books for children and young adults have been shortlisted in the six Terramaxka Prize categories. As per regulations, the adjudicators were asked to select a maximum of five entries for each shortlisted category.
The adjudication panel for the National Book Prize has decided not to shortlist any titles in the Novels category in this year’s competition. This choice reflects a commitment to maintaining the highest literary standards and ensuring that the integrity of the prize is preserved. The panel found that, while many submissions demonstrated thorough research, the overall literary quality fell short of the expectations for a national award.
Additionally, while two finalists were shortlisted in the Short Stories in Maltese and English category, ultimately no prize was awarded for this category as both titles fell short of the minimum score of 90 marks.
The Terramaxka Prize this year celebrated several children’s books for their outstanding quality in both content and production. The adjudicators praised the books for their engaging themes, contemporary illustrations, and the creative way authors and illustrators addressed new and important topics for young readers. The winning titles stood out for their ability to capture the imagination of children, with visual storytelling that enhanced the reading experience and made complex subjects accessible to a younger audience. The overall high standard of entries reflected the growing quality of children’s literature in these categories.
Two special prizes were also bestowed during the ceremony. The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award was conferred to Giovanni Bonello.
The award for Best Emergent Author was given to Ryan Falzon.
The National Book Council would like to thank the members of the adjudication board of the 2024 National Book Prize and Terramaxka: Ruth Ancilleri, Robert Attard, Nicole Bugeja, Roderick Mallia, Omar ‘N’ Shea, Maria Theuma, Mario Thomas Vassallo, Sherise Zammit and William Zammit.
Special thanks go to Margaret Callus from Malta Libraries for the classification of the submitted books in their respective category.
National Book Prize for Adults 2024
Novels in Maltese and English
No shortlisted titles
Short Stories in Maltese and English
Prize not awarded
Poetry in Maltese and English
Għażiż Ġismi by Immanuel Mifsud (Klabb Kotba Maltin)
Drama
No longlisted titles
Translation
Il-Frammenti ta’ Saffo (Saffo) translated by Warren Bartolo (Ede Books)
Literary Non-Fiction in Maltese and English
Fejjaqtni Int: Rużar Briffa – u Jien by Paul P. Borg (Self-published)
Research
Vincenzo Bonello: His Legacy in Heritage edited by Theresa Vella (Kite Group)
Historiographic Research
Jacques François de Chambray: The Order He Served, the Island He Loved, and the Fort He Built by Joseph Scicluna (Kite Group)
Best Book Production
Ede Books for the book Il-Frammenti ta’ Saffo (Saffo) translated by Warren Bartolo
Lifetime Achievement Award
Giovanni Bonello
Award for Best Emergent Writer
Ryan Falzon
The Terramaxka Prize for Children and Young Adults 2024
Original Works for Children ages 0-7
Madame Ortensja Paskwalina De Rohan by Clare Azzopardi, illustrated by Moira Scicluna Zahra (Merlin Publishers)
Original Works for Children ages 8-12
Il-Każ tal-Kappell Ikkalibrat by Leanne Ellul, illustrated by Marisa Attard (Merlin Publishers)
Young Adult Literature
Iż-Żmien Kurjuż taż-Żgħożija edited by Clare Azzopardi and Glen Calleja (Aġenzija Żgħażagħ)
Translation for Children ages 0-7
Iddeverti Kemm Tiflaħ, Binti! (Mandy Archer; Shane Crampton ill.) translated by Janet Mallia (BDL Publishing)
Translation for Children ages 8-12
Maskra Ħamra: Sensiela Kif Issir Supereroj 2 (Elias Våhlund; Agnes Våhlund ill.) translated by Antoinette Borg (Merlin Publishers)
Young Adult Literature in Translation
Fake ta’ Veru (Nereida Carrillo; Alberto Montt ill.) translated by David Aloisio (Merlin Publishers)
Best Book Production
Merlin Publishers for the book M għal Malta by Naomi Gatt
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