Lai’s “Cannon” shortlisted for Carol Shields Prize for Fiction
Australian cartoonist Lee Lai, who currently lives in Canada, has been shortlisted for the US$150,000 (A$209,673) Carol Shields Prize for Fiction for the graphic novel Cannon (Giramondo).
The full 2026 shortlist includes:
- Hellions (Julia Elliott, Tin House)
- The White Hot (Quiara Alegría Hudes, One World)
- Cannon (Lee Lai, Giramondo)
- A Guardian and a Thief (Megha Majumdar, Scribner UK)
- Lion (Sonya Walger, New York Review of Books).
“These 5 books represent literary excellence across a diverse range of genres, including novels, a graphic novel, and a short story collection,” said Carol Shields Prize CEO Alexandra Skoczylas. “We are fiercely committed to championing women and nonbinary authors working in Canada and the United States, ensuring their stories receive the global recognition and support they deserve.”
Cannon has also been shortlisted for this year’s Stella Prize.
The Carol Shields Prize for Fiction is an English-language prize awarded annually “to celebrate creativity and excellence in fiction by women and nonbinary writers in Canada and the United States”. The four finalists each receive US$12,500.
The winner will be announced on 2 June at a ceremony in Toronto, Canada.
More information about the shortlist is available on the prize website.
Category: Awards International awards Local news
