Tayari Jones Receives 2026 Kirkus Prize for Fiction

Kin, Jones’ fifth novel, explores the lifelong friendship between two motherless girls, highlighting how their differing choices shape their lives. The book has been featured in Oprah’s Book Club and was included in former President Barack Obama’s summer reading list.

Daniel Khalastchi, executive director of the University of Iowa's Office of Writing and Communication, stated, "Iowa is known around the world as The Writing University for a reason. Our students, faculty, and alumni are shaping contemporary literature in unprecedented ways, and the work of Tayari Jones is a wonderful example of what can happen when we support individuals in their passion for literary arts. Jones is a global talent whose local connection we couldn't be prouder of. The Kirkus Prize is an extraordinary achievement, and we are thrilled to see this year it was awarded to a distinguished and transformative alum."

Currently, Jones serves as the Charles Howard Candler Professor of Creative Writing at Emory University, as well as the A.D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University. Her accolades include the Women’s Prize for Fiction, the Aspen Words Literary Prize, and an NAACP Image Award, with her works published in over two dozen countries.

First awarded in 2014, the Kirkus Prize is one of the most prestigious literary honors worldwide, recognizing exceptional works in fiction, nonfiction, and literature for young readers. Each category’s winner receives a $50,000 prize.