We are delighted to share that following its longlisting in February, Holy Boys by Andrés N. Ordorica has now been shortlisted for the Jhalak Poetry Prize! 

The shortlists celebrate books by writers of colour in the UK and Ireland, marking a decade of the Jhalak Prize and showcasing the brilliance that the Prize seeks to champion.

Prize director, Sunny Singh commented:

‘The 2026 shortlists exemplify the extraordinary quality of writing that the Jhalak Prize has worked hard to champion for the past decade. These lists go far beyond representation and instead are a glittering treasure trove of future classics. Here are books that excavate buried histories, push boundaries and lead us to brighter imagined and possible worlds. We cannot be prouder to be able to champion and celebrate such powerful literary works.’

The Judges for the Jhalak Poetry Prize 2026 are poets Romalyn  Ante, Nikita Gill and Kadija (George) Sesay.

Jhalak Poetry Prize Shortlist

Foretokens, Sarah Howe (Chatto & Windus)

Holy Boys, Andrés N. Ordorica (Polygon)

I Sing to the Greenhearts, Maggie Harris (Seren)

My Dearest Friend, Lady Red Ego (Verve)

The New Carthaginians, Nick Makoha (Penguin)

Why I am not a Bus Driver, Ashley Hickson-Lovence (Bad Betty)

A huge congratulations to Andrés and the other shortlisted authors!