Best Debut Short Stories 2026

Part of PEN America

Ebook
On sale Dec 15, 2026 | 256 Pages | 9781646223664

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The essential annual guide to the newest voices in literature, selected by Juliet Escoria, Abby Geni, and Chris Stuck

Best Debut Short Stories celebrates the most promising short story writers today. Selected by a panel of distinguished judges, these twelve stories are the 2026 winners of the PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers, which recognizes outstanding debuts published in literary magazines.

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The essential annual guide to the newest voices in literature, selected by Juliet Escoria, Abby Geni, and Chris Stuck

Best Debut Short Stories celebrates the most promising short story writers today. Selected by a panel of distinguished judges, these twelve stories are the 2026 winners of the PEN/Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize for Emerging Writers, which recognizes outstanding debuts published in literary magazines.

Books for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Each May, we honor the stories, histories, and cultures of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders. Below is a selection of acclaimed fiction and nonfiction books by AANHPI creators to share with your students this month and throughout the year. Find our full collection of titles for Higher Education here.

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