This weeks Literary Ledger 20 to 27 February 2026

Welcome to your weekly roundup of all things books! We’re keeping it short and sweet, just five stories to keep you in the loop without overwhelming you. Think of this as your quick fix for staying connected to the book world.

I) British Book Awards 2026: Library of the Year Finalists

The British Book Awards 2026, aka the Nibbies, have revealed their regional and country finalists. These aren’t the overall winners just yet; they’re part of the earlier stage, where regional winners are selected before one national winner is ultimately chosen.

This announcement is part of a wider rollout of shortlists across multiple categories (including bookshops and small presses), which are being revealed throughout February and March 2026.

It’s also worth stressing that this category isn’t actually about books, it’s about libraries as community institutions. Judges tend to focus on things like community engagement, innovation, accessibility, diversity, and overall impact on local readers and literacy.

What makes these awards so special is that they celebrate the entire book trade, publishers, bookshops, libraries, and more, not just authors.

The ceremony itself will take place in May 2026 in London.

II) Nadiya Hussain Speaks Out After Career Shifts and Rooza Book Release

Nadiya Hussain, winner of The Great British Bake Off in 2015, has been in the UK news recently, and for what feels like three interconnected reasons.

Firstly, her cooking show was dropped by the BBC. A spokesperson said: “After several wonderful series, we have made the difficult decision not to commission another cookery show with Nadiya Hussain at the moment.”

Following this, she made a surprising career change, stepping into a role as a teaching assistant in a school. However, just three months later, she left the position, saying it had “played havoc with her health” due to her weakened immune system.

More recently, she has spoken out about feeling less supported by major institutions, particularly the BBC, after the release of her Islamic-focused cookbook, Rooza: A Journey Through Islamic Cuisine, which centres on Ramadan and Muslim food traditions.

From her perspective, earlier in her career she was seen as more “mainstream” or “universal,” but once her work became more explicitly tied to her Muslim identity, attitudes seemed to shift.

That said, there are differing views within the industry. Some sources suggest her changing opportunities may have been down to factors like popularity or creative direction, with broadcasters making space for newer talent as audience interests evolve.

III) International Booker Prize 2026 Longlist Revealed

Thirteen books have been longlisted for the 2026 International Booker Prize, all works of fiction translated into English. The prize itself is worth a whopping £50,000, which is split between the author and translator.

The 2026 longlist:

• The Wax Child – Olga Ravn

• The Director – Daniel Kehlmann

• The Nights Are Quiet in Tehran – Shida Bazyar

• We Are Green and Trembling – Gabriela Cabezón Cámara

• The Remembered Soldier – Anjet Daanje

• The Deserters – Mathias Énard

• Small Comfort – Ia Genberg

• She Who Remains – Rene Karabash

• On Earth As It Is Beneath – Ana Paula Maia

• The Duke – Matteo Melchiorre

• The Witch – Marie NDiaye

• Women Without Men – Shahrnush Parsipur

• Taiwan Travelogue – Yáng Shuāng‑zǐ

It’s a truly global and diverse list, both in terms of geography and subject matter, showcasing stories from across the world.

Key dates to keep in mind:

• Longlist announced: February 2026

• Shortlist (6 books): 31 March 2026

• Winner announced: 19 May 2026, at the London ceremony

  
  

IV) HarperCollins UK Announces Senior Sales Promotion

A quick career update for anyone watching the UK publishing scene: Tom Dunstan, formerly Home and Digital Sales Director at HarperCollins UK, has been promoted to Group Sales Director.

Dunstan has been with HarperCollins since 2011 and has steadily progressed through senior sales roles, making this a top-tier commercial position within the company. For those tracking rising leaders in publishing, he’s definitely someone to keep an eye on.

V) Supreme Court Blocks Trump’s Global Tariffs – A Relief for Books

Overseas news: the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that Donald Trump’s global tariffs are unconstitutional, a bit of good news for the book publishing and printing world after a year of stress and uncertainty. The court said he’d gone beyond his authority.

Publishers, printers, and booksellers spent much of 2025 bracing for these tariffs, even though books mostly escaped the worst of it.

If, like me, you were a bit hazy on tariffs, here’s the gist:

• Lots of books are printed overseas, often in Asia, with paper, ink, and bindings sourced globally.

• Printing is chosen based on cost efficiency and scale.

• Tariffs made importing books more expensive, printing abroad less feasible, and costs across the whole supply chain shot up.

With this ruling, publishers don’t have to worry about surprise import taxes, which makes producing books cheaper and more predictable.

But don’t pop the champagne just yet. Trump could try another way to bring back tariffs. Hopefully, common sense (or the courts) will step in before anyone else suffers.