‘A Guardian and a Thief,’ ‘Things in Nature Merely Grow’ receive 2026 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction

CHICAGO - The American Library Association (ALA) selects “A Guardian and a Thief,” by Megha Majumdar, published by Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House, as the winner of the 2026 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, and “Things in Nature Merely Grow,” by Yiyun Li, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, a division of Macmillan, as the winner of the 2026 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. The selections were announced on Tuesday, January 27^th.

The Carnegie awards, established in 2012, serve as a guide to help adults select quality reading material. They are the first single-book awards for adult books given by the American Library Association and reflect the expert judgment and insight of library professionals and booksellers who work closely with adult readers.

Desperation permeates the wrenching “A Guardian and a Thief,” set in a near-future Kolkata besieged by worsening climate crises. Privileged Ma, widowed Dadu, and two-year-old Mishti are spending one last week in their native city before they escape to Michigan when Ma’s purse, filled with priceless documents, is stolen. Majumdar brilliantly blurs right and wrong, ethics and legality. In such frenzied times, who is the guardian and who is the thief can never be clear.

Li faces the shocking reality of her second son’s death by suicide with heartrending honesty in “Things in Nature Merely Grow.” Only the author can explain what happened. “There is no good way to state these facts . . . My husband and I had two children and lost them both: Vincent in 2017, at sixteen, James in 2024, at nineteen. Both chose suicide.” While “words fall short,” Li continues to write.

“On behalf of the 2026 Andrew Carnegie Medals selection committee, it is my pleasure and honor to celebrate these extraordinary books that represent literary excellence in fiction and nonfiction,” said Lillian Dabney, current selection committee chair. “Megha Majumdar's intoxicating novel is filled with emotion and relevance to all people and all places across time. Yiyun Li has courageously put almost inexplicable events into words that will benefit all who encounter her book. I am profoundly fortunate to have been a part of this process and to have worked with such an incredibly gifted committee.”

The 2026 fiction finalists include “A Guardian and a Thief,” by Megha Majumdar, published by Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC; “The Unworthy,” by Agustina Bazterrica, translated by Sarah Moses, published by Scribner, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, LLC; and “We Do Not Part,” By Han Kang, translated by e. yaewon and Paige Aniyah Morris, published by Hogarth, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

2026 nonfiction finalists include “Baldwin, Styron, and Me,” by Mélikah Abdelmoumen, translated by Catherine Khordoc, published by Biblioasis; “There Is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America,” by Brian Goldstone, published by Crown, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC; and “Things in Nature Merely Grow,” by Yiyun Li, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, a division of Macmillan.

Carnegie Medal winners will each receive $5,000. All the finalists will be honored and the winners will be presented with their medals during a celebratory event at the American Writers Museum during ALA's 2026 Annual Conference in Chicago in June.

The awards were established with a grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York and are cosponsored and administered by Booklist and RUSA.

More information on the finalists and the awards can be found at https://www.ala.org/carnegie-medals/2026-winners. 

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Booklist is a book-review magazine that has been published by the American Library Association for 120 years, and is widely viewed as offering the most reliable reviews to help libraries decide what to buy and to help library patrons and students decide what to read, view or listen to. It includes Booklist Reader, a new publication dedicated to patrons; the annual Booklist’s Guide to Graphic Novels in Libraries; an extensive website and database, e-newsletters, webinars, and other resources that support librarians in collection development and readers' advisory.

About Reference and User Services Association (RUSA)
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About the American Library Association
The American Library Association is the largest non-partisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to America’s libraries. The ALA mission is to empower and advocate for all libraries and library workers to ensure equitable access to information for all. For 150 years, ALA has provided resources for information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more information, visit www.ala150.org.