The National Book Foundation revealed its new 5 Under 35 cohort, recognizing five “writers who have published their first and only book of fiction—a short story collection or novel—within the last five years.”
Stephanie Wambugu, whose novel, Lonely Crowds, was published last July, was named an honoree, as was Megan Kamalei Kakimoto, author of the story collection Every Drop Is a Man’s Nightmare, published in 2023.
Carrie R. Moore, author of the 2025 story collection Make Your Way Home, was given the honor alongside Anika Jade Levy, whose novel Flat Earth was published last November, and Maggie Su, author of the 2025 novel Blob: A Love Story.
Ruth Dickey, the executive director of the National Book Foundation, said in a statement, “Each year, 5 Under 35 invites us to celebrate tremendous literary talents whose debut novels and story collections deserve our attention.…It is an honor to welcome these gifted storytellers into the National Book Foundation family, share their work with readers around the globe, and support the beginning of their long literary careers.”
This year’s cohort will be honored at a ceremony on June 9 at the performance venue Littlefield in Brooklyn.
The 5 Under 35 program was launched in 2006. Previous honorees include Yaa Gyasi, Karen Russell, Fatima Farheen Mirza, Bryan Washington, and Justin Torres.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
