Brooke Maddison Wins 2026 Penguin Literary Prize for Driftwood

Brooke Maddison has won the 2026 Penguin Literary Prize for Driftwood, a novel exploring family trauma, memory and the lasting effects of childhood abuse.
on Jun 11, 2026

Brooke Maddison is announced as the recipient of the Penguin Literary Prize for the year 2026 for the publication of her first manuscript titled Driftwood, which is a literary fiction novel focused on childhood trauma and its aftermath on families.

The annual award offered by Penguin Random House Australia (PRH) recognizes emerging writers in Australia working on literary fiction novels and comes with a prize amount of $20,000 together with the publication contract.

From a shortlist of six manuscripts, the literary novel Driftwood stood out due to its emotional intensity and its exploration of how traumatized events affect individuals and their families.

Upon receiving the news of the award, Maddison expressed feelings of honor and surprise for having won the prize.

“I’d like to thank the judges for giving me this fantastic opportunity and seeing the promise in my work. It can be very lonely writing, so I am excited to collaborate with the Penguin Random House team on ‘Driftwood,’” she stated.

The panel of judges was made up of PRH publishing director Meredith Curnow, senior editorial manager Kathryn Knight, and booksellers Cecile Moylan of Dillons Adelaide, Sophie Wigan of Harry Hartog Carindale, and Melanie Peacock of Constant Reader.

According to Meredith Curnow, the judges all agreed that Driftwood would be the winner this year.

As a bookseller, Sophie Wigan pointed out how Driftwood’s manuscript had a compelling narrative voice with its unique Australian backdrop where Stradbroke Island is a significant part of the story.

In describing her reaction to the novel, she stated that not only did it represent the beauty of the setting but also the memories within it, and that she instantly realized the novel's potential to reach readers and become an essential part of bookstores.

Founded in 2017, the Penguin Literary Prize is intended to unearth, encourage and cultivate fresh Australian literary talent. Former recipients of the prize include Kathryn Hind, Imbi Neeme, Sophie Overett, James McKenzie Watson, Annette Higgs, Michelle See-Tho, Chloe Adams and Mary Colussi.

By writing Driftwood, Brooke Maddison is the latest name on this ever-growing list of promising new writers who have gained recognition via Australia's foremost literary award.