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Bogforum’s Debutant Prize

Since 1993, the year’s best literary debut has been selected at Bogforum. With the prize, Bogforum aims to draw attention to strong new voices in Danish literature.

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Each year, Bogforum awards the prize for the best literary debut. Since 1993, the prize has been an integral part of Denmark’s largest book festival at Bella Center, where authors, publishers and passionate readers come together.

With the prize, Bogforum seeks to highlight strong new voices in Danish literature. In addition to a financial grant of DKK 50,000 to support the continuation of the author’s work, the prize also brings increased visibility from the press, booksellers and readers, helping promising literary careers move forward.

Feline Kamber wins the Bogforum Debutant Prize 2026

Feline Kamber is the winner of the Bogforum Debutant Prize 2026 for her debut novel Foder til høns, published by Gutkind. The award was presented during the official opening of Bogforum on Friday, 30 October at Bella Center Copenhagen.

In Foder til høns, Feline Kamber takes readers to an unnamed island in the Wadden Sea, where humans, talking cats and ghosts live side by side. Here, a story of social control, jealousy, love and desire unfolds in a world where the grotesque meets the poetic, and the boundaries between life and death, humans and animals begin to dissolve.

Among other qualities, the jury highlights the novel’s rich, evocative and sensory language, describing the work as humorous, whimsical and repulsive. The jury’s statement concludes with the words:

“It is refreshingly original and uncompromising.”

Five outstanding debut authors were nominated

Feline Kamber was nominated alongside four other notable debut authors: Nanna Holm with Røde port, Sigrid Adamsson with Skyerne, Dean Butt with Vi er rigtige engle and Oline Hyllested Madsen with Dullerne.

Since 1993, the Bogforum Debutant Prize has spotlighted new literary voices and given talented debut authors a strong platform within the Danish literary scene.

Winners of the Bogforum Debutant Prize

2026. Feline Kamber - Foder til høns (Gutkind)

2025. Christine Kærulv – Motherlode (Gads Forlag)

2024. Linea Maja Ernst – Kun til navlen (Lindhardt & Ringhof)

2023. Amina Elmi – Barbar [tavshedens objekt] (Gyldendal)

2022. Kristin Vego – Se en sidste gang på alt smukt (Turbine)

2021. Fine Gråbøl – Ungeenheden (Gads Forlag)

2020. Sofie Malmborg – Bargums synder (Politikens Forlag)

2019. Amalie Langballe – Forsvindingsnumre (Lindhardt & Ringhof)

2018. Anita Furu – Mit halve liv (Forlaget Gladiator)

2017. Tine Høeg – Nye rejsende (Rosinante)

2016. Niels Henning Falk Jensby – Techno (Gyldendal)

2015. Morten Pape – Planen (Politikens Forlag)

2014. Thomas Rydahl – Eremitten (Forlaget Bindslev)

2013. Yahya Hassan – YAHYA HASSAN (Gyldendal)

2012. Anne-Cathrine Riebnitzky – Den stjålne vej (Lindhardt & Ringhof)

2011. Erik Valeur – Det syvende barn (Politikens Forlag)

2010. Kaspar Colling Nielsen – Mount København (Gyldendal)

2009. Martin Kongstad – Han danser på sin søns grav (People’s)

2008. Janni Olesen – Noget du skal vide (Gyldendal)

2007. Henriette E. Møller – Jelne (Gyldendal)

2006. Knud Romer – Den som blinker er bange for døden (Lindhardt & Ringhof)

2005. Jonas T. Bengtsson – Aminas breve (People’s)

2004. Kristian Ditlev Jensen – Livret (Gyldendal)

2003. Maria Grønlykke – Fisketyven (Gyldendal)

2002. Eddie Thomas Petersen – Kys (People’s)

2001. Lise Rønnebæk – I virkeligheden hedder jeg Nielsen (Lindhardt & Ringhof)

2000. Søren Jessen – Zambesi (Borgen)

1999. Christian Jungersen – Krat (Lindhardt & Ringhof)

1998. Jesper Wung-Sung – To ryk og en aflevering (Samleren)

1997. Tore Ørnsbo – Inkubationer (Samleren)

1996. Charlotte Weitze – Skiftig (Samleren)

1995. Trine Andersen – Hotel Malheureux (Centrum, Lindhardt & Ringhof)

1994. Iben Claces – Tilbage bliver (Borgen)