De Boon

De Boon
Awarded forBest book originally written in Dutch
Sponsored byFlemish Government
Reward50.000 EUR
First award2022; 4 years ago (2022)
Websitewww.deboon.be

De Boon is a Flemish annual literary award for the best Dutch-language books published in Flanders and the Netherlands. The award was established in 2022 and awarded by the Flemish Government. It is awarded annually for two categories: one Boon for fiction and non-fiction and one Boon for children's and youth literature.

A jury of expert first puts together a longlist with 15 titles per category, followed by a shortlist of five titles and finally one winner. Laureates are awarded with €50.000 and a custom-made ring. Additionally, there is an audience award of €5.000 for both categories, which may overlap with the jury choice.

The award is named after Belgian author Louis Paul Boon. The goal of the award it to increase the visibility of literature in Flanders, recognise writers and illustrators and increase the reading, lending and buying of books.

List of laureates

Fiction and non-fiction

Year Fiction and non-fiction Audience award fiction and non-fiction Reference
2022 Mijn lieve gunsteling - Marieke Lucas Rijneveld Mijn lieve gunsteling - Marieke Lucas Rijneveld
2023 Wat we toen al wisten: de vergeten groene geschiedenis van 1972 - Geert Buelens De draaischijf - Tom Lanoye
2024 Alkibiades - Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer Alkibiades - Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer
2025 Oroppa - Safae el Khannoussi De levens van Claus - Mark Schaevers
2026 Grondwerk - Tijl Nuyts Het geschenk - Gaea Schoeters

Children's and youth literature

Year Children's and youth literature Audience award Children's and youth literature Reference
2022 Een zee van liefde - Pieter Gaudesaboos Een zee van liefde - Pieter Gaudesaboos
2023 Misjka - Edward van de Vendel, Anoush Elman and Annet Schaap Morris - Bart Moeyaert and Sebastiaan Van Doninck
2024 Neem nooit een beste vriend - Erna Sassen and Martijn van der Linden Kijk dan toch! - Elvis Peeters and Sebastiaan Van Doninck
2025 Wat ons nog rest - Aline Sax Het grote kippenboek - Evelien De Vlieger and Jan Hamstra
2026 De vrouw en zijn hoofd - Benny Lindelauf and Ingrid Godon Krekel - Annet Schaap

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "'What We Have Left' by Aline Sax won De Boon 2025 | Flanders literature". www.flandersliterature.be. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
  2. 1 2 3 "Over de Boon | de Boon". www.deboon.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 2026-05-13.
  3. ↑ Belga (2021-03-17). "Boonprijzen: Vlaanderen reikt vanaf volgend jaar twee nieuwe grote literatuurprijzen uit". De Morgen. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
  4. 1 2 3 Times, The Brussels. "Flemish writer Tijl Nuyts wins Boon Prize with debut novel 'Grondwerk'". www.brusselstimes.com. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
  5. ↑ de Cocq, Marjolijn (2022-03-24). "Prestigieuze nieuwe Belgische literatuurprijzen naar Marieke Lucas Rijneveld en kinderboekenauteur Pieter Gaudesaboos". Het Parool. Retrieved 2026-05-13.
  6. 1 2 "de Boon 2022 | de Boon". www.deboon.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 2026-05-13.
  7. 1 2 "de Boon 2023 | de Boon". www.deboon.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 2026-05-13.
  8. 1 2 "de Boon 2024 | de Boon". www.deboon.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 2026-05-13.
  9. 1 2 "de Boon 2025 | de Boon". www.deboon.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 2026-05-13.
  10. 1 2 "de Boon 2026 | de Boon". www.deboon.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 2026-05-13.