The Katharine Briggs Award 2026

We are delighted to announce that the winner of The Katharine Briggs Award 2026 is

Paranormal Britain: Belief in the Uncanny in England, Scotland and Wales 

by Tom Clark, Christopher D. Bader and Joseph O. Baker

published by Bloomsbury Academic

The judges said: "A very impressive addition to the sparse literature that takes seriously, in research terms, vernacular attitudes to, and participation in, the full gamut of what can be called the paranormal, from ghosts to UFOs to cryptids. Rich in detail, and character, at the same time, it covers a wide terrain. The combination of quantitative and qualitative research gives it scholarly heft, yet it always remains accessible."

Congratulations Chris, Tom and Joseph

The Runner-up  is:

A History of Goblins: From Medieval Demons to World of Warcraft, by Matt King (Palgrave)

The judges said: "Following a particular noun and its usages historically, this defines its topic with rigour, covering every aspect of goblin lore with coherence and verve, and wry humour where appropriate. Impressive.

Congratulations, Matt

The other short-listed titles were:

How to Build a Haunted House: The History of a Cultural Obsession, by Caitlin Blackwell Baines (Profile Books)

"The author combines entertaining personal exploration with an interestingly novel look at ghostlore through the spectrally creaking window of the post-19th century theme of the haunted house."

The Exeter Companion to Changeling Lore: The West Eurasian and Mediterranean Tradition, by Davide Ermacora and Simon Young (eds.) (University of Exeter Press)

"Taking on fairy beliefs by focusing on changelings offers a new and fertile approach. Bringing together experts from across a wide geographic area, this handbook does not just summarize the state of the field, it points a way forward."

Devils in the Details: On Location with Folk Tales in England’s Forgotten County, by Rory Waterman (Five Leaves Publications)

"A good regional study, with both admirable research and personal engagement (including getting very muddy on occasions!). A properly sceptical intelligence at work, but, oddly, a work of re-enchantment at the same time. ‘Devil in the Details’ offers genuinely new knowledge."

We thank all the authors and publishers who entered their books for this year's Katharine Briggs Award and wish them all great success with their publications

Published 11th November 2026