Novel about war in Ukraine wins 2026 Dayton Literary Peace Prize
Sam Wachman and his novel The Sunflower Boys, Photo source: HarperCollins; CC0 1.0 Universal
Sam Wachman's novel "The Sunflower Boys" has won the 2026 Dayton Literary Peace Prize in the fiction category.
Suspilne Culture reports, according to Rubryka, that in the non-fiction category, Kevin Sack won the award for his book "Mother Emanuel: Two Centuries of Race, Resistance, and Forgiveness in One Charleston Church." The work highlights the history of a church in South Carolina, covering periods of slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, and the 2015 mass shooting by a gunman.
Sam Wachman's debut novel, "The Sunflower Boys," released in 2025, is a coming-of-age story. The novel is set in modern-day Ukraine before and during the full-scale Russian invasion.
At the center of the plot is the story of 12-year-old Artem from Chernihiv, whose teenage years and first feelings for his best friend are ruthlessly interrupted by the full-scale war. Fleeing Chernihiv as Russian forces surround the city, the boy sets off with his mother and younger brother Yurii to their grandfather's village of Vasiukivka — a nod to Vsevolod Nestayko's famous novel "Toreadors from Vasiukivka."
After their mother and grandfather die as a result of the fighting, the brothers find themselves alone and begin a risky journey to western Ukraine. They head toward their father, who is returning to them from the US. In reviews and commentary on the novel, reviewers specifically highlight the compelling portrayal of LGBTQ+ people in Ukraine, as well as the dramatic events of the siege of Chernihiv in 2022.
In 2026, the American Library Association included "The Sunflower Boys" in its RUSA Notable Books list.
In addition, the novel became a finalist for the 2026 Lambda Literary Award in the Gay Fiction category. Translators have already rendered the book into Estonian.
Background
Author Sam Wachman was born in Cambridge to a family with Ukrainian roots. He graduated from Cambridge Rindge and Latin School and Brandeis University. After completing his education, Wachman taught English to elementary school students in central Ukraine and worked with refugee families in Europe and the US. Before publishing his debut novel, the writer published short fiction and film criticism. Publishers plan to release his next novel in 2028.
Organizers established the Dayton Literary Peace Prize in 2006. It aims to honor writers whose works "use the power of the written word to promote peace, social justice, and global understanding." The award honors adult fiction and non-fiction books published over the past year. In particular, the prize recognizes works that help readers better understand other peoples cultures, religions, and political views.
It should be noted that the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) released its 2026 Honor List. This year, three representatives of Ukraine were included in the prestigious catalog — writer Dara Korniy, illustrator Oleksandr Shatohin, and translator Bozhena Antoniak.
