penguin Competitions

Looking for your next great paperback? Whether you’re planning a summer holiday, commuting to work or simply searching for a book you can lose yourself in over a weekend, a good paperback remains one of the easiest reading pleasures. The best new paperbacks of 2026 include literary fiction, gripping thrillers, contemporary novels, translated fiction and modern classics newly available in paperback. Some are ideal holiday reads; others reward slower, more reflective reading.

To mark the special birthday of this pioneering author, artist and conservationist – whose creations include beloved characters like Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny, Jemima Puddle-duck, Mrs. Tiggy-winkle and Squirrel Nutkin – 10 lucky winners will each win: A special Beatrix Potter-themed National Book Tokens gift card stocked with £160 to spend on books! A gorgeous Emma Bridgewater x Peter Rabbit mug AND the complete collection of Beatrix Potter’s 23 original tales in a beautiful boxset.

Whether you’re looking for a book to finish on a long journey or over a quiet weekend, each of the books on this list can comfortably be read in one sitting but will leave a lasting impression long after the final page. Enter for your chance to win them all. The prize for the winner is a bundle of Vintage books including 1 of each of the following titles: A Family Matter by Claire Lynch, Audition by Katie Kitamura, Open, Heaven by Seán Hewitt, Orbital by Samantha Harvey, Discontent by Beatriz Serrano, The Girls by John Bowen, Soyangri Book Kitchen by Kim Jee Hye, Three Days in June by Anne Tyler, I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman and When the Museum is Closed by Emi Yagi.

The prize for the winner is a bundle of Vintage books including 1 of each of the following titles: Eden Falls by Ajay Chowdhury, Her Many Faces by Nicci Cloke, The Arrival by Robin Brookes, The Night Stairs by Erin Kelly, The Other You by Carys Green, The Pinnacle by Abir Mukherjee, All In by Claire Powell, Crescendo by Jane Healey, Waist Deep by Linea Maja Ernst, The Project by Annie Lord, Discontent by Beatriz Serrano, Island Calling by Francesca Segal, The Fisherman’s Gift by Julia Kelly and The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.

To celebrate the publication of The Odyssey by Homer, translated by Daniel Mendelsohn, we're offering one lucky winner a copy of The Odyssey as well as pair of tickets to a screening of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey at a Picturehouse cinema of their choice, showing in theatres from 17 July 2026.

To celebrate the release of The Mersey Queen, we're giving you the chance to win a £200 voucher to spend at Asda.

To celebrate the release of The Mersey Queen, we're giving you the chance to win a £200 voucher to spend at Tesco.