Lee Lai Makes History with 2026 Stella Prize Win for Graphic Novel Cannon
The 2026 Stella Prize, worth A$60,000, has been awarded to Lee Lai for the graphic novel Cannon. This marks the first time a graphic novel has won the award in its history.
Prize and Eligibility
The Stella Prize is an annual literary award for women and non-binary Australian writers. Established in 2013 to address the underrepresentation of women in literary awards, the eligibility criteria were expanded in 2021 to include non-binary writers.
The 2026 judging panel consisted of Sophie Gee (chair), Jaclyn Crupi, Benjamin Law, Gillian O’Shaughnessy, and Ellen van Neerven.
Each of the other shortlisted authors—Evelyn Araluen, Geraldine Brooks, Miranda Darling, Marika Sosnowski, and Tasma Walton—received A$5,000.
Author Profile
Lee Lai is an Australian cartoonist and author born in Melbourne, currently based in Tiohtià:ke/Montreal, Canada. Cannon is her second graphic novel; her debut, Stone Fruit, was longlisted for the Stella Prize in 2022 and won several other awards.
Lai is the first trans person to accept the award, and also the first non-binary winner of the prize.
Book Synopsis
Cannon follows a character named Cannon (real name Lucy), a queer Chinese woman living in Montreal. The narrative explores her life caring for her aging maternal grandfather, her work in a restaurant kitchen, and her platonic friendship with her best friend Trish, who uses Cannon's life as inspiration for her writing without Cannon's knowledge.
The book was written against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the Israeli invasion of Gaza.
It employs a mostly monochrome, four-panel grid layout with occasional use of color.
Statements from the Author and Prize Organization
Lai stated that the book is "a portrait of anger" and explores the fragility of platonic friendships.
"It's a complicated but great honour to be the first trans person accepting this award in a moment when anti-trans rhetoric has become such a major fascist playing card." — Lee Lai
On the prize money, she noted: "Ultimately, money is time. None of us have a lot of that. This money will let me go for a very long time."
Stella CEO Fiona Sweet described the book as "a triumph of the form."
Upcoming Events Featuring Lee Lai
Lai is scheduled to appear at the following events:
- Brisbane — May 14
- Melbourne Art Book Fair — May 16
- RMIT x Stella Prize — May 18
- Sydney Writers Festival — May 21