The Books in Canada First Novel Award is given annually for a first novel in English published in the previous year by a Canadian.

An asterisk (*) indicates a review is available for that book.

1997

• Margaret Gibson – Opium Dreams

Also shortlisted:

• Kim Echlin – Elephant Winter
• Allan Levine – The Blood Libel
• Rabindranath Maharaj – Homer in Flight
• Tim Wynveen – Angel Falls

Added 13 January 2006.
Updated 01 November 2007.