New Zealand author Emily Perkins has been tipped to win this year’s Man Booker prize.

While the longlist for the Man Booker – considered the world’s most prestigious literary award – is not announced till July, the Welsh-based Hay Festival this week tipped Perkins’ soon-to-be-released book The Forrests to win.

New Zealand Book Council chief executive Noel Murphy said the Hay Festival was a major festival.

He believed Perkins had a good chance of winning. “People I know have read it and raved about it.”

The winner of the Man Booker receives 50,000 ($97,000) and an inevitable spike in sales. More.

See: Stuff.co.nz