Atta Galatta Literature Festival, Bangalore has announced its shortlists for the 2024 Children’s Book Awards in the fiction, non-fiction, picture book (story) and picture book (illustrations) categories. The winners of the festival to be held in Bangalore on December 14 and 15. (You’ll find long lists here.)

Here are this year’s nominations for children’s books:

Fiction

  • Kick, Rukku!Sanjana Ganesh, Tales of Karadi

  • Scared walk, Andaleeb Wajid, illustrations by Upamanyu Bhattacharyya, HarperCollins India

  • Woebegone Word Magazine, Payal Kapadia, Hachette India

  • How to win elections: the most unreliable guideMenaka Raman, illustrations: Pia Alizé Hazarika, Duckbill

  • When Fairyland Lost Its Magic, Bijal Vachharajani, illustrations by Rajiv Eipe, HarperCollins India

  • Feathers, Fools and Farts: Manipuri Folk Tales ReimaginedL Somi Roy and Thangjam Hindustani Devi, Puffin

Non-fiction

  • 565: A dramatic story of unificationMallika Ravikumar, Hachette India

  • North, south, east, west, CG Salamander, illustrations by Kavita Singh Kale, Pratham Books

  • The Book of Emperors: An Illustrated History of the MughalsAshwitha Jayakumar, illustrations by Nikhil Gulati, Puffin

  • History of India for children in 100 objectsDevika Cariapa, illustrations by Priyanka Tampi, Puffin India

  • Maritime Empires: The Human History of the Indian Ocean World, Radhika Seshan, Mr. MacMillan India

  • A History of South India for Children: From Prehistory to Vijayanagara, Pradeep Chakravarthy, Hachette India

Picture book (story)

  • Will Goondi come home?Adithi Rao, illustrations by Fida Hamid, Tulika Books

  • Curry’s headMohammed Khader Babu, translated from Telugu by A Suneetha, illustrated by Gulam Mohammed Shaikh, Eklavya

  • I won’t wash my hairAparna Kapur, illustrations: Ogin Nayam, Duckbill

  • Why are my words tangled?Mamta Naina, illustrations by Gauri Shilendran, Perky Parrot

  • The girl who lost her YesAarti Khatwani Bhatia, illustrations by Priya Kurian

  • ZardoZi: Sewn with loveDebasmita Dasgupta, illustrated by Rajat Mittal

Picture book (illustration)

  • Karukku Norukku, Saritha Rao, illustrated by Vibha Surya, Karadi Tales

  • Asha, the car driverAruna Shekar, illustrations by Sandhya Prabhat, Tulika Books

  • A song from where I live: PIN code 678574, written and illustrated by Smrithi Devakumar, Little Dipper Publishing

  • Grumpy Rumpus, Reena I Puri, illustrations by Aratrika Choudhury, Pratham Books

  • AkelaRicha Jha, illustrations by Ruchi Shah, Pickle Yolk Books

  • So Me Ullooillustrated by Bhuri Bai, Eklavya