By Dr Sanjeev Chopra
2024 marks yet another exciting chapter for the 8th edition of VoW’s annual celebration of the written word. As we delve into the monsoon reading season, 2024’s curated shortlist of Children Literature and Young Adults category promise an engaging journey for young minds.
Valley of Words Literature and Art Festival has transformed PN Panicker Reading Month (June 19th to July 19th) into a literary feast. Over the past four weeks, the literary fest has unveiled shortlisted authors for the prestigious 2024 Book Awards, spanning eight categories.
Championing the power of translation from “Bhashas of Bharat” into English and Hindi to bilingual fiction and non-fiction works, the 2024 VoW shortlist has created a treasure trove for its growing number of readers.
So how could the Children’s literature shortlist be any different? Heart-warming tales of young characters embarking on journeys of self-discovery, to exhilarating adventures that unfold under the sun and at night, there’s a story waiting to capture everyone’s imagination.
The Valley of Words 2024 Book Awards Shortlist for Children’s Literature: Pagdi for Sihn by Chitwan Mittal, published by AdiDev Press Private Limited; What the Dark Sounds Like by Aparna Kapur, published by Pratham books; Akela by Richa Jha, published by PickleYolk Books; Out in the Moonlight by Perumal Murugan, published by Tulika and The Chhau Champ by Vibha Batra, published by Penguin.
As our wordsmith from the mountains, author Ruskin Bond sums up: “A good children’s book takes you on an adventure, makes you think, and leaves you with a feeling of warmth.”
The Literature for Young Adults’ shortlist is not any different. It features narratives that resonate with the complexities of growing up, exploring them with a historical and mythical lens. The books explore themes of friendship, self-identity leadership, and self-discovery, offering characters that are relatable and plots that keep the young minds engaged. These narratives weave a lace of nostalgia, empathy and comfort, which is sure to resonate with our readers.
The Valley of Words 2024 Book Awards Shortlist for Young Adults: Zen by Shabnam Minwalla, published by Duckbill Books; Wayel Kati: The Quest of the Seven Guardians by Linthoi Chanu, published by Niyogi Books; A Children’s History of India in 100 Objects by Devika Cariapa, published by Puffin Books; A Boy Called Dustbin by Arjun Krishnakumar, published by HarperCollins and Unknown Heroes of India’s Freedom Struggle by P Sainath, published by Tulika.
To explore the shortlisted titles and stay updated on the VoW Book Awards 2024, visit the Valley of Words website or follow us on social media.
Sanjeev Chopra (born 3 March, 1961) is a retired IAS officer of the 1985 batch, from Kapurthala, Punjab. He is a resident of Dehradun. He is a former Director of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration and has written a book, “We, the People of the States of Bharat: The Making and Remaking of India’s Internal Boundaries”, published in 2022. He is now the patron and honorary consultant to a literary festival, the Valley of Words International Literar y Festival, held annually in Dehradun. Chopra has held the Hubert H Humphrey Fellowship (Cornell), the Robert S McNamara Fellowship (World Bank) and positions at Royal Asiatic Society, London, the Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute (Harvard).
