Waterstones Children's Book Prize for Younger Readers

The aim of the prize is to reward and champion new and emerging children’s writers, voted for by booksellers. There are three categories: Illustrated Books, Books for Younger Readers and Books for Older Readers.

Evie and Maryam are in the same class at school, uneasily thrown together at the start of a new term as they start a project together looking into their family trees. The two girls don't think they have much in common - Maryam feels like an outsider, and Evie thinks Maryam is a bit odd. But when the two girls each find the same mysterious folder containing documents in a secret language that belong to their grandmothers, they discover their ties go back two generations, all the way to India, to partition, and to two best friends who inspired each other more than they ever know.

A beautifully told historical family-based exploration of identity, inheritance, difference and friendship.

- Browns Books Synopsis

Shortlist 2026

Aaron, Huw ISBN: 9780241683767
Paperback / softback

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Hayat, Janeen ISBN: 9781916558410
Paperback / softback

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Murphy, Brogen ISBN: 9780241728109
Paperback / softback

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Thorpe, Ashley ISBN: 9781805075653
Paperback / softback

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No more than one previously published title of any fiction genre worldwide (educational titles are exempt). The title must make sense as a standalone novel. If the title is illustrated, and the illustrator matches submission criteria for Illustrated Books, then the illustrator will be considered eligible for this category. Narrative non-fiction is also eligible for submission.