The People of the Indus 🏆

Authors: Nikhil Gulati with Jonathan Mark Kenoyer Illustrator: Nikhil Gulati Publisher: Penguin Random House Who were the people of the Indus? Why didn’t they build pyramids like the Egyptians? And ultimately what happened to them? Supported by extensive research from a leading Indus archaeologist, this graphic novel seeks answers to precisely these questions. It is […]

The Sweet Shop Wars 🏆

Author: Chatura Rao Illustrator: Rajiv Eipe Publisher: Duckbill Best Sweets has opened next to Firoza’s dadu’s sweet shop and is taking away all the customers. How can Firoza make her dadu’s shop better than Best? The Hook Book series of short simple stories for beginning readers come with fun stories set in different parts of […]

Misfit Madhu 🏆

Author: Divya Anand Illustrator: Vedushi Sinha Publisher: Puffin Madhu is a shy middle-grade developer who spends her holidays creating her dream app, ‘School Santhe’. Soon, the app goes viral…and so does she! And why not? After all, an app where everyone at school can trade stuff is the app they’ve all been waiting for! Madhu […]

My Street 🏆

Author: Sadaf Siddique Illustrator: Habib Ali Publisher: Pratham Books Running past familiar faces, watching the street go by in a flash of colours — it’s just another day in this neighbourhood. A wordless story about community spirit in a neighbourhood, and the people that make it special.

Queen of Ice 🏆

Author: Devika Rangachari Publisher: Duckbill  About the book: Despised by her father and bullied by his heir, Didda’s childhood is miserable and her future, bleak. When she is married off to the dissolute ruler of Kashmira, she must learn to hold her own in a court ridden with factions and conspiracies. But Didda is no […]

Tiger Boy 🏆

Author: Mitali Perkins Publisher: Penguin Random House Charlesbridge About the book: Neel’s parents want him to win a scholarship, and go to the big city to study. But Neel doesn’t want to leave his beloved sundarbans, with its and then a tiger cub goes missing from the reserve! The evil Gupta wants to sell the […]

I Will Save My Land 🏆

Author: Rinchin Illustrator: Sagar Kolwankar Publisher: Tulika Publishers  About the book: Mati pesters her grandmother and father for her own plot of land in the big field. When she does get it, she works hard. And then she hears that a company wants to make a coal mine in their village – the enormous black […]

Year of the Weeds 🏆

Author: Siddhartha Sarma Publisher: Duckbill Books and Publications Pvt Ltd About the book: ‘Sometimes, Korok, it is best if the sorkar forgets you.’Korok lives in a small Gond village in western Odisha. His life is in the garden which he tends every day. Anchita lives in the house which has the garden and is an […]

Ahimsa 🏆

Author: Supriya Kelkar Publisher: Scholastic India  About the book: New Visions Award Winner! Can one girl make a difference in the destiny of a nation? It is 1942 and 10-year-old Anjali’s mother has joined India’s freedom struggle. Anjali gets unwillingly involved in the turmoil. She has to give up her biases against the Dalit community, […]

When Jiya Met Urmila 🏆

Publisher: Duckbill Books and Publications Pvt Ltd Author: Shabnam Minwalla About the book: When Jiya meets Urmila, she sees a loud girl with a fierce expression and too-bright clothes. Urmila sees a snooty girl with a dull dress and no spunk. Can they ever be friends?