Here is the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize shortlist for 2021. This annual prize’s shortlist is always chosen by Waterstones’ booksellers and strives to commit to championing the best and newest talent in children’s writing and illustration today. Make sure to check back to see the winner of this prize!

Now here are the nominees:

Illustrated Books Shortlist

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• Bear Shaped by Dawn Coulter-Cruttenden
• Found You by Devon Holzwarth
• Freedom, We Sing by Amyra Leon and illustrated by Molly Mendoza
• The Grumpy Fairies by Bethan Stevens
• The Blue Giant by Katie Cottle
• Where Happiness Begins by Eva Eland

Younger Readers’ Shortlist

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• A Clock of Stars: The Shadow Moth by Francesca Gibbons and illustrated by Chris Riddell
• A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll
• When Life Gives You Mangoes by Kereen Getten
• Orion Lost by Alastair Chisholm
• Llama Out Loud by Annabelle Sami and illustrated by Allen Fatimaharan
• The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates by Jenny Pearson and illustrated by Rob Biddulph 

Older Readers’ Shortlist

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• The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
• And the Stars Were Burning Brightly by Danielle Jawando
• Wranglesotne by Darren Charlton
• Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
• Only Most Devasted by Sophie Gonzales
• Boy, Everywhere by A.M. Dassu

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