Here is the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize shortlist for 2024. This annual prize’s shortlist, which is celebrating its twentieth year, 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 this space to see the winner of this illustrious prize!

Now here are the nominees:

Illustrated Books Shortlist

• The Queen Next Door by Marcela Ferreira and illustrated by Sally Agar
• Incredible Jobs You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of by Natalie Labarre 
• The Secret Elephant: The true story of an extraordinary wartime friendship by Ellan Rankin
• Wolf and Bear: A heartwarming story of friendship and big feelings by Kate Rolfe
• Whose Dog is This? by Andrew Sanders and illustrated by Aysha Awwad
• The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish by Chloe Savage

Younger Readers Shortlist

• Crookhaven: The School for Thieves by J.J. Arcanjo
• The Beasts of Knobbly Bottom: Attack of the Vampire Sheep! by Emily-Jane Clark and illustrated by Jeff Crowther
• Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend by Lizzie Huxley-Jones
• The Swifts by Beth Lincoln and illustrated by Claire Powell
• My Name is Sunshine Simpson by G.M. Linton and illustrated by Fuuji Takashi
• Greenwild: The World Behind The Door by Pari Thomson and illustrated by Elisa Paganelli

Older Readers Shortlist

• Promise Boys by Nick Brooks
• What the World Doesn’t See by Mel Darbon
• Girl Goddess Queen by Bea Fitzgerald
• Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis
• You Think You Know Me by Ayaan Mohanud
• Friendship Never Ends by Alexandra Sheppard

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