Valley of Words Book Awards has announced its 2025 longlists in eight categories: English Fiction, English Nonfiction, English Translation, Hindi Fiction, Hindi Nonfiction, Hindi Translation, Young Adult Literature, and Children’s Literature. The shortlist will be announced by July 30, and the shortlisted authors and translators will be invited to the 2025 Valley of Words International Literature and Arts Festival in Dehradun. The winners will be announced at an event during the festival.

Here are the longlisted books in each category:

English fiction

English nonfiction

English translation

Hindi fiction

  • Atarh Duniya Mein Kya Hasil, Pratyaksha

  • Kandho Par Ghar, Pragya (लोकभारती द्वारा प्रकाशित)

  • Kissagram, Prabhat Ranjan

  • Chot, Chandan Pandey

  • Jungli Phoolon Si Ladki, Anulata Raj Nair

  • Zoya Desai Cottage, Pankaj Subir

  • Vanya, Manisha Kulshrestha

  • Vang Chi, Manish Vaidya

  • Sama-Chakva, Gitashree

  • Suno Kabir, Soni Pandey

Hindi translation

  • Aaptkal Aakhyan, Gyan Prakash, translated by Mihir Pandya

  • Aarohi, Mukul Kumar

  • In Love With Death, Satish Modi, translated by Parija

  • Khaulta Punjab, Baldev Singh Dhaliwal, translated by Tarsem

  • Uttar Bharat Mein Chamar Aur Dalit Andolan Ka Itihas, Ramnarayan S Rawat, translated by Kanwal Bharti

  • Balidan: Bharat Mein Special Forces Ke Mahan Yodhyao Ki Kahaniyan, Swapnil Pandey, translated by Ketan Mishra

  • Bahattar Meel, Ashok Vatkar, translated by Sulabh Kore

  • Rashtra Aur Naitikata, Rajeev Bhargava, translated by Abhishek Srivastava

  • Shiuli Ki Gandh Aur Anya Kahaniya, Taslima Nasrin, translated by Utpal Banerjee

  • Himalaya Ek Khoj: Lama, Sant, aur Nastik, Namita Gokhale, translated by Prabhat Ranjan

Hindi nonfiction

  • Khaki Mein Sthitpragya, Anil Raturi

  • Garhwal Aur Pratham Vishwayuddh, Devesh Joshi

  • Garhwali Bhasha Aur Sahitya, Srijana Rana

  • Pathik Mein Aravali Ka, Bhanwar Meghwanshi

  • Bidaay De Maa!, Sudhir Vidyarthi

  • Mahaviri Devi: 1857 Ki Kranti Ki Mahaan Virangana, Praveen Kumar

  • Manse Ki Jaat, Sujata Paramita

  • Hampi: Utkarsh Se Apkarsh Tak, Tapas Chakravarti

  • Hum Aur Humara Nyaytantra, Yaksh

  • Himalaya Ka Itihas, Madan Chandra Bhatt

Young adult literature

Children’s literature

  • A Roof for Norbu, Sujatha Padmanabhan and Labonie Roy

  • A Tree in My Stomach, Nandita Rao and Charbak Dipta

  • Cactus Wants a Hug, Neil Flory and Simon Yeo

  • Ganesh Pyne’s Twilight Dreams, Vaishali Shroff and Priya Kuriyan

  • Lal Pari aur Chota Pankh: Red Fairy and the Tiny Wing, Deepak Heera Rangnath and Priyankar Gupta

  • Master of the 7 Swars, Pratyush Gupta

  • Saurmandal ki Sair Champu’s Trip to Outerspace, Alankrita Amaya and Devika Oza

  • Shhhhhssss Listen! Even Sarees Speak!, Devyani Mungali

  • What Am I Good At?, Rahul Pradhan and Sunaina Coelho

  • Will Goondi Come Home?, Adithi Rao and Fida Hamid

Disclosure: Arunava Sinha is the editor of Scroll’s Books and Ideas section. Sayari Debnath is Senior Writer at Scroll.