The Valley of Words Book Awards 2026 has announced its shortlists across eight categories. The winners will be announced at the Valley of Words Literature and Arts Festival to be held in Dehradun on November 28 and 29 and will receive a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh and a trophy. For each category, the final shortlist of five books was narrowed down from a longlist of ten. The shortlisted titles of the VoW Book Awards 2026 are:English nonfictionEnglish fictionEnglish translationYoung adult literatureA Patch of Sun, A Patch of Shade, Vidya NesarikarThe White Lotus, Aditi KrishnakumarNaach, Navnit NiravGiants, Huthuka SumiUdne Waala Phool, UpasanaChildren’s booksWhat’s the Point of KIKI?, Nandita da CunhaThe Night Sky, Samina MishraRain Perfume, Niveditha ReddyAmma’s Magic Handbag, Vaishali BKThe Damroo Man and the Monkey Gang, Ishan TrivediHindi nonfictionRashtra Nirman Mein Adivasi, Jitendra MeenaChor Gali Me Titliyan, Jiten ThakurChandan Kiwad, Malini AwasthiYayavar Ki Yaadein, Devendra MewariStree: Aseemta Ka Itihas, Abhay Kumar ThakurHindi fictionTrimaya, Manish KulshresthaShreyasi, Vinay KumarMatlab Hindu, Ambar PandeyPaandaan, Mujtaba KhanKabir Soyi Pir Hai, Pratibha KatiyarHindi translation