Sanchita Basu De Sarkar
Children’s Booker Prize 2027 judge
Sanchita Basu De Sarkar is the owner of the Children’s Bookshop in Muswell Hill, London
It is the oldest running children’s bookshop in the country, and has inspired generations of young readers. The bookshop sits at the heart of children’s literature, and works with schools, charities, and organisations all over the country to ignite children with the reading spark. It was awarded the double accolade of Children’s Bookseller of the Year and Book Retailer of the Year at the British Book Awards 2024.
Basu De Sarkar has judged for numerous awards including the Costa Book Award, the British Book Awards, amongst others. She sits on the Children’s Laureate Steering Group and is a co-founder of SAIL Fest, an organisation dedicated to the promotion of South Asian children’s authors and illustrators in the UK.
She was made an Honorary Fellow at the Royal Society of Literature in 2024.
Judge photo © Rawaa Elsir
- Prizes judged
- The Children's Booker Prize 2027
Sanchita Basu De Sarkar on the Children's Booker Prize 2027
‘I’m thrilled to be a judge for the inaugural Children’s Booker Prize – it brings together everything I love. Reading loads of children’s books; getting to discuss them with some utterly brilliant people; and sharing the books with children all over the country so we can continue the conversation. Reading, talking, sharing. What more could anyone want?
‘Judging with the children is going to be a completely unique experience, and one of the things I’m most excited about for the Children’s Booker. One of my favourite activities in the bookshop is our book club sessions – children make for the most passionate and opinionated readers, and whenever we sit down and discuss books together, I’m always gaining new perspectives. We all come away buzzing with ideas. What a fabulous way to celebrate the Year of Reading.’
The Children’s Booker Prize 2027
© Henri CampeãWatch our video
