Register for this virtual event: https://myumi.ch/ZDMAq

The South Asia Book Award proudly presents the 2024 Winner in the Middle Grade Readers Category, Ajay and the Mumbai Sun by Varsha Shah.

Attendees will have a chance to win one of 20 available copies of the winning book! Don't miss the other webinars in the series here: https://southasiabookaward.wisc.edu/.

About Ajay and the Mumbai Sun

Winner of the South Asia Book Award in the Middle Grade category, Ajay and the Mumbai Sun tells the story of Ajay, abandoned on the Mumbai railways, who grows up with nothing but a burning wish to be a journalist.

Finding an abandoned printing press, he and his friends Saif, Vinod, Yasmin and Jai create their own newspaper: The Mumbai Sun. As they hunt down stories for their paper, the children uncover corruption, fight for justice and battle to save their slum from bulldozers. But against some of the most powerful forces in the city, can Ajay and his friends really succeed in bringing the truth to light? Not to mention win the most important cricket match ever.

About the Author

Varsha Shah always dreamt of becoming a writer. After earning a Law degree from Cambridge University, she worked as a solicitor and contributed articles to publications such as Legal Week, Legal Week Global, The Times Education Supplement, and the online edition of Harper's Bazaar. Now a teacher of English Language and Literature, she has also taught English as a foreign language in Japan and Canada, often drawing on her travels for inspiration in her writing.

About the South Asia Book Award

The South Asia Book Award is given annually for up to three outstanding works of literature, from picture books to young adult novels, which accurately and skillfully portray the experience of individuals living in South Asia, or of South Asians living in other parts of the world. Honor Books and Highly Commended Books will also be recognized by the award committee for their contribution to this body of literature on the region. See all past winners, as well as educational resources, on our website: ii.umich.edu/csas.

This event is free and open to the public.

Made possible with the generous support of the Title VI grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

If there is anything we can do to make this event accessible to you, please contact us at csas@umich.edu. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.