Walliams is nominated for Bad Dad while Pullman is shortlisted for La Belle Sauvage: The Book of Dust Volume One which marked a return to the world of His Dark Materials.
The pair will compete for the title alongside Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo’s Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, Kes Gray’s Oi Cat!, Robert Macfarlane’s The Lost Words and Angie Thomas’ The Hate U Give.
Pullman is also nominated in the audiobook of the year category for the audio version of La Belle Sauvage narrated by actor Michael Sheen.
Astronaut Tim Peake’s guide to life in space earns a nomination for the non-fiction: narrative book of the year award, up against Reni Eddo-Lodge’s groundbreaking Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race.
The lifestyle book of the year sees a star-studded line-up with Jamie Oliver, Russell Brand, Fearne Cotton, Nigel Slater and Joe Wicks all nominated, as well as “mega monk” Haemin Sunim.
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Peep Show star Robert Webb and Radio 1 DJ Greg James are two more celebrity names among the nominees, both shortlisted in the audiobook of the year category.
Shortlisted for fiction book of the year are Ali Smith’s Winter, Matt Haig’s How To Stop Time and Joanna Trollope’s City Of Friends.
The Break by Marian Keyes, Helen Dunmore’s Birdcage Walk and Jon McGregor’s Reservoir 13 complete the fiction prize line-up.
Launched in 2016, the British Book Awards are decided by seven panels of judges who select a winner out of six entries from each of the seven categories. A separate panel will choose the overall book of the year.
Philip Jones, the panel chairman and editor of The Bookseller – who organise the awards – said: “The true range, breadth and brilliance of writing and publishing is demonstrated in these shortlists, from the unexpected triumphs to the brand juggernauts.
“The year 2017 was marked by big books that got bigger, break-outs that broke further, and conversation starters that spoke louder.”
Winners will be announced at a ceremony on Monday May 14 at Grosvenor House in central London.