The Chartered Institute of Libraries and Information Professionals (CILIP) today announced the 2015 shortlist for two of the most prestigious awards in British children's literature. Eight titles have been selected on both the CILIP Carnegie Medal for children’s literature, and the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal for illustration in children’s books with the hopes of winning the coveted medals.
Once again, there is a double nomination; Tinder, by Sally Gardner and illustrated by David Roberts appears on both the Carnegie and the Greenaway shortlists leaving the possibility open for a title to win both gold medals for only the second time in the award's history. The precedent was set in 2012 when A Monster Calls was awarded the Carnegie and the Greenaway Medals.
There are a number of familiar names appearing on this year's list as Sally Gardner (2013 Carnegie winner for Maggot Moon), Patrick Ness (A Monster Calls and Monsters of Men, 2012 and 2011 Carnegie medal winning titles), Catherine Raynor (2009 Kate Greenaway winner with Harris Finds His Feet) and Chris Riddell (2004 Kate Greenaway winner with Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver" and Pirate Diary in 2001) compete to be dubbed winners once again.
CILIP have not shied away from challenging themes this year as many of the shortlisted titles explore war, sickness and adversity. Schools, libraries and young people are encouraged to shadow the judging process and make up their own minds about which titles should win the awards; inspiring a love of reading for pleasure, debate and discussion and challenging young people to engage with the judging criteria.
The CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals are the oldest and most prestigious children’s book awards in the UK, with the first winners announced in 1936 and 1956 respectively. The titles on the shortlists are contenders for the highest accolades in children’s literature, with previous winners including legendary talents such as Arthur Ransome, C.S Lewis and Mary Norton for the CILIP Carnegie Medal and illustrators Quentin Blake, Shirley Hughes and Raymond Briggs for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal.
The winners for both the CILIP Carnegie Medal and the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal will be announced on Monday 22 June at a lunchtime ceremony at the British Library in London. The winners will receive £500 worth of books to donate to their local library and the coveted golden Medals. Since 2000, the winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal has also been awarded the £5,000 Colin Mears Award cash prize.
Click here for more information about the shortlisted authors and illustrators.
Click here to find out how you can get involved with the Shadowing Scheme.
The CILIP Carnegie Medal 2015 shortlist
• When Mr Dog Bites by Brian Conaghan (Bloomsbury)
• Apple and Rain by Sarah Crossan (Bloomsbury)
• Tinder by Sally Gardner (author) and David Roberts (illustrator) (Orion Children’s Books)
• Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge (Macmillan Children’s Books)
• The Fastest Boy in the World by Elizabeth Laird (Macmillan Children’s Books)
• Buffalo Soldier by Tanya Landman (Walker Books)
• The Middle of Nowhere by Geraldine McCaughrean (Usborne Books)
• More Than This by Patrick Ness (Walker Books)
The CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2015 shortlist
• The Promise by Laura Carlin (illustrator) and Nicola Davies (Author) (Walker Books)
• Jim’s Lion by Alexis Deacon (illustrator) and Russell Hoban (author) (Walker Books)
• Shackleton’s Journey by William Grill (Flying Eye Books)
• Dark Satanic Mills by John Higgins and Marc Olivent (illustrators) and Julian Sedgwick and Marcus Sedgwick (authors) (Walker Books)
• Smelly Louie by Catherine Rayner (Macmillan Children’s Books)
• Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse by Chris Riddell (Macmillan Children’s Books)
• Tinder by David Roberts (illustrator) and Sally Gardner (author) (Orion Children’s Books)
• Rules of Summer by Shaun Tan (Hodder Children’s Books)