The shortlist has just been announced for the UK’s most prestigious children’s book awards. This year’s shortlist includes four well-known names who are up for the chance of winning a third medal. Anthony Browne, Patrick Ness, Helen Oxenbury, and Chris Riddell have all won twice before, but three times will be a new record! Three of my predictions for the Carnegie Medal made it, but unfortunately Sally Gardner’s The Door That Led to Where and Jon Walter’s My Name Not’s Friday didn’t make it to the shortlist which is a shame as they are both excellent books. I am very happy to see that Chris Riddell’s illustrations for The Sleeper and the Spindle are on the shortlist though! The winners will be announced on Monday 12th June and each winner will receive £500 worth of books to donate to their local library. For the first time this year one title from each shortlist will also be named the recipient of the Amnesty CILIP Honour, a brand new commendation for a book that most distinctively illuminates, upholds or celebrates freedoms.

 

The CILIP Carnegie Medal 2016 shortlist:

                                               

One by Sarah Crossan (Bloomsbury)

The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge (Macmillan)

There Will Be Lies by Nick Lake (Bloomsbury)

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness (Walker Books)

Five Children on the Western Front by Kate Saunders (Faber)

The Ghosts of Heaven by Marcus Sedgwick (Indigo)

Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley (MiraInk)

Fire Colour One by Jenny Valentine (HarperCollins)

 

The CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2016 shortlist:

   

   

Willy’s Stories illustrated and written by Anthony Browne (Walker Books)

There’s a Bear on My Chair illustrated and written by Ross Collins (Nosy Crow)

Once Upon an Alphabet illustrated and written by Oliver Jeffers (HarperCollins)

Sam & Dave Dig a Hole illustrated by Jon Klassen, written by Mac Barnett (Walker Books)

Something About a Bear illustrated and written by Jackie Morris (Frances Lincoln)

Captain Jack and the Pirates illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, written by Peter Bently (Puffin)

The Sleeper and the Spindle illustrated by Chris Riddell, written by Neil Gaiman (Bloomsbury)

Footpath Flowers illustrated by Sydney Smith, written by JonArno Lawson (Walker Books)

 

Shadowing scheme

The CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals also have an excellent shadowing scheme for schools and reading groups which runs alongside the judging process from March until June. Shadowers read, discuss and review the books and engage in reading related activity online.

A recent poll of shadowers revealed:

• 89% think Carnegie and Kate Greenaway shortlists introduce them to new books they otherwise might not have read
• 70% talk to their librarian more when reading the shortlists
• 79% say reading and discussing the books on the shortlists makes them think more about the books they read.
• 88% tell us they read in their spare time and in the evenings.

Download the toolkit below for more details

 

Who would you like to see win the medals this year?