Nominations have been published for the 2020 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals. The CILIP Carnegie Medal is awarded to a book written in English for children and young people that creates an outstanding reading experience through writing; while the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal recognises a book that creates an outstanding reading experience through illustration.
A total of 162 books have been nominated for the 2020 Medals; 91 books are in contention for the CILIP Carnegie Medal and 71 for the Kate Greenaway Medal. This includes several titles that received nominations in both Medal categories.
Alongside nominations from CILIP members, the list of 162 books includes nominations from eight external bodies: BookTrust, CLPE, CommonWord, English & Media Centre, IBBY, Inclusive Minds, National Literacy Trust and RNIB. These organisations were invited to nominate as an outcome of CILIP’s independent diversity review of the Awards (2017-18). CILIP invited nominations that met the criteria for the Medals and reflected the spirit of the Awards mission: To inspire and empower the next generation to create a better world through books and reading.
Each nominated book is read by every member of the judging panel – which this year includes 14 children’s and youth librarians from CILIP’s Youth Libraries Group − who volunteer their time as judges.
From these nominations, the judging panel will decide the long and shortlists and finally, the 2020 Medal winners, based on the official Medals criteria. The long and shortlists identify a range of outstanding books for children and young people of all ages and interests, celebrating world-class writing and illustration from new and established authors and illustrators.
2020 will see the second Shadowers’ Choice Awards voted for by children and young people who take part in the Awards shadowing scheme – a reading for pleasure initiative that engages thousands of children and young people in schools and libraries in the UK and overseas through ‘shadowing’ reading groups. Young people read and engage with the shortlists critically and creatively, through group participation and digitally: posting online reviews, blogs, artworks, videos, exploring human rights and taking part in visual literacy based creative activities. Taking on the role of judges, the groups will vote for their favourite books to receive the Shadowers’ Choice Award at the winners’ ceremony in June 2020.
All nominations published have received at least one nomination from a CILIP member or external body and have been checked and verified for their eligibility.
Ahmed, Samira. Internment
Publisher: ATOM. ISBN: 9780349003344
Applebaum, Kirsty. The Middler
Publisher: Nosy Crow. ISBN: 9781788003452
Atta, Dean (author)Khullar, Anshika (illustrator). The Black Flamingo
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781444948585
Barr, Emily. The Girl Who Came Out of the Woods
Publisher: Penguin. ISBN: 9780241345221
Bates, Laura. The Burning
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781471170201
Bilan, Jasbinder. Asha & the Spirit Bird
Publisher: Chicken House. ISBN: 9781911490197
Blackman, Malorie. Crossfire
Publisher: Penguin. ISBN: 9780241388433
Boyce, Frank Cottrell (author)Lenton, Steven (illustrator). Runaway Robot
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781509851775
Brahmachari, Sita. Where The River Runs Gold
Publisher: Orion Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781510105416
Bruton, Catherine. No Ballet Shoes in Syria
Publisher: Nosy Crow. ISBN: 9781788004503
Bunzl, Peter. Skycircus
Publisher: Usborne Books. ISBN: 9781474940658
Burton, Jessie (author)Barrett, Angela (illustrator). The Restless Girls
Publisher: Bloomsbury. ISBN: 9781408886915
Bushby, Aisha. A Pocketful of Stars
Publisher: Egmont. ISBN: 9781405293198
Butterworth, Jess. Swimming Against the Storm
Publisher: Orion Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781510105485
Carroll, Sarah. The Words That Fly Between Us
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781471160646
Carthew, Natasha. Only The Ocean
Publisher: Bloomsbury. ISBN: 9781408868607
Coelho, Joseph (author) Judd, Kelly Louise (illustrator). A Year of Nature Poems
Publisher: Wide Eyed Editions. ISBN: 9781786035820
Collins, Orlagh. All the Invisible Things
Publisher: Bloomsbury. ISBN: 9781408888339
Crossan, Sarah. Toffee
Publisher: Bloomsbury. ISBN: 9781408868126
Darbon, Mel. Rosie Loves Jack
Publisher: Usborne Books. ISBN: 9781474937832
Dawson, Juno. Meat Market
Publisher: Quercus. ISBN: 9781786540386
de Waal, Kit. Becoming Dinah
Publisher: Orion Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781510105706
DiCamillo, Kate. Louisiana’s Way Home
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406384208
Dogar, Sharon. Monsters
Publisher: Andersen Press. ISBN: 9781783448029
Donnelly, Jennifer. Stepsister
Publisher: Hot Key Books. ISBN: 9781471407970
Drews, C.G.. The Boy Who Steals Houses
Publisher: Orchard. ISBN: 9781408349922
Durant, Alan. Clownfish
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406374629
Eagle, Judith (author) Geyer, Kim(illustrator).The Secret Starling
Publisher: Faber & Faber. ISBN: 9780571346301
Edge, Christopher. The Longest Night of Charlie Noon
Publisher: Nosy Crow. ISBN: 9781788004947
Fisher, Catherine. The Clockwork Crow
Publisher: Firefly Press. ISBN: 9781910080849
Foxlee, Karen. Lenny’s Book of Everything
Publisher: Pushkin Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781782692386
Gosling, Sharon. The Golden Butterfly
Publisher: Stripes. ISBN: 9781788950329
Green, Julia. The House of Light
Publisher: Oxford University Press. ISBN: 9780192771568
Green, Simon James. Alex in Wonderland
Publisher: Scholastic. ISBN: 9781407194240
Harrison, Michelle. A Pinch of Magic
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781471124297
Harrold, A.F. (author)Gravett, Emily (illustrator).The Afterwards
Publisher: Bloomsbury. ISBN: 9781408894316
Jackson, Holly. A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder
Publisher: Electric Monkey. ISBN: 9781405293181
Jackson, Sharna. High Rise Mystery
Publisher: Knights Of Media. ISBN: 9781999642518
Jacobs, Jaco (author)Geldenhuys, Kobus (translator). A Good Night For Shooting Zombies
Publisher: Oneworld. ISBN: 9781786074508
James, Anna. Pages & Co (1): Tilly and the Bookwanderers
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books. ISBN: 9780008229863
James, Lauren. The Starlight Watchmaker
Publisher: Barrington Stoke. ISBN: 9781781128954
Jennings, Paul (author)Kelly, Geoff(illustrator). A Different Land
Publisher: Old Barn Books. ISBN: 9781910646496
Johnson, Catherine (author)Hickey, Katie (illustrator). Race to the Frozen North
Publisher: Barrington Stoke. ISBN: 9781781128404
Juckes, Sarah Ann. Outside
Publisher: Penguin. ISBN: 9780241330753
Kalhan, Savita. That Asian Kid
Publisher: Troika Books. ISBN: 9781909991972
Khan, Muhammad (author)Birdi, Amrit (illustrator). Kick the Moon
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781509874071
Khan, Rehan. A Tudor Turk
Publisher: HopeRoad. ISBN: 9781908446978
Lake, Nick. Nowhere on Earth
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781444940459
Lawrence, Patrice. Rose, Interrupted
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781444940657
Leonardo, Cory. Call Me Alastair
Publisher: Scholastic. ISBN: 9781407186719
Lewis, Gill. The Closest Thing to Flying
Publisher: Oxford University Press. ISBN: 9780192749482
Littleson, Lindsay. Guardians of the Wild Unicorns
Publisher: Floris Books. ISBN: 9781782505556
MacDibble, Bren. The Dog Runner
Publisher: Old Barn Books. ISBN: 9781910646489
McCombie, Karen. Little Bird Flies
Publisher: Nosy Crow. ISBN: 9780857639103
McGowan, Anthony. Lark
Publisher: Barrington Stoke. ISBN: 9781781128435
McKay, Hilary. The Skylarks’ War
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781509894949
Millwood Hargrave, Kiran. The Way Past Winter
Publisher: Chicken House. ISBN: 9781911077930
Ness, Patrick (author)Cai, Rovina (illustrator). And the Ocean Was Our Sky
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406383560
Newbery, Linda. The Key to Flambards
Publisher: David Fickling Books. ISBN: 9781788450041
Nielsen, Susin. No Fixed Address
Publisher: Andersen Press. ISBN: 9781783447213
Oppel, Kenneth. Inkling
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406380583
Owen, David. All the Lonely People
Publisher: ATOM. ISBN: 9780349003207
Palmer, Tom. Armistice Runner
Publisher: Barrington Stoke. ISBN: 9781781128251
Patrick, S.A.. A Darkness of Dragons
Publisher: Usborne Books. ISBN: 9781474945677
Peters, Helen. Anna at War
Publisher: Nosy Crow. ISBN: 9781788004718
Plummer, Rachel (author)Boppert, Helene (illustrator). Wain
Publisher: The Emma Press. ISBN: 9781910139479
Pollock, Tom. Heartstream
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406378184
Rahman, Yasmin. All the Things We Never Said
Publisher: Hot Key Books. ISBN: 9781471408298
Rai, Bali. Now or Never: A Dunkirk Story
Publisher: Scholastic. ISBN: 9781407191362
Rees, Celia. Glass Town Wars
Publisher: Pushkin Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781782692225
Reid, Louisa. Gloves Off
Publisher: Guppy Books. ISBN: 9781913101008
Ribay, Randy. Patron Saints of Nothing
Publisher: Stripes. ISBN: 9781788951548
Rundell, Katherine. The Good Thieves
Publisher: Bloomsbury. ISBN: 9781408854891
Rundell, Katherine (author)Williams, Kristjana S. (illustrator). Into the Jungle
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781509822317
Russo, Meredith. Birthday
Publisher: Usborne Books. ISBN: 9781474967419
Schaap, Annet (author)Watkinson, Laura (translator). Lampie and the Children of the Sea
Publisher: Pushkin Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781782692188
Schmidt, Gary D.. Pay Attention, Carter Jones
Publisher: Andersen Press. ISBN: 9781783448050
Scott, Libby & Westcott, Rebecca. Can You See Me?
Publisher: Scholastic. ISBN: 9781407195674
Sedgwick, Marcus (author) Sedgwick, Julian (author) Deacon, Alexis (illustrator). Voyages in the Underworld of Orpheus Black
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406357929
Shukla, Nikesh. The Boxer
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781444940695
Strange, Lucy. Our Castle by the Sea
Publisher: Chicken House. ISBN: 9781911077831
Sutcliffe, William. The Gifted, the Talented and Me
Publisher: Bloomsbury. ISBN: 9781408890219
Talley, Robin. Pulp
Publisher: HQ Young Adult. ISBN: 9781848457126
Taylor, Thomas. Malamander
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406386288
Thomas, Angie. On The Come Up
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406372168
Vick, Chris. Girl. Boy. Sea.
Publisher: Head of Zeus. ISBN: 9781789541373
Wheatle, Alex. Kerb Stain Boys
Publisher: Barrington Stoke. ISBN: 9781781128091
Williams, Marcia. Cloud Boy
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406381214
Williamson, Lisa. Paper Avalanche
Publisher: David Fickling Books. ISBN: 9781910989968
Winter, Tamsin. Jemima Small Versus the Universe
Publisher: Usborne Books. ISBN: 9781474927284
Wormell, Chris. The Magic Place
Publisher: David Fickling Books. ISBN: 9781788450157
Anderson, Laura Ellen. I Don’t Want to be Small
Publisher: Bloomsbury. ISBN: 9781408894071
Antony, Steve. Amazing
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781444944709
Arsenault, Isabelle (Illustrator) de Fombelle, Timothee (Author) Gordon, Sam (Translator).
Captain Rosalie
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406377101
Baker Smith, Grahame (Illustrator) Fraillon, Zana (Author). Wisp: A Story of Hope
Publisher: Orchard Books. ISBN: 9781408350102
Barrett, Angela (Illustrator) Burton, Jessie (Author). The Restless Girls
Publisher: Bloomsbury. ISBN: 9781408886915
Beardshaw, Rosalind (Illustrator) McQuinn, Anna (Author). Lulu’s First Day
Publisher: Alanna Max. ISBN: 9781907825217
Blankenaar, Dale (Illustrator) Durant, Alan (Author). Quill Soup
Publisher: Tiny Owl. ISBN: 9781910328408
Brooksbank, Angela (Illustrator) Atinuke (Author). B is for Baby
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406371086
Browne, Anthony. Little Frida
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406381221
Cai, Rovina (Illustrator) Ness, Patrick (Author). And the Ocean Was Our Sky
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406383560
Collins, Ross (Illustrator) Newson, Karl (Author). I am a Tiger
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781509855148
Collins, Ross. This is a Dog
Publisher: Nosy Crow. ISBN: 9781788005159
Davey, Owen. Fanatical About Frogs
Publisher: Flying Eye Books. ISBN: 9781912497058
de Moraes, Thiago. Myth Atlas
Publisher: Alison Green Books. ISBN: 9781407178134
de Moraes, Thiago (Illustrator) de Moraes, Ana (Author). The Night Bear
Publisher: Andersen Press. ISBN: 9781783447145
Deacon, Alexis (Illustrator) Sedgwick, Marcus (Author) Sedgwick, Julian (Author).
Voyages in the Underworld of Orpheus Black
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406357929
Egneus, Daniel (Illustrator) Meddour, Wendy (Author). Lubna and Pebble
Publisher: Oxford University Press. ISBN: 9780192771940
Eland, Eva. When Sadness Comes to Call
Publisher: Andersen Press. ISBN: 9781783447183
Field, Jim (Illustrator) Rachel Bright (Author). The Way Home For Wolf
Publisher: Orchard Books. ISBN: 9781408349205
Foreman, Michael (Illustrator) Morpurgo, Michael (Author). Poppy Field
Publisher: Scholastic. ISBN: 9781407181424
Gravett, Emily (Illustrator) Harrold, A.F. (Author). The Afterwards
Publisher: Bloomsbury. ISBN: 9781408894316
Haworth-Booth, Emily. The King Who Banned the Dark
Publisher: Pavilion Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781843653974
Hodgson, Jesse (Illustrator) Hofmeyr, Dianne (Author). Tiger Walk
Publisher: Otter-Barry Books. ISBN: 9781910959411
Hood, Morag. Brenda is a Sheep
Publisher: Two Hoots. ISBN: 9781509842964
Horacek, Petr (Illustrator) Dunbar, Joyce (Author). Grumpy Duck
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406378245
Impey, Martin (Illustrator) Riley, Christopher (Author). Where Once We Stood
Publisher: Harbour Moon Publishing. ISBN: 9781916062504
Khullar, Anshika (Illustrator) Atta, Dean (Author). The Black Flamingo
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781444948585
Kitamura, Satoshi. Hat Tricks
Publisher: Scallywag Press. ISBN: 9781912650026
Kuo, Fifi. I Can Fly
Publisher: Boxer Books. ISBN: 9781910716434
Lai, Remy. Pie in the Sky
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406389616
Leiper, Kate (Illustrator) Breslin, Theresa (Author). An Illustrated Treasury of Scottish Castle Legends
Publisher: Floris Books. ISBN: 9781782505952
Lewis, Emma. Two Kings
Publisher: Tate Publishing. ISBN: 9781849765961
Litchfield, David (Illustrator) Almond, David (Author). War Is Over
Publisher: Hodder Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781444946574
McKean, Dave (Illustrator) Almond, David (Author). Joe Quinn’s Poltergeist
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406363197
Melville, Elena Arevalo. Umbrella
Publisher: Scallywag Press. ISBN: 9781912650019
Meserve, Jessica. What Clara Saw
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781509866595
Mistry, Poonam (Illustrator) Soundar, Chitra (Author). You’re Snug With Me
Publisher: Lantana Publishing. ISBN: 9781911373476
Mould, Chris (Illustrator) Hughes, Ted (Author). The Iron Man
Publisher: Faber & Faber. ISBN: 9780571348862
Naylor-Ballesteros, Chris. The Suitcase
Publisher: Nosy Crow. ISBN: 9781788004473
Nelson, Kadir (Illustrator) Alexander, Kwame (Author). Undefeated
Publisher: Andersen Press. ISBN: 9781783449286
Nomoco (Illustrator) Carter, James (Author). Once Upon A Raindrop
Publisher: Caterpillar Books. ISBN: 9781848577145
Packer, Neil (Illustrator) Frankopan, Peter (Author). The Silk Roads
Publisher: Bloomsbury. ISBN: 9781408889930
Percival, Tom. The Sea Saw
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781471172441
Perkin, Jayde. Mum’s Jumper
Publisher: Book Island. ISBN: 9781911496137
Pinfold, Levi (Illustrator) Almond, David (Author). The Dam
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406304879
Preston-Gannon, Frann (Illustrator) Waters, Fiona (compiled by) (Author).
I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree – A Nature Poem for Every Day of the Year
Publisher: Nosy Crow in partnership with the National Trust. ISBN: 9780857637703
Radeva, Sabina. On the Origin of Species
Publisher: Puffin. ISBN: 9780141388502
Ray, Jane (Illustrator) Davies, Nicola (Author). Hummingbird
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406379273
Rayner, Catherine (Illustrator) Donaldson, Julia (Author). The Go-Away Bird
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781509843589
Renon, Delphine (Illustrator) Hottois, Karen (Author). Emmett and Caleb
Publisher: Book Island. ISBN: 9781911496106
Riddell, Chris (Illustrator) Rowling, J.K. (Author). The Tales of Beedle the Bard
Publisher: Bloomsbury. ISBN: 9781408898673
Ross, Tony. An Anty-War Story
Publisher: Andersen Press. ISBN: 9781783446100
Sanna, Francesca. Me and my Fear
Publisher: Flying Eye Books. ISBN: 9781911171539
Sarda, Julia (Illustrator) Bailey, Linda (Author). Mary and Frankenstein
Publisher: Andersen Press. ISBN: 9781783447633
Schwarz, Viviane. How to be on the Moon
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406379921
Sharif, Amin Hassanzadeh (Illustrator) Clayton, Sally Pomme (Author). The Phoenix of Persia
Publisher: Tiny Owl. ISBN: 9781910328439
Shoard, Emma (Illustrator) Peet, Mal (Author). Good Boy
Publisher: Barrington Stoke. ISBN: 9781781128527
Siemensma, Hanneke (Illustrator) Van der Hammen, Gijs (Author) Watkinson, Laura (Translator). Little Wise Wolf
Publisher: Book Island. ISBN: 9781911496120
Smith, Lane (Illustrator) John, Jory (Author). Giraffe Problems
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406383164
Tan, Shaun. Tales from the Inner City
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406383843
Todd-Stanton, Joe. A Mouse Called Julian
Publisher: Flying Eye Books. ISBN: 9781912497065
Trukhan, Ekaterina (Illustrator) Deutsch, Georgiana (Author). Perfectly Polite Penguins
Publisher: Little Tiger Press. ISBN: 9781788811279
Voigt, Marie. Red and the City
Publisher: Oxford University Press. ISBN: 9780192767745
Waters, Beth. Child of St Kilda
Publisher: Child’s Play. ISBN: 9781786281876
Willmore, Alex (Illustrator) Poskitt, Kjartan (Author). The Runaway Pea
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Books. ISBN: 9781471175251
Wilson-Max, Ken. Astro Girl
Publisher: Otter-Barry Books. ISBN: 9781910959213
Woolf, Julia. Duck and Penguin Are Not Friends
Publisher: Andersen Press. ISBN: 9781783447831
Wormell, Chris. The Magic Place
Publisher: David Fickling Books. ISBN: 9781788450157
Wormell, Chris (Illustrator) Raman, Prinja (Author). Planetarium
Publisher: Big Picture Press. ISBN: 9781787411579
Yankey, Lindsey (Illustrator) Javaherbin, Mina (Author). My Grandma and Me
Publisher: Walker Books. ISBN: 9781406384949
Zommer, Yuval. The Big Book of Birds
Publisher: Thames & Hudson. ISBN: 9780500651513
20 February 2020
Longlist announcement
19 March 2020
Shortlist announcement and Shadowing begins
1 – 10 June 2020
Shadowers’ Choice Awards voting open
17 June 2020
2020 Medal winners’ and Shadowers’ Choice announcement
About the CILIP Carnegie Medal
The Carnegie Medal, awarded annually, was established in 1936, in memory of the Scottish-born philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie (1835−1919). A self-made industrialist who made his fortune in steel in the USA, Carnegie’s experience of using a library as a child led him to resolve that “If ever wealth came to me that it should be used to establish free libraries.” He set up more than 2,800 libraries across the English speaking world and, by the time of his death, over half the library authorities in Great Britain had Carnegie libraries.
About the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal
The Kate Greenaway Medal was established in 1955, for distinguished illustration in a book for children. Named after the popular nineteenth century artist known for her beautiful children’s illustrations and designs, the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal is awarded annually for an outstanding book in terms of illustration for children and young people.
About CILIP: the library and information association
CILIP is the leading professional body for librarians, information specialists and knowledge managers. Our goal is to put information and library skills and professional values at the heart of a democratic, equal and prosperous society. CILIP is a registered charity, no. 313014. The Youth Libraries Group (YLG) of CILIP works in a ‘pressure group’ role to preserve and influence the provision of quality literature and library services for children and young people, both in public libraries and school library services.