The CILIP Carnegie Medal is awarded by children’s librarians for an outstanding book written in English for children and young people.
Past winners include Arthur Ransome, C.S. Lewis, Terry Pratchett, Philip Pullman, Noel Streatfeild, Sally Gardner and Elizabeth Acevedo.
Thomas Tallis School participates in the CILIP Carnegie Shadowing scheme which engages thousands of students in reading the books on the shortlist via reading groups in schools with dedicated educational reading resources and promotional materials to support each shortlist. Each year young people who take part in the scheme are invited to vote for their favourite books to win the Shadowers’ Choice Awards, which are announced alongside the Medal winners at the annual winners’ ceremony.
The Medals are awarded annually with longlists announced in February, shortlists in March and the winners announced at a ceremony in June. Scroll down to learn more about recent Carnegie medal winners and nominations.
Past winners include Arthur Ransome, C.S. Lewis, Terry Pratchett, Philip Pullman, Noel Streatfeild, Sally Gardner and Elizabeth Acevedo.
Thomas Tallis School participates in the CILIP Carnegie Shadowing scheme which engages thousands of students in reading the books on the shortlist via reading groups in schools with dedicated educational reading resources and promotional materials to support each shortlist. Each year young people who take part in the scheme are invited to vote for their favourite books to win the Shadowers’ Choice Awards, which are announced alongside the Medal winners at the annual winners’ ceremony.
The Medals are awarded annually with longlists announced in February, shortlists in March and the winners announced at a ceremony in June. Scroll down to learn more about recent Carnegie medal winners and nominations.
Clap When You Land
Elizabeth Acevedo
In a novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives.
Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people…
In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash.
Separated by distance—and Papi’s secrets—the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered.
And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other.
Click here to read more reviews and watch and interview with the author.
Elizabeth Acevedo
In a novel-in-verse that brims with grief and love, author Elizabeth Acevedo writes about the devastation of loss, the difficulty of forgiveness, and the bittersweet bonds that shape our lives.
Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see crowds of crying people…
In New York City, Yahaira Rios is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to tell her that her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash.
Separated by distance—and Papi’s secrets—the two girls are forced to face a new reality in which their father is dead and their lives are forever altered.
And then, when it seems like they’ve lost everything of their father, they learn of each other.
Click here to read more reviews and watch and interview with the author.
The Girl Who Speaks Bear
Sophie Anderson
Yanka has always felt like an outsider – found in a bear cave when she was a baby and raised by her foster mother Mamochka, she's always wondered where she came from. But when something very unusual begins to happen to her, it's the push she needs to leave her village on a quest to discover her family, her origins and who she really is.
Sophie Anderson's book is a wonderful adventure, drawing heavily on Russian folk tales to bring us a gripping tale of dragons, bears and magic. As Yanka's quest unfolds, young readers will not only be captivated by the peril and dangers she faces, but also by the underlying themes of friendship, identity and family. And it's impossible not to root for Yanka, who is growing and learning as she goes, making some valuable discoveries along the way.
Click here to read more reviews and watch and interview with the author.
Sophie Anderson
Yanka has always felt like an outsider – found in a bear cave when she was a baby and raised by her foster mother Mamochka, she's always wondered where she came from. But when something very unusual begins to happen to her, it's the push she needs to leave her village on a quest to discover her family, her origins and who she really is.
Sophie Anderson's book is a wonderful adventure, drawing heavily on Russian folk tales to bring us a gripping tale of dragons, bears and magic. As Yanka's quest unfolds, young readers will not only be captivated by the peril and dangers she faces, but also by the underlying themes of friendship, identity and family. And it's impossible not to root for Yanka, who is growing and learning as she goes, making some valuable discoveries along the way.
Click here to read more reviews and watch and interview with the author.
The Girl Who Became A Tree
Joseph Coelho
This book is poet and playwright Joseph Coelho’s stunning poetic adaptation of the Greek myth of Daphne, who transformed herself into a tree to escape the god Apollo. The ancient legend is seamlessly woven into the modern-day tale of 14 year old Daphne, a girl who becomes lost in the tangled woods of her grief and anger after seeking solace in her local library following the death of her father.
Coelho’s poetry is at once accessible and powerful, an imaginative and exciting narrative which is a thrill to read aloud, yet at the same time emotionally mature and, in places, heartbreakingly sad.
Click here to read more reviews and watch and interview with the author.
Joseph Coelho
This book is poet and playwright Joseph Coelho’s stunning poetic adaptation of the Greek myth of Daphne, who transformed herself into a tree to escape the god Apollo. The ancient legend is seamlessly woven into the modern-day tale of 14 year old Daphne, a girl who becomes lost in the tangled woods of her grief and anger after seeking solace in her local library following the death of her father.
Coelho’s poetry is at once accessible and powerful, an imaginative and exciting narrative which is a thrill to read aloud, yet at the same time emotionally mature and, in places, heartbreakingly sad.
Click here to read more reviews and watch and interview with the author.
On Midnight Beach
Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
When a dolphin takes up residence in Carrig Cove, Emer and her best friend, Fee, feel like they have an instant connection with it. Then Dog Cullen and his sidekick, Kit, turn up, and the four friends begin to sneak out at midnight to go down to the beach, daring each other to swim closer and closer to the creature . . .
But the fame and fortune the dolphin brings to their small village builds resentment amongst their neighbours across the bay, and the summer days get longer and hotter . . . There is something wild and intense in the air. Love feels fierce, old hatreds fester, and suddenly everything feels worth fighting for.
Click here to read more reviews and watch and interview with the author.
Run Rebel
Manjeet Mann
A compelling verse novel in which Amber is trapped – by her abusive father’s rules, by his expectations, by her own fears. She only feels alive when running, but even that is forbidden. Inspired by school lessons about revolution Amber slowly finds the strength to free not only herself, but also her downtrodden mother and her trapped sister from their domestic prison.
Click here to read more reviews and watch and interview with the author.
Look Both Ways
Jason Reynolds
As the school bell rings. signaling the end of the day, the kids in Latimer Middle School stream out of their classrooms and begin their journeys home. There’s Pia on her skateboard, Simeon giving Kenzi a piggyback, the Low Cuts plotting their latest hustle, best friends Jasmine and TJ talking about random things. Everyone heads off in a different direction, leaving the busy school bubble and splitting off toward their separate lives.
Here are ten stories about ten walks home – ten different kids, their friendships, their worries, their moments of joy, their routines. Themes of friendship and compassion weave these stories together. It’s a book about in-between moments and the spaces where young people begin the walk from childhood to adulthood. Each story stands alone, but with little things here and there that overlap: a teacher shouting in the corridor; a character from one story passed in the playground in another story, while Jason Reynolds' writing is gripping, direct and incredibly readable.
Click here to read more reviews and watch and interview with the author.
Jason Reynolds
As the school bell rings. signaling the end of the day, the kids in Latimer Middle School stream out of their classrooms and begin their journeys home. There’s Pia on her skateboard, Simeon giving Kenzi a piggyback, the Low Cuts plotting their latest hustle, best friends Jasmine and TJ talking about random things. Everyone heads off in a different direction, leaving the busy school bubble and splitting off toward their separate lives.
Here are ten stories about ten walks home – ten different kids, their friendships, their worries, their moments of joy, their routines. Themes of friendship and compassion weave these stories together. It’s a book about in-between moments and the spaces where young people begin the walk from childhood to adulthood. Each story stands alone, but with little things here and there that overlap: a teacher shouting in the corridor; a character from one story passed in the playground in another story, while Jason Reynolds' writing is gripping, direct and incredibly readable.
Click here to read more reviews and watch and interview with the author.
Fountains of Silence
Rta Sepetys
Madrid, 1957. Under the fascist dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, Spain is hiding a dark secret. Meanwhile, tourists and foreign businessmen flood into Spain under the welcoming promise of sunshine and wine. Among them is eighteen-year-old Daniel Matheson, the son of an oil tycoon, who arrives in Madrid with his parents hoping to connect with the country of his mother's birth through the lens of his camera. Photography--and fate--introduce him to Ana, whose family's interweaving obstacles reveal the lingering grasp of the Spanish Civil War--as well as chilling definitions of fortune and fear. Daniel's photographs leave him with uncomfortable questions amidst shadows of danger. He is backed into a corner of difficult decisions to protect those he loves. Lives and hearts collide, revealing an incredibly dark side to the sunny Spanish city.
Includes vintage media reports, oral history commentary, photos, and more.
Click here to read more reviews and watch and interview with the author.
Rta Sepetys
Madrid, 1957. Under the fascist dictatorship of General Francisco Franco, Spain is hiding a dark secret. Meanwhile, tourists and foreign businessmen flood into Spain under the welcoming promise of sunshine and wine. Among them is eighteen-year-old Daniel Matheson, the son of an oil tycoon, who arrives in Madrid with his parents hoping to connect with the country of his mother's birth through the lens of his camera. Photography--and fate--introduce him to Ana, whose family's interweaving obstacles reveal the lingering grasp of the Spanish Civil War--as well as chilling definitions of fortune and fear. Daniel's photographs leave him with uncomfortable questions amidst shadows of danger. He is backed into a corner of difficult decisions to protect those he loves. Lives and hearts collide, revealing an incredibly dark side to the sunny Spanish city.
Includes vintage media reports, oral history commentary, photos, and more.
Click here to read more reviews and watch and interview with the author.
Echo Mountain
Lauren Wolk
1933. When Ellie and her family lose everything, they flee to Echo Mountain. Ellie runs wild, exploring the mountain's mysteries. But the one she can't solve is who's leaving the gifts for her: tiny wooden carvings of animals and flowers, dotted around the mountain for her to find.
Then Ellie's father has a terrible accident. When she sets out to find a cure for him, she discovers Cate, the outcast witch, and Larkin, a wild mountain boy. From them she learns about being a healer, being brave - and how there can be more to a person than first meets the eye.
Click here to read more reviews and watch and interview with the author.
Carnegie Medal 2020
The Winner of the Carnegie Medal 2020 is Lark by Anthony McGowan.
Scroll down to read about Lark and the other 7 books nominated for the Carnegie Award
Lark by Anthony McGowan
Things are getting tense at home for Nicky and Kenny as they wait for a visit from their estranged mum. To escape, they go for a walk on the moors, taking their little Jack Russell terrier with them.
But what should have been a laugh, a lark, turns deadly when the weather changes and they are caught in a blizzard. Nothing will ever be quite the same again…
Digital Content links:
Interview with Anthony McGowan
Girl, Boy, Sea by Chris Wick
A British boy is lost and alone on an endless sea after a storm sinks his yacht. His future seems as unpredictable as the ocean itself. Everything changes when he rescues another survivor from another wreck and they begin a heart-stopping journey to find home....
Review by Ms McGowan
First of all I think I need to say that this is not the kind of book I would have picked up under normal circumstances. Reviews which talked of the ‘might and majesty of the unpredictable ocean’ and the ‘will to survive against all the odds’ did not appeal. I have never been interested in stories of adventure and the battle between the individual and nature, and it all sounded a bit Ben Fogle for my liking. A few pages in and I was still of the same mind. A poor little rich boy, Bill, gets into trouble on a sailing holiday in the Canaries: not my bag. But I’m reading this for the Carnegie, so I press on.
I’m happy to say that once we meet Aya, a girl from a Nomadic Berber tribe whose ship (carrying migrants trying desperately to flee to Europe, we assume), things changed for me. In particular, Aya’s stories of Shahrazard who told her thousand tales in a desperate bid to keep herself alive drew me in, as did their increasingly bleak struggle to stay alive. I especially liked the way that after their initially very stilted exchanges, the pair found ways to overcome difficulties of language and experience, and they learnt to communicate on an increasingly deep level.
I won’t spoil the ending, but I don’t think I’m giving anything away by saying I still didn’t fully buy into the strength of the relationship between Bill and Aya, but I finished the book in one sitting, which must say something!
- OM 20/4/2020
Digital Content Links :
Podcast Interview with Chris Vick
A British boy is lost and alone on an endless sea after a storm sinks his yacht. His future seems as unpredictable as the ocean itself. Everything changes when he rescues another survivor from another wreck and they begin a heart-stopping journey to find home....
Review by Ms McGowan
First of all I think I need to say that this is not the kind of book I would have picked up under normal circumstances. Reviews which talked of the ‘might and majesty of the unpredictable ocean’ and the ‘will to survive against all the odds’ did not appeal. I have never been interested in stories of adventure and the battle between the individual and nature, and it all sounded a bit Ben Fogle for my liking. A few pages in and I was still of the same mind. A poor little rich boy, Bill, gets into trouble on a sailing holiday in the Canaries: not my bag. But I’m reading this for the Carnegie, so I press on.
I’m happy to say that once we meet Aya, a girl from a Nomadic Berber tribe whose ship (carrying migrants trying desperately to flee to Europe, we assume), things changed for me. In particular, Aya’s stories of Shahrazard who told her thousand tales in a desperate bid to keep herself alive drew me in, as did their increasingly bleak struggle to stay alive. I especially liked the way that after their initially very stilted exchanges, the pair found ways to overcome difficulties of language and experience, and they learnt to communicate on an increasingly deep level.
I won’t spoil the ending, but I don’t think I’m giving anything away by saying I still didn’t fully buy into the strength of the relationship between Bill and Aya, but I finished the book in one sitting, which must say something!
- OM 20/4/2020
Digital Content Links :
Podcast Interview with Chris Vick
Lampie by Annet Schaap
Every evening Lampie the lighthouse keeper's daughter must light a lantern to warn ships away from the rocks. But one stormy night disaster strikes. The lantern goes out, a ship is wrecked and an adventure begins.
In disgrace, Lampie is sent to work as a maid at the Admiral's Black House, where rumour has it that a monster lurks in the tower. But what she finds there is stranger and more beautiful than any monster. Soon Lampie is drawn into a fairytale adventure in a world of mermaids and pirates, where she must fight with all her might for friendship, freedom and the right to be different.
Digital Content Links :
Podcast Interview with Annet Schaap and Laura Watkinson (transalator)
Nowhere on Earth by Nick Lake
Review by Ms Church
I have read a few of Nick Lake’s other books, including There Will Be Lies, so I was really looking forward to reading this. As expected, the story turned out to be completely different from what you might expect! The story starts with Emily and her brother Aidan on a plane which is about to crash. Why are they are on the plane alone? And what are they running away from?
The reader is flung into the remote snowy plains of Alaska and join Emily and Aidan on an exciting journey, being chased by armed men in white. The reader is left wondering what is going on – and I am not going to spoil the twist because it was very clever and I didn’t see it coming. What I can say though is that you will find it hard to put this book down! The action is relentless and the characters are constantly on edge, as are you.
My favourite aspect of this book was the way that the relationships developed between the characters. The special bond between Emily and Aidan is at the core of this story, however their relationship with Bob Simpson, the pilot of the crashed plane, and their parents, is also very touching and well crafted. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a story with action, twists and a warm heart! I could definitely see it being made into a film or Netflix series.
- EC 27/4/2020
Links to Digital Content :
Interview with Nick Lake
Review by Ms Church
I have read a few of Nick Lake’s other books, including There Will Be Lies, so I was really looking forward to reading this. As expected, the story turned out to be completely different from what you might expect! The story starts with Emily and her brother Aidan on a plane which is about to crash. Why are they are on the plane alone? And what are they running away from?
The reader is flung into the remote snowy plains of Alaska and join Emily and Aidan on an exciting journey, being chased by armed men in white. The reader is left wondering what is going on – and I am not going to spoil the twist because it was very clever and I didn’t see it coming. What I can say though is that you will find it hard to put this book down! The action is relentless and the characters are constantly on edge, as are you.
My favourite aspect of this book was the way that the relationships developed between the characters. The special bond between Emily and Aidan is at the core of this story, however their relationship with Bob Simpson, the pilot of the crashed plane, and their parents, is also very touching and well crafted. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a story with action, twists and a warm heart! I could definitely see it being made into a film or Netflix series.
- EC 27/4/2020
Links to Digital Content :
Interview with Nick Lake
On the Come Up -Angie Thomas
The award-winning author of The Hate U Give returns with a powerful story about hip hop, freedom of speech - and fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you.
Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. As the daughter of an underground hip-hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri’s got massive shoes to fill. But when her first song goes viral for all the wrong reasons, Bri finds herself at the centre of controversy and portrayed by the media as more menace than MC.
And with an eviction notice staring her family down, Bri no longer just wants to make it - she has to. Even if it means becoming the very thing the public has made her out to be.
Links to Digital Content :
- Angie Thomas raps from On the Come Up
- Angie Thomas Q&A
-Podcast - Hip-Hop Saved My Life podcast with Romesh Ranganathan
The award-winning author of The Hate U Give returns with a powerful story about hip hop, freedom of speech - and fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you.
Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. As the daughter of an underground hip-hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri’s got massive shoes to fill. But when her first song goes viral for all the wrong reasons, Bri finds herself at the centre of controversy and portrayed by the media as more menace than MC.
And with an eviction notice staring her family down, Bri no longer just wants to make it - she has to. Even if it means becoming the very thing the public has made her out to be.
Links to Digital Content :
- Angie Thomas raps from On the Come Up
- Angie Thomas Q&A
-Podcast - Hip-Hop Saved My Life podcast with Romesh Ranganathan
Patron Saint of Nothing by Randy Ribay
A powerful coming-of-age story about grief, guilt, and the risks a Filipino-American teenager takes to uncover the truth about his cousin's murder.When Jay Reguero hears of his cousin Jun’s death, everything changes. Although years have passed since they were last in contact, the stories about Jun just don’t fit with the boy Jay knew. Hoping to uncover the truth, Jay travels to Jun’s home in the Philippines – but the shocking realities of life there lead to even more questions. Can Jay find the answers he seeks?
Links to Digital Content
- Randy Ribay introduces Patron Saint of Nothing
The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta
A boy comes to terms with his identity as a mixed-race gay teen - then at university he finds his wings as a drag artist, The Black Flamingo. A bold story about the power of embracing your uniqueness. Sometimes, we need to take charge, to stand up wearing pink feathers - to show ourselves to the world in bold colour.
Links to digital content :
- Dean Atta performs his poem 'How to come out as gay'
- Shakespeare's Telling Tales : The Black Flamingo with Dean Atta
- The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta / Directed by Lisa Cazzato Vieyra
Voyages in the Underworld of Orpheus Black by Marcus Sedgwick and Julian Sedgwick, Illustrated by Alexis Deacon
Harry Black wakes in hospital to learn that his brother Ellis has almost certainly been killed by a V2 rocket falling during a German air raid on London. In a state of wounded delirium, Harry's mind begins to blur the distinctions between the reality of the war-torn city, the fiction of his unpublished sci-fi novel and the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Driven by visions of Ellis still alive and a sense of poetic inevitability, Harry discharges himself from hospital and begins a search for his brother that will lead him deep into the city's Underworld...
Links to Digital Content: - Trailer of the book