The prestigious Carnegies – nominations announced!
What are the Carnegies?
The Carnegies are organised by CILIP, the UK’s library and information association, and are uniquely judged by librarians. CILIP invited nominations for the 2025 Carnegies from its members, as well as external bodies: BookTrust, CLPE, Commonword, English & Media Centre, IBBY, National Literacy Trust, RNIB, The Reading Agency, and the CILIP School Libraries Group. CILIP accepted nominations that met the criteria for the Medals and reflected the spirit of the Awards mission: To champion librarians to inspire and empower the next generation to create a better world through books and reading.
The Shadowers’ Choice Awards
2025 will also see the continuation of the 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, artworks, videos, and taking part in creative activities and online events. 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 2025.
Carnegie Medal for Writing Nominated Titles 2025
The nominated titles span many genres and age groups, written by established and not so well-known authors…
From Hans Christian Andersen Medal-winning author David Almond comes a heartwarming story that shows anything is possible with imagination and trust. What should a puppet master do when he’s old and alone, and all his puppets are gone? Browns for Books (BfB) 7+
I can’t remember how old I was when I first started collecting stamps. But I’ve got a whole shoebox full of them now. Mam used to help me collect them … Before she got so ill that she lost her job, her friends…everything. Now it’s my job to take care of her and protect her – and my little brother and sister too. But to do that, I have to make Mam a Secret. A secret no-one can ever find out about. Not even my best friends at school, or Mo, our postman. Or the stranger living in the house across the street. BfB 9+
*** WINNER OF THE 2024 WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR CHILDREN’S WRITING ***From the author of October, October, winner of the Yoto Carnegie Medal, comes a heartbreaking and heart-warming story about sisterhood, found family and accepting love in the most unusual and unknown places. Fen and Rey were found curled up small and tight in the fiery fur of the foxes at the very edge of the wildlands. BfB 9+
From the award-winning author of The Brightstorm Chronicles, Vashti Hardy, comes a powerful new story set in a surprising world filled with action, adventure and big questions about family and what it means to be human.
Perfect for readers aged 9+ and for fans of Ross Welford and Piers Torday. BfB 9 +
A heart-warming adventure about the unbreakable bond between a dog and his human from a beloved and twice Costa-shortlisted author.
“I’m Tom’s dog, and he’s my human. We belong to each other.”
Rebel is a good dog, and he loves his simple, perfect life on the farm with his owner Tom – until one day the war comes too close… Now Tom is determined to join the rebellion to defeat the king’s men. But Rebel knows war is dangerous, and he will stop at nothing to save the human he loves. Rebel must bring Tom home before it’s too late. BfB 9+
Voyaging deeper and deeper into a Japan ‘between the worlds’, Akira and his companions encounter a host of yokai monsters and famous ghosts, discovering a sometimes comical and sometimes terrifying world of interlinked and ghostly short stories along the way. BfB 11+
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WEEK JUNIOR’S BEST OLDER FICTION AWARD 2024
SHORTLISTED FOR THE LITTLE REBELS CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD 2024
Illustrated in vibrant full-colour, a story of dance, celebration, carnival and slavery, about a family understanding their past to change the future. Set in contemporary Notting Hill, Man-man and his friends are swept up in the exuberant preparations for carnival. BfB
How I Live Now meets Exodus – a startling YA dystopia that imagines London as the epicentre of the refugee crisis, from critically acclaimed author Clare Furniss. ‘Compulsive, poignant YA dystopia’ The Guardian ‘An exquisite, devastating read’ The Irish Times ‘Genuinely moving’ Daily Mail ‘Reminiscent of Meg Rosoff’s How I Live Now and Paul Lynch’s Book Prize-winning dystopia Prophet Song, this is a devastating novel which speaks to the present political moment’ Just Imagine Civil unrest in London has reached an all-time high after years of a growing authoritarian regime, and it’s no longer safe for Clem and her half-sister Billie in the city. BfB 14+
“If you loved the Barbie movie, you’ll adore this.” THE SUN”The Handmaid’s Tale for the Insta generation.” THE TIMES”Razor-sharp and compelling, it is essential reading for every teenage girl.” THE OBSERVER”Holly Bourne is truly a one-in-a-million author.” DAILY MIRROR”A searing exploration of beauty and its meaning for women and girls. BfB 14+
A grown-up gothic fairy tale” — one of The Guardian’s Five Best YA Books 2023. The award-winning, bestselling Frances Hardinge and Emily Gravett unite for the first time to conjure up a thrilling fairy tale of ghosts and magic, highly illustrated throughout with a luscious blue ink. On the island of Merlank, the Dead must not be allowed to linger. BfB 14+
To see the full list of nominations – visit:
The Carnegies
Carnegie Medal for Illustration Nominated Titles 2025
A joyful and fun read-along tale of one family’s quest to find the Rainbowsaurs, featuring lots of colourful creatures. We’re following a rainbow to find the Rainbowsaurus. We’re following a rainbow. Would you like to join us? Join two dads and their three children as they set off on an adventure to find the Rainbowsaurus. BfB 3+
A child is feeling grey. ‘I am grey today. I just am. I am grey. And grey is when I don’t feel like me’. All around there are colours – sunshine yellow, balloon orange bright and treetop green – but at this moment, the child can see them but not reach them.
Then a kind hand reaches out and the child begins to see that the colours will always be there and that sadness may also always be there, too. Full of warmth and kindness this is a perfect book for sharing. LoveReading4Kids 3+
In the pueblo of Palenque in Colombia, hardly anybody knows how to read.
Curious about the letters her older sister Gina receives from a young doctor each month — letters that she is sure contain promises of love — one young girl makes a decision that will change her life, and the lives of every child in the pueblo, forever. BfB 3+
The boy next door loves to lick the wind. “You should try it,” says his mum. “All the best winds are at the beach.”And so begins an amazing afternoon by the sea for two boys.
One doesn’t always speak with words and likes throwing stones – the other likes to collect shells and make sandcastles.
But the sea works its magic and by the end of the day the boys discover they both love to lick the wind – together. BfB 5+
Brilliantly told and sumptuously illustrated, The Magic Callaloo is based on the fairy-tale “Rapunzel” and inspired by stories of enslaved Africans. By the celebrated author of So Much”Master storyteller Trish Cooke is in top form with this vibrant story of community, magic, love and family that’s bursting with life and colour.” Dapo AdeolaLong ago and far away, a magic callaloo plant grew in a village square. BfB 5+
For young bird-watchers and enthusiasts of the natural world comes a unique, surprising and beautifully illustrated non-fiction picture book about these fascinating birds. LoveReading4Kids
A timeless story for readers aged 5+ celebrating friendship, imagination and adventure, with exquisite illustrations, from a bestselling author. Mabel lives with her parents in The Mermaid Hotel, by the sea.
Mabel likes to keep an eye on the comings and goings of all the guests, particularly their most interesting guest and Mabel’s best friend, Madame Badobedah. BfB 5+
We are living in a golden age of graphic novels and memoirs, and MEXIKID is one of the best I’ve ever read’ – New York Times’Beautiful …
An important human story wrapped up in a stunning visual tale’ – Chris Mould Pedro is a Mexikid, a kid born in America to parents from Mexico: a kid who doesn’t quite belong in either place… BfB 11+
We will be closely monitoring the results and acquiring many of these exciting new titles for the Prep and Senior Libraries!
