Diversity Principles in Place

With a longlist announcement due on February 20 and shortlists expected on March 19, the UK’s Carnegie Medal and Kate Greenaway Medal programs are among the most respected honors in young readers’ awards.

The Carnegie Medal, which is awarded annually, was established in 1936, in memory of the Scottish-born philanthropist Andrew Carnegie (1835−1919). In response to the importance of libraries in his childhood, Carnegie set up more than 2,800 libraries across the English-language world. By the time of his death, more than half the library-operation agencies in Great Britain are said to have had Carnegie libraries, although the country’s public-library system has been under extraordinary pressure in recent years.

The Kate Greenaway Medal was created in 1955 to recognize distinguished illustration in a book for children. Named after a 19th-century artist of 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.

CILIP, the organization that supervises and directs the competitions, draws its acronym from its original 1898 charter as the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, although today it calls itself “The Library and Information Association.”

For 2020, a total 162 books have been nominated, with 91 entered in the Carnegie competition and 71 in the Greenaway side. Some titles were placed into nomination for both medals.

Diversity Heightened Since the 2017-2018 Review

A part of the process is eight outside nomination-making organizations, BookTrust, CLPE, CommonWord, English & Media Centre, IBBY, Inclusive Minds, National Literacy Trust and RNIB. “These organizations were invited to nominate as an outcome of CILIP’s independent diversity review of the Awards (2017 to 2018),” media messaging reads.

And the results of that study led to 10 recommendations that included “explicitly championing diversity through the awards’ strategies, development plans, and messages,” “recognizing a diverse range of voices and perspectives,” and “expanding the diversity profile of our judges.”

The review, which you can read more about here, is couched in the familiar upbeat terms of “opportunity for improvement” and “strategy” but in fact represented a forthright assessment that followed what the program describes as “criticism of the 2017 Carnegie Medal longlist as it included no Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic (BAME) authors.”

In other words, objections to the reality succeeded, and the tone today is one of commitment, more goals including “strengthening the diversity training that librarian judges receive,” “reviewing the awards criteria,” and “raising awareness of diverse books among librarians.”

Each nominated book is read by every member of the volunteer judging panel, a group of 14 children’s and youth librarians from CILIP’s Youth Libraries Group.

From these nominations, the panel then decides the longlists and shortlists and winners.

To be eligible for the awards, titles must have been first published in the UK between September 1 and August 31 of the previous calendar year. Books first published in another country must have been co-published in the UK within three months of the original publication date. An eligible book must be written in the English language, either as an original work in English or a first English translation of a foreign-language work, and specifically published for children and young people.

Nominations for the 2020 Carnegie Medal

Our listings are in the format provided by the CILIP program, which includes nominated titles’ ISBNs.

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

Nominations for the 2020 Kate Greenaway Medal

Our listings are in the format provided by the CILIP program, which includes nominated titles’ ISBNs.

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

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More from Publishing Perspectives on publishing and book awards programs is here. And more from us on the UK market is here.