Poetry and picture books dominate Yoto Carnegies shortlists

Joseph Coelho, Kwame Alexander, Catherine Rayner and Poonam Mistry are among the writers and illustrators shortlisted for this year’s Yoto Carnegie Medals for Writing and Illustration, announced at the London Book Fair.

Poetry dominates the shortlist for the Medal for Writing, with three novels written in verse: The Boy Lost in the Maze by Waterstones Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Kate Milner (Otter-Barry Books), The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander (Andersen Press) and Crossing the Line by debut writer Tia Fisher (Bonnier Books UK). There is also a poetry collection from author Nicola Davies, Choose Love, illustrated by Petr Horáček (Graffeg).

Also shortlisted are The Song Walker by Zillah Bethell (Usborne), Away with Words by Sophie Cameron (Little Tiger), Safiyyah’s War by Hiba Noor Khan (Andersen Press) and Steady for This by Nathanael Lessore (Bonnier Books UK), another debut writer.

On the shortlist for the Medal for Illustration, Catherine Rayner, who won the award in 2009, is nominated for The Bowerbird, written by Julia Donaldson (Macmillan Children’s Books), while three-time shortlisted illustrator Poonam Mistry gets a fourth crack at the Medal with The Midnight Panther (Bonnier Books UK). Also in contention are three Walker Books titles: The Tree and the River by Aaron Becker, The Wilderness by Steve McCarthy and The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish by debut illustrator Chloe Savage.

April’s Garden by Catalina Echeverri, written by Isla McGuckin (Graffeg), Lost by Mariajo Ilustrajo (Quarto) and To the Other Side by Erika Meza (Hachette Children’s Group) complete the shortlist, giving small Welsh indie Graffeg a title on each of the medal shortlists.

The Yoto Carnegies celebrate outstanding achievement in children’s writing and illustration and are judged by librarians, with respective Shadowers’ Choice Awards voted for by children and young people.

Chair of the judges Maura Farrelly said: “The judges have worked incredibly hard to select 16 outstanding books; books that celebrate the very best of writing and illustration for children and young people. These are books to empower young readers, and for some will provide validation and refuge; stories of courage, of characters thriving to find themselves and their place in the world, often in difficult or dangerous situations. 

"The books shortlisted for the writing medal exemplify immersive and compelling writing with the power to inspire and move readers across a range of forms. The illustration shortlist is entirely comprised of picture books, with a strong theme of the environment, underlining the way picture books can speak to all ages, and showing how nature and illustrated books can heal and empower. We are excited to share these lists with shadowing groups and young readers, and very much look forward to reading their reviews and discovering their winners, alongside our own, at the announcement in June.”

The winners will be announced on Thursday 20th June at a live and streamed ceremony, hosted by novelist Manjeet Mann.