Yoto Carnegie Greenaway Awards and The Reading Agency launch shortlist events

The Yoto Carnegie Greenaway Awards for outstanding achievement in children’s writing and illustration has partnered with The Reading Agency to host two virtual shortlist events for young readers this May. 

Each of the free interactive events, the #YotoCarnegieLIVE and #YotoGreenawayLIVE, will correspond to the two different medals up for grabs.

The events will feature a selection of the shortlisted illustrators and authors talking about their books, as well as answering questions from children and young people, ahead of the winner announcement for both medals on 16th June. 

The Kate Greenaway event runs on 23rd May from 12.30 p.m. to 1.30 p.m., while the Carnegie event runs on 26th May from 12.30 p.m. to 1.30 p.m. 

Jake Hope, chair of the CILIP Carnegie Greenaway Working Party, said: “We are excited to be working with The Reading Agency for the first time this year on a new Yoto Carnegie Greenaway Awards live virtual event series, which will bring children and young people across the UK closer to the shortlisted authors and illustrators than ever before. 

“We hope this opportunity to engage directly with the creators of some of the books shortlisted for the Yoto Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals will really bring their stories to life. We’re also looking forward to seeing shadowing groups, schools, libraries and bookshops make use of our new downloadable #ReadAlong and #DrawAlong event packs to inspire young readers creatively and to encourage them to read one or more of the shortlisted books.” 

Shortlists for the medals were announced in March. The 2022 winners will be announced and celebrated on 16th June at a lunchtime ceremony at The British Library. It will also be streamed live from noon. The event will be hosted by award-winning poet and novelist Dean Atta.

The winners will each receive £500-worth of books to donate to their local library, a specially commissioned golden medal and a £5,000 Colin Mears Award cash prize.