Celebrating childrens literature

The shortlisted titles for this year's CILIP  Kate Greenaway and Carnegie Medals have been announced today. The awards mark excellence in illustration and writing for children in the UK. This is a key milestone, and represents extensive work to date. Judges have narrowed down impressive long-lists of eligible titles to provide an indication of the best new children's books published in the UK over the last year. Why not expand your horizons and read one or two of the shortlisted titles?

CILIP Carnegie Medal

The CILIP Carnegie Medal is the oldest and most prestigious accolade for children's writing in the UK. The 2013 Carnegie Shortlist:

• Sarah Crossan THE WEIGHT OF WATER Bloomsbury
• Roddy Doyle A GREYHOUND OF A GIRL Marion Lloyd Books
• Sally Gardner MAGGOT MOON Hot Key Books
• Nick Lake IN DARKNESS  Bloomsbury
• R. J. Palacio WONDER  Bodley Head
• Marcus Sedgwick MIDWINTERBLOOD Indigo
• Dave Shelton A BOY AND A BEAR IN A BOAT David Fickling Books
• Elizabeth Wein CODE NAME VERITY Electric Monkey

CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal

Also announced today is the shortlist for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal, which rewards outstanding illustration in a children's book - the only prize of its kind in the UK. The shortlist highlights the enormous range of style in contemporary children's illustration.  The CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2013 shortlist:

• Lunchtime by Rebecca Cobb, Macmillan Children's Books
  
• Again! by Emily Gravett, Macmillan Children's Books
  
• Oh No, George! by Chris Haughton, Walker Books
  
• I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen, Walker Books
  
• Pirates 'n' Pistols by Chris Mould, Hodder Children's Books
  
• King Jack and the Dragon by Helen Oxenbury (illustrator) and Peter Bently (author), Puffin Books
  
• Black Dog by Levi Pinfold, Templar Publishing
  
• Just Ducks! by Salvatore Rubbino (illustrator) and Nicola Davies (author), Walker Books

The winners for both the CILIP Medals will be announced on Wednesday 19^th June 2013 at an afternoon ceremony at the Natural History Museum in London. The winners will each receive £500 worth of books to donate to their local library and the coveted golden medals. Since 2000, the winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal has also been awarded the £5,000 Colin Mears Award cash prize.

CKG Press release - click here
For further information about the shortlisted titles see the CKG website

You don't have to be a childrens, school or youth librarian to appreciate great new fiction and illustration. Why not expand your reading horizon and take a look at one or two of the shortlisted titles. You're guaranteed a great read!

The Youth Libraries Group in Wales will also talk about the collaborative, professional skills involved in selecting titles for the long- and short-lists for the Kate Greenaway Medal at the CILIP Cymru Wales Annual Conference in a workshop on Friday 17 May. It's going to be an interesting, entertaining, hands-on session! More information here.