Nominations announced for the 2025 Carnegie Medals

The nominations for the 2025 Carnegie Medal for Writing and Carnegie Medal for Illustration have been announced.  Schools that would like to follow the judging process for the Carnegies can now sign up to the process.

Key Dates:  The 2025 Longlist will be announced on 12 February and the Shortlist on 11 March, with Shadowing beginning on 12 March 2025.  Shadowing groups can read and review the books between March and June, with the Shadowers' Choice vote opening in May. 

The winners of the Carnegie Medal for Writing and Carnegie Medal for Illustration will be announced on 19 June 2025 via a livestreamed ceremony.

Shadowing the Carnegie Medals

Every spring, reading groups from schools, libraries, and homes are invited to join the process of shadowing the Carnegie Medals. This experience gives young readers the chance to follow along with the official judging process as 'shadowers'.

From mid-March, shadowers read, discuss, and review books from two separate shortlists-one for writing and one for illustration. Each shortlist features up to eight books, and groups can choose to shadow one or both shortlists.  Shadowers share their thoughts online and vote for their favorites in the Shadowers' Choice Awards.

The winners of both the judges' and shadowers' medals are revealed in the livestreamed ceremony in mid-June.  With thousands of groups participating in the UK and around the world, shadowing engages tens of thousands of young readers, sparking a love for literature and critical thinking. Find out more on the Carnegie Medals website.

Carnegie Medal Nominations

These are the books nominated by CILIP members for the Carnegie Medals 2025, with additional titles nominated by external bodies including CLPE, IBBY and RNIB. 

Carnegie Medal for Illustration Nominated Titles 2025

Antony, Steve. Rainbowsaurus
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books. ISBN: 9781444964516

Bass, Sophie (illustrator) Cooke, Trish (author). The Magic Callaloo
Publisher: Walker. ISBN: 9781529504880

Becker, Aaron. The Last Zookeeper
Publisher: Walker. ISBN: 9781529517873

Chen, Wen Hsu (illustrator) Gamboa, Jaime (author) Hahn, Daniel (translator). The Invisible Story
Publisher: Lantana. ISBN: 9781915244765

Child, Lauren (illustrator) Dockrill, Laura (author). Grey
Publisher: Walker. ISBN: 9781406389562

Clarke, Eoin (illustrator) Brown, Ian (author). Albert and the Flood
Publisher: Graffeg. ISBN: 9781802586565

Cobb, Rebecca (illustrator) Dulak, Mariesa (author). There's a Tiger on the Train
Publisher: Faber & Faber. ISBN: 9780571368341

Cottle, Katie. Night Flight
Publisher: Puffin. ISBN: 9780241634257

Fisher, Cathy (illustrator) Morris, Jackie (author). The Panda's Child
Publisher: Otter-Barry Books. ISBN: 9781915659057

Ganser, Michèle (illustrator) Stavaric, Michael (author) Latsch, Oliver (translator). Amazing Octopus: Creature From an Unknown World
Publisher: Pushkin Children's Books. ISBN: 9781782694243

Gravett, Emily (illustrator) Hardinge, Frances (author). Island of Whispers
Publisher: Two Hoots. ISBN: 9781529088076

Grill, William (illustrator) Pretor-Pinney, Gavin (author). Cloudspotting For Beginners
Publisher: Particular Books. ISBN: 9780241632543

Harding, Angela (illustrator) Tree, Isabella (author). Wilding: How to Bring Wildlife Back - an Illustrated Guide
Publisher: Macmillan. ISBN: 9781529092844

Hindley, Kate (illustrator) Lloyd, Susannah (author). Who Ate Steve?
Publisher: Nosy Crow. ISBN: 9781839946226

Hoang, Giang (illustrator) Butterfield, Lanisha (author). Flower Block
Publisher: Puffin. ISBN: 9780241611371

Hodgkinson, Leigh. Martha Maps It Out In Time
Publisher: Oxford University Press. ISBN: 9780192787088

Horáček, Petr (illustrator) Davies, Nicola (author). The Star Whale
Publisher: Otter-Barry Books. ISBN: 9781915659095

Hunt, Matt. Up High
Publisher: Nosy Crow. ISBN: 9781805132585

Ilustrajo, Mariajo. I Love Books
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books. ISBN: 9780711277991

Jeffers, Oliver and Winston, Sam. The Dictionary Story
Publisher: Walker. ISBN: 9781406395471

Jeffers, Oliver. Begin Again
Publisher: HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780008579593

Jones, Richard (illustrator) Percival, Tom (author). Quiet
Publisher: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 9781471173912

Kitamura, Satoshi. School for Puppies
Publisher: Andersen Press. ISBN: 9781839133442

Klassen, Jon (illustrator) Barnett, Mac (author). How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?
Publisher: Walker. ISBN: 9781529512779

Kutsuwada, Chie (illustrator) Sedgwick, Julian (author). 100 Tales from the Tokyo Ghost Cafe
Publisher: Guppy Books. ISBN: 9781913101886

Litchfield, David (illustrator) Booth, Anne (author). The Boy, the Troll and the Chalk
Publisher: Templar Books. ISBN: 9781800783058

Lomenech Gill, Olivia (illustrator) Butterworth, Chris (author). Clever Crow
Publisher: Walker. ISBN: 9781406380330

Lu, Thea. Dive, Dive into the Night Sea
Publisher: Walker. ISBN: 9781406349993

Martin, Pedro. Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir
Publisher: Guppy Books. ISBN: 9781916558069

Moscardó, Júlia. Changing Tides
Publisher: Little Tiger. ISBN: 9781838915377

Munro, James (illustrator) Pearlstein, Howard (author). The Shy Book
Publisher: Graffeg. ISBN: 9781802586725

O'Hara, Lauren (illustrator) Dahl, Sophie (author). Madame Badobedah and the Old Bones
Publisher: Walker. ISBN: 9781406384420

Palomino, Juan (illustrator) Vasco, Irene (author) Schimel, Lawrence (translator). Letters in Charcoal
Publisher: Lantana. ISBN: 9781915244512

Parish, Theo. Homebody
Publisher: Macmillan. ISBN: 9781035017621

Percival, Tom. The Bridges
Publisher: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 9781398515086

Prabhat, Sandhya (illustrator) Soundar, Chitra (author). It's Time to Hush and Say Good Night
Publisher: Walker. ISBN: 9781529501759

Raish, Jason (illustrator) Spalding, Sir Alistair (author). Welcome to the Arts: Dance
Publisher: Big Picture Press. ISBN: 9781800783362

Rocco, John (illustrator) Rocco, Hayley (author). Wild Planet: The Inspiring Life and Wisdom of Sir David Attenborough
Publisher: Rock the Boat. ISBN: 9780861548972

Rolfe, Kate. Wolf and Bear
Publisher: Two Hoots. ISBN: 1035019574

Sardà, Júlia (illustrator) Nicholls, Sally (author). Godfather Death
Publisher: Andersen Press. ISBN: 9781839131417

Schwarz, Viviane (illustrator) Stanley, Sara (author). One-Button and the Sea
Publisher: Scallywag Press. ISBN: 9781915252609

Smith, Briony May (illustrator) O'Leary, Sara (author). The Little Books of the Little Brontes
Publisher: Walker. ISBN: 9781529518313

Smith, Sydney. Do You Remember?
Publisher: Walker. ISBN: 9781529519914

Stone, Rhian (illustrator) Tosdevin, Frances (author). Grandad's Star
Publisher: Rocket Bird Books. ISBN: 9781915395108

Suggs, Margaret Anne. The Dandelion's Tale
Publisher: Graffeg. ISBN: 9781802587050

Swain, Holly. Colin's Castle
Publisher: Farshore. ISBN: 9780008698126

Teckentrup, Britta. A Happy Place
Publisher: Little Tiger. ISBN: 9781838916596

Usher, Sam (illustrator) Coulthard, Charissa (author). The Fun We Had
Publisher: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 9781398524491

Uzu, Tonka (illustrator) Arevalo Melville, Elena (author). Elki is Not My Dog
Publisher: Scallywag Press. ISBN: 9781915252364

Vere, Ed. The Elephant and the Sea
Publisher: Puffin. ISBN: 9780241717981

Wilson-Max, Ken. Aqua Boy
Publisher: Otter-Barry Books. ISBN: 9781915659224

Wynter, Daisy (illustrator) Hanaor, Ziggy (author). The Egg Incident
Publisher: Cicada Books. ISBN: 9781800660434

Yu Rong (illustrator) Carswell, Fiona (author). The Boy Who Loves to Lick the Wind
Publisher: Otter-Barry Books. ISBN: 9781915659156

Yu Rong (illustrator) Wenxuan, Cao (author) Monnelly, Simone-Davina and Hope, Jake (translators). Flying High
Publisher: UCLan Publishing. ISBN: 9781915235985

Zommer, Yuval. The Wild
Publisher: Oxford University Press. ISBN: 9780192782625

Carnegie Medal for Writing Nominated Titles 2025

Almond, David (author) Stewart, Lizzy (illustrator). Puppet
Publisher: Walker. ISBN: 9781406391619

Badoe, Yaba. Man-Man and The Tree of Memories
Publisher: Zephyr. ISBN: 9781837930081

Balen, Katya (author) Johnson, Richard (illustrator). Little House
Publisher: Barrington Stoke. ISBN: 9781800902558

Balen, Katya. Foxlight
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books. ISBN: 9781526640444

Barba Higuera, Donna. Alebrijes - Flight to a New Haven
Publisher: Piccadilly Press. ISBN: 9781800785410

Baron, Adam (author) Davies, Benji (illustrator). Oscar's Lion
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books. ISBN: 9780008596750

Bishop, Sylvia. On Silver Tides
Publisher: Andersen Press. ISBN: 9781839133589

Boucherat, Max. The Last Life of Lori Mills
Publisher: HarperCollins. ISBN: 9780008666484

Bourne, Holly. You Could Be So Pretty
Publisher: Usborne. ISBN: 9781474966832

Buffini, Moira. Songlight
Publisher: Faber & Faber. ISBN: 9780571385669

Carroll, Emma. The Houdini Inheritance
Publisher: Faber & Faber. ISBN: 9780571341412

Chisholm, Alastair. I Am Wolf
Publisher: Nosy Crow. ISBN: 9781839945311

Comerford, Helen. The Love Interest
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA. ISBN: 9781526667588

Conaghan, Brian. Treacle Town
Publisher: Andersen Press. ISBN: 9781839133619

Crossan, Sarah. Where the Heart Should Be
Publisher: Bloomsbury YA. ISBN: 9781526666598

Dassu, A.M. Kicked Out: A Boy, Everywhere story
Publisher: Old Barn Books. ISBN: 9781910646892

Davies, Nicola (author) Horáček, Petr (illustrator). The Star Whale
Publisher: Otter-Barry Books. ISBN: 9781915659095

Davies, Nicola. Skrimsli
Publisher: Firefly Press. ISBN: 9781913102807

Delahaye, Rachel. Splinters
Publisher: Troika Books. ISBN: 9781912745371

Earle, Phil. Northern Soul
Publisher: Barrington Stoke. ISBN: 9781800902039

Egan, Leanne. Lover Birds
Publisher: Harper Fire. ISBN: 9780008626570

Egan, Michael. Runner Hawk
Publisher: Everything With Words. ISBN: 9781911427360

Fitzpatrick, Marie Louise. Sisters of the Moon
Publisher: Faber & Faber. ISBN: 9780571383009

Furniss, Clare. The Things We Leave Behind
Publisher: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 9781471169816

Gardner, Sally (author) Mould, Chris (illustrator). Pernickety Boo
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books. ISBN: 9780008602642

Goldewijk, Yorick (author) Watkinson, Laura (translator). Movies Showing Nowhere
Publisher: Pushkin Children's Books. ISBN: 9781782694106

Goodfellow, Matt (author) Todd-Stanton, Joe (illustrator). The Final Year
Publisher: Otter-Barry Books. ISBN: 9781915659040

Gray, Keith. The List
Publisher: Barrington Stoke. ISBN: 9781800903203

Hardinge, Frances (author) Gravett, Emily (illustrator). Island of Whispers
Publisher: Two Hoots. ISBN: 9781529088076

Hardy, Vashti. North and the Only One
Publisher: Scholastic. ISBN: 9780702312274

Hickson-Lovence, Ashley. Wild East
Publisher: Penguin. ISBN: 9780241645444

Jassat, Nadine Aisha. The Hidden Story of Estie Noor
Publisher: Orion Children's Books. ISBN: 9781510111608

Jawando, Danielle. If My Words Had Wings
Publisher: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 9781398514034

Keats, Sharada. These Stolen Lives
Publisher: Scholastic. ISBN: 978-0702325120

Kenny, Pádraig. Stitch
Publisher: Walker. ISBN: 9781529517781

Kessler, Liz. Code Name Kingfisher
Publisher: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 9781398512511

Lessore, Nathanael. King of Nothing
Publisher: Hot Key Books. ISBN: 9781471413247

McCaughrain, Kelly. Little Bang
Publisher: Walker. ISBN: 9781406375725

McDonald, Margaret. Glasgow Boys
Publisher: Faber & Faber. ISBN: 9780571382972

McNicoll, Elle. Keedie
Publisher: Knights Of. ISBN: 9781913311988

Montgomery, Ross. I Am Rebel
Publisher: Walker. ISBN: 9781529502909

Moore, C.G. Trigger
Publisher: Little Island Books. ISBN: 9781915071538

Morani, Djamila (author) Hussain, Sawad (translator). The Djinn's Apple
Publisher: Neem Tree Press. ISBN: 9781911107859

Musariri, Blessing. All That It Ever Meant
Publisher: Zephyr. ISBN: 9781035902514

Nadin, Joanna. My Teeth in Your Heart
Publisher: UCLan Publishing. ISBN: 9781916747142

Nathan, L.M. The Virtue Season
Publisher: Scholastic. ISBN: 9780702330926

Nicholls, Sally. Yours From the Tower
Publisher: Andersen Press. ISBN: 9781839134814

Palmer, Luke. Play
Publisher: Firefly Press. ISBN: 9781915444318

Palmer, Tom. Angel of Grasmere
Publisher: Barrington Stoke. ISBN: 9781800902169

Parr, Lesley. Fallout
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books. ISBN: 9781526648013

Percival, Tom. The Wrong Shoes
Publisher: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 9781398527126

Quirke, Anna Zoe. Something to be Proud Of
Publisher: Little Tiger. ISBN: 9781788956901

Rauf, Onjali Q. The Letter with the Golden Stamp
Publisher: Orion Children's Books. ISBN: 9781510108929

Rundell, Katherine. Impossible Creatures
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's Books. ISBN: 9781408897416

Schaap, Annet (author) Watkinson, Laura (translator). Girls
Publisher: Pushkin Children's Books. ISBN: 9781782693789

Schu, John. Louder Than Hunger
Publisher: Walker. ISBN: 9781529514568

Sedgwick, Julian (author) Kutsuwada, Chie (illustrator). 100 Tales from the Tokyo Ghost Cafe
Publisher: Guppy Books. ISBN: 9781913101886

Sorrel, O.R. Apocalypse Cow
Publisher: Guppy Books. ISBN: 9781916558144

Steffan Ros, Manon. Me and Aaron Ramsey
Publisher: Firefly Press. ISBN: 9781915444493

Strange, Lucy. The Island at the Edge of Night
Publisher: Chicken House. ISBN: 9781913322380

Sullivan, Deirdre. Wise Creatures
Publisher: Hot Key Books. ISBN: 9781471411205

Traoré, Efua. Sister Spirit
Publisher: Zephyr. ISBN: 9781035907571

Valentine, Jenny. Us in the Before and After
Publisher: Simon & Schuster. ISBN: 9781471196584

Wharton, Alex. Doughnuts, Thieves and Chimpanzees
Publisher: Firefly Press. ISBN: 9781915444585