The newly sponsored Yoto Carnegie Medal is the UK’s oldest and most prestigious children’s book award
Awarded by children’s librarians for an outstanding book written in English for children and young people. The winners were revealed in a lunchtime ceremony held in person at The British Library for the first time since 2019. It was hosted by award-winning poet and novelist Dean Atta and featured Chair of Judges, librarian Jennifer Horan, alongside a selection of the young people who officially shadowed the 2022 awards.
The ceremony was also streamed live and can be watched back here: https://carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/take-part/stream/
| October, October. Katya Balen. Illustrated by Angela Harding (Bloomsbury) ISBN: 978-1526601933 This life-affirming middle-grade novel from Katya Balen follows October as she fights to find her place in the world beyond the woods where she has always lived. A heartbreakingly tender story of growing up, childhood, finding your own space, learning to forgive and ultimately celebrating what it is in the human spirit and in nature that gives hope to us all. Chair of Judges said “October, October by Katya Balen is a captivating story featuring exquisite descriptions of the natural world and relationships that develop and heal. It is an expertly written, beautiful and lyrical novel alive with wonder and curiosity” |  |
Balen’s October, October has also done the double and scooped this year’s Shadowers’ Choice Award for the Yoto Carnegie Medal, after tens of thousands of young people across the UK and internationally read and debated the shortlisted books before voting for their favourites
Shortlisted titles
- October, October by Katya Balen, illustrated by Angela Harding (Bloomsbury)
- Guard Your Heart by Sue Divin (Macmillan Children’s Books)
- When the Sky Falls by Phil Earle (Andersen Press)
- Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock (Faber)
- The Crossing by Manjeet Mann (Penguin Children’s Books)
- Tsunami Girl by Julian Sedgwick, illustrated by Chie Kutsuwada (Guppy Books)
- Cane Warriors by Alex Wheatle (Andersen Press)
- Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
2022 Resources including teaching guides, shadowing activities , shadower’s reviews , author and Illustrator videos and interviews are available for every book: https://carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/yoto-greenaway-medal-shortlist-
