The longlist for the 2013 Carnegie Medal has been shortened to eight great contenders.  This UK award is given annually to the most outstanding book for children based on literary quality.  Here is the 2013 shortlist:

  

A Boy and a Bear in a Boat by Dave Shelton

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

A Greyhound of a Girl by Roddy Doyle

  

In Darkness by Nick Lake

Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner

Midwinterblood by Marcus Sedgwick

 

The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossnan

Wonder by R. J. Palacio

 

I’ve read over half of the shortlist and all of them were among my favorite reads.  This is an incredibly strong list of books.