The Carnegies are the longest running children’s book awards in the UK. The medals are judged by children’s librarians. The Shadow Awards allow children and youth throughout the UK to vote on their favorite books. Here are the winners:
CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR ILLUSTRATION
Clever Crow illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill, written by Chris Butterworth (available in US)
This joyous and lyrical picture book celebrates the Juneteenth holiday by looking back at the enslavement of the Black-American people and the expression that came afterwards. What would you wear if you’d only been able to wear rags? How would you sing if you had only been able to sing in code? How would you eat if you’d only had scraps? The questions show the devastation and deprivation of those enslaved, the lasting impact of that on the generations that followed. And somehow, out of that came fashion and music and feasts and more. That transformative spirit is what is embraced here in such simple words.
So many Juneteenth books are for older children and cannot be shared aloud easily. This picture book calls to be read aloud to celebrate the holiday, inviting joy in what has been overcome and delighting in the new expression that came out of it. Wynter does an incredible job of taking complex issues and transforming them into something that children can understand and talk more about. She doesn’t oversimplify and lose the darkness either. It’s an incredibly difficult line to walk and she does it with such confidence and skill. The illustrations are done in acrylic on boards and Photoshop, hearkening to the past with black and white pieces that contrast with bright colors in other parts of the page.
A great Juneteenth read that belongs in every library. Appropriate for ages 4-7.
The winners of the 2025 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards have been announced by the Ontario Arts Foundation. Here is the link to the shortlists that I posted about in May.
PICTURE BOOK WINNER
The Little Regent by Yewande Daniel-Ayoade, illustrated by Ken Daley
Finn isn’t having a good end of school. He has missed lots of gym class, hasn’t turned in his poetry project about heroes, and just kicked over a gravestone. He’s in big trouble for that last one. It turns out the grave is that of a local Adirondack High Peaks heroine, so her daughter reaches out to see if they can make a deal. She will drop the charges if Finn climbs all 46 of the High Peaks by Labor Day. Plus, he has to take along the dead woman’s dog who loves to hike. As Finn begins to hike and reach summits, he learns a lot along the way, particularly about his anger towards his father who died recently and was by everyone else’s account a hero.
As I read this book, I was in awe of Messner’s skill. She combines so many disparate elements into a book that feels organic and beautiful. Her use of a verse novel format makes so much sense here, allowing us to feel what Finn does even as he is in denial about much of it. His poetry project weaves its way through the verse, capturing his voice and rage. Finn can’t see himself through most of the book, can’t see the people around him and their support, can’t see his father and the truth about him, can’t find his way through.
This is a book about what nature can do for a person who is lost and not looking to be rescued. It is a book about the various ways that heroes enter our lives, the forms they take that are unexpected and sometimes drooling dogs, the connection that can result in shared experiences. It is about so much at once and yet again, is superbly focused and deftly written. Messner shows her mastery here.
A mountain of heart, a range of emotions, and quite a summit of a book. Appropriate for ages 8-12.
The winners of the 2024 Stoker Awards have been announced by the Horror Writers Association. Here are the winners in the Middle Grade and YA categories. You can head to Locus to see the winners in all categories.
WINNER SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A MIDDLE GRADE NOVEL (TIE)
Taking a child-friendly look at the amazing Frida Kahlo’s childhood, this book ties her growing up to the nature and flowers that surrounded her. From the orange tree near her home to recovering from polio by spending time outdoors, Frida was connected to growing things. After a near-fatal accident, art becomes a way for Frida to spend her days in bed, painting to reconnect to the soil beneath her. As an adult, she created a lush native garden and began to wear her signature flower crown.
Told in simple phrases, this picture book biography can be shared successfully as a read aloud. The illustrations by Pura Belpre Honoree Lora burst from the pages with flowers and colors.
Growing side-by-side throughout this book, a child and a tree transform. From a tiny seed to a fattening cell to setting down roots. They burst into the light one day. They both need water and warmth. And they are both gifts to the world and rely on the world around them.
With clever die cuts, this picture book ties humans closely together with nature, embracing our connectedness to the world around us and showing us that we are part of a larger whole.
A delight of an import from a French author and Belgian artist. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Reviewed from e-galley provided by Enchanted Lion Books.
The Bookseller has announced the shortlist for the 2025 YA Book Prize that they run along with the Edinburgh International Book Festival. The award celebrates the best YA fiction from the UK and Ireland. Here are the shorlisted titles:
Waking Brain Cells 