A great way to keep up with recommendations for great reads is to look at the books coming up in prize shortlists; I thought I’d take a look at the CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Children’s Book Awards for some ideas of great young adult reads, and fantastic illustrated stories too.
From the CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway site:
This year’s CILIP Carnegie shortlist is unusual in that half of the nominated titles deal with themes of kidnap and captivity: All the Truth That’s in Me by Julie Berry sees a missing girl returning home after two years; a boy is kept hostage underground in The Bunker Diaryby Kevin Brooks; Blood Family by Fine begins with police rescuing a seven-year-old boy from his mother’s abusive partner; and children are snatched and forced to become soldiers in The Child’s Elephant by The Times arts critic Rachel Campbell-Johnston.
CILIP Carnegie Medal 2014 shortlist:
- All the Truth That’s in Me by Julie Berry (Templar)
- The Bunker Diary by Kevin Brooks (Puffin)
- The Child’s Elephant by Rachel Campbell-Johnston (David Fickling Books)
- Ghost Hawk by Susan Cooper (Bodley Head)
- Blood Family by Anne Fine (Doubleday)
- Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell (Faber & Faber)
- Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead (Andersen Press)
- The Wall by William Sutcliffe (Bloomsbury)
I’m really looking forward to trying The Bunker Diary, and Rooftoppers – I’ve heard so many brilliant things about them from people who’ve been reading them so far. I’m also keen to check out the books on the Kate Greenaway shortlist; I absolutely love illustrated stories and picture books – part of my degree was based on how words and images can combine in narrative and some of these look fab.
From the CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway site:
The shortlist for this year’s CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal – the only prize in the UK to solely reward outstanding illustration in a children’s book – sees debuts battling against illustration heavyweights. Oliver is the first children’s book from Icelandic author/illustrator Birgitta Sif, whilst Olivia Gill brings to life husband and wife team Clare and Michael Morpurgo’s poetry anthology in her first book project, Where My Wellies Take Me. They are up against celebrated illustrators including Oliver Jeffers – with The Day the Crayons Quit, written by Drew Daywalt – and Dave McKean, with his third collaboration with former CILIP Carnegie winner David Almond, Mouse, Bird, Snake, Wolf.
The CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2014 shortlist:
- The Paper Dolls by Rebecca Cobb (illustrator) and Julia Donaldson (author) (Macmillan Children’s Books)
- Where My Wellies Take Me by Olivia Gill (illustrator) and Michael Morpurgo and Clare Morpurgo (authors) (Templar)
- The Day the Crayons Quit by Oliver Jeffers (illustrator) and Drew Daywalt (author) (HarperCollins Children’s Books)
- This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen (Walker Books)
- The Dark by Jon Klassen (illustrator) and Lemony Snicket (author) (Orchard Books)
- Mouse, Bird, Snake, Wolf by Dave McKean (illustrator) and David Almond (author) (Walker Books)
- Oliver by Birgitta Sif (Walker Books)
I’m a huge fan of Oliver Jeffers, although The Day the Crayons Quit is illustrated by Oliver Jeffers with story by Drew Daywalt, as opposed to both story and images by Jeffers himself, but I also really love This Is Not My Hat – if you’ve not seen it, you really must. Some grown-ups dismiss picture books as ‘just for babies’ but these are so witty and brilliantly designed. If you’re a picture book ‘denier’, you must try these; they’ll change your mind.
The winners for both these prizes will be announced on Monday 23rd June – I’m going to see if I can read a few books from both shortlists before then, and I’ll definitely let you know who the winners are!
If you want more information in the meantime, check out http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/home/