The winners of the UK’s longest-running and most prestigious book awards for children and young people were announced before an audience of over 600 young people at a live-streamed ceremony at the Cambridge Theatre, London, on Tuesday 23 June.

The Carnegies celebrate achievement and outstanding reading experiences in books for children and young people. Run by CILIP, the library and information association, the awards are judged by an expert panel of children’s librarians. Each year thousands of reading groups in schools and libraries across the UK and around the world also get involved in the awards, with young people ‘shadowing’ the judging process, debating and choosing their own winners from this year’s shortlist.

In a shortlist dominated by established names, debut author Beth O’Brien won both the Carnegie Medal for Writing and the Shadowers’ Choice Award for Writing for her feminist reimagining of Red Riding Hood, Wolf Siren (HarperCollins Children’s Books). Inspired by Beth’s own lived experience of visual impairment, Wolf Siren explores power, gender stereotypes and accessibility through ‘richly layered symbolism’.

Commenting on her win, Beth O’Brien said: ‘I am beyond stunned and delighted that Wolf Siren has won the Carnegie Medal for Writing. It is beyond the wildest hopes I ever had for this story! Wolf Siren speaks to so many things that I care about, from visual impairment representation and period stigma to the abuse of power and weaponised belief systems. And on a personal level it is about family, sisterhood, and friendship in the face of all this. It’s an honour to know this resonated with the judges and I am so grateful that this whole Carnegie journey has allowed Wolf Siren to find its way into the hands (or ears!) of young readers.’

The winner of this year’s Carnegie Medal for Illustration is Kate Rolfe for her ‘deeply personal’ picture book Wiggling Words (Two Hoots). With an innovative use of typography and contrasting colours, Wiggling Words illustrates Rolfe’s own experience of dyslexia and her struggles with language, while also celebrating the way dyslexia helped her find creative solutions and fall in love with storytelling.

Commenting on her award, Kate Rolfe said: ‘I’m incredibly grateful to the Carnegie judges, librarians and shadowing groups for championing Wiggling Words. Receiving this award during the National Year of Reading feels so perfect! I absolutely LOVE books, but reading isn’t easy for me. Wiggling Words was inspired by my experience as a dyslexic reader, but it’s a book for every child learning to read. It celebrates creative problem-solving and playful ways into stories. The stories that captivate us when we’re young shape our values, shared humanity and the world we choose to build. We need diverse stories from every nation and background, disabled, neurodivergent, LGBTQ+ characters with experiences completely different from our own. In a world increasingly mired in fear, division and dehumanisation, diverse stories that build connection matter more than ever. If stories shape our future, accessibility and representation decides who has a voice in imagining that future – and we need it to include everyone.’ 

The winner of the Shadowers’ Choice Award for Illustration is Aimée de Jongh’s adaptation of William Golding’s classic text Lord of the Flies: The Graphic Novel (Faber & Faber). Shadowers praised the way the illustrations helped bring the story to life, adding new layers of depth and emotion to their understanding.

Commenting on this year’s awards, Stella Hine, Chair of Judges, said: ‘Wolf Siren is a wonderful fairy tale for our times where hope triumphs over despair and justice over apathy. Red is a thoroughly traditional and yet modern heroine whose journey includes timeless messages for all, young and old. The environmental messages are clear, the language is sublime, and the rich content covering many contemporary themes invites reflection. Wiggling Words is a joyous and deceptively simple insight into the world of a dyslexic reader. Using typography and their signature cyanotype technique, Kate Rolfe not only affords the dyslexic reader a voice but also invites the non-dyslexic reader into this unique world. We accompany the young protagonist on their journey from frustration to empowerment. Many congratulations to the 2026 Award winners in this National Year of Reading. I’d like to thank the judging panel who sacrifice much of their personal time and energy for the Awards. Thank you to all the Shadowers around the country and overseas. Thank you to every teacher and librarian supporting young readers to explore these outstanding lists.’

Registration for the 2027 Shadowers’ Choice Awards will open in November. Find out more about the awards, the resources provided to support them, and how your school can get involved here. Find more book awards that are judged by young people here.