The shortlists for this year’s Carnegie Medal for Writing and Carnegie Medal for Illustration – the UK’s longest running and most prestigious children’s book awards – were announced today at the London Book Fair.

The Carnegies celebrate outstanding reading experiences in books for children and young people and are the only book awards judged entirely by librarians. Sixteen books have been shortlisted in total – eight titles for each of the Medals. They were selected from a longlist of 37 titles by a panel of 14 children’s and youth librarians from across the UK.

Identity, belonging and relationships have emerged as strong themes across both shortlists, explored through powerful storytelling and innovative illustration styles.

The shortlist for the Carnegie Medal for Writing is dominated by previously shortlisted and winning authors, including Katya Balen (2022), Jason Reynolds (2021) and Patrick Ness (2011, 2012), who now stands a chance to win for an unprecedented third time.

By contrast, the Carnegie Medal for Illustration features five illustrators who are making their first appearance on the shortlist alongside two debut illustrators, Kengo Kurimoto and Oboh Moses.

Commenting on this year’s awards, Stella Hine, Chair of Judges, said, ‘The 2026 judges have worked tirelessly to curate two outstanding shortlists. The lists meet young readers where they are, asking searching questions about identity, belonging, community and how we respond as life changes around us. These shortlists offer a wide scope of everyday life including friendship, wellbeing, courage, consent, respectful relationships, and empathy in the face of prejudice. Innovation in form is particularly exciting with inventive verse and chronology, subversive storytelling and reimagined folklore, alongside more traditional narratives. Together, these books reflect our world and empower young people to live and act with all their being and with hope. Huge congratulations to every shortlisted author and illustrator. Your works will impact generations to come, starting with our shadowing groups who have the joy of exploring these books deeply over the next few months as do we, the judges.’

Congratulations to all the shortlisted authors and illustrators!

Carnegie Medal for Writing 2026

Ghostlines by Katya Balen (Bloomsbury Children’s Books)

Not Going to Plan by Tia Fisher (Hot Key Books)

Popcorn by Rob Harrell (Piccadilly Press)

The Boy I Love by William Hussey (Andersen Press)

Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness, illustrated by Tim Miller (Walker Books)

Wolf Siren by Beth O’Brien (HarperCollins Children’s Books)

Twenty-Four Seconds from Now by Jason Reynolds (Faber & Faber)

Birdie by J. P. Rose (Andersen Press)

 

Carnegie Medal for Illustration 2026

The Playdate illustrated by Clara Dackenberg, written by Uje Brandelius, translated by Nichola Smalley (Lantana Publishing)

The Endless Sea illustrated by Linh Dao, written by Chi Thai (Walker Books)

Lord of the Flies: The Graphic Novel illustrated & adapted by Aimée de Jongh, written by William Golding (Faber & Faber)

The Sleeper Train illustrated by Baljinder Kaur, written by Mick Jackson (Walker Books)

Wildful by Kengo Kurimoto (Pushkin Children’s Books)

Freedom Braids illustrated by Oboh Moses, written by Monique Duncan (Lantana Publishing)

The Paper Bridge illustrated by Seng Soun Ratanavanh, written by Joelle Veyrenc, translated by Katy Lockwood-Holmes (Floris Books)

Wiggling Words by Kate Rolfe (Two Hoots)

Carnegies Shadowing Scheme

Inspired by this year’s shortlists? There’s still time to get involved with this year’s Shadowing Scheme. Across the country, groups of young people will ‘shadow’ the judging process: reading, discussing and reviewing the shortlisted titles before choosing their winners for the Shadowers’ Choice Medals.

The winners of the 2026 Carnegie Medals and Shadowers’ Choice Medals will be announced at a live and streamed ceremony in London on Tuesday 23rd June, hosted by Catherine Rayner, winner of the Carnegie Medal for Illustration in 2009.