The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) has released shortlists for the 2026 Carnegie Medal for Writing and Carnegie Medal for Illustrating. The winners, who each receive a gold medal and a £5,000 (about $6,675) Colin Mears Award cash prize, will be named June 23 at a live and streamed ceremony in London.
Carnegie Medal for Writing
Ghostlines by Katya Balen
Not Going to Plan by Tia Fisher
Popcorn by Rob Harrell
The Boy I Love by William Hussey
Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness, illustrated by Tim Miller
Wolf Siren by Beth O'Brien
Twenty-Four Seconds from Now by Jason Reynolds
Birdie by J.P. Rose
Carnegie Medal for Illustration
The Playdate by Clara Dackenberg, written by Uje Brandelius, translated by Nichola Smalley
The Endless Sea by Linh Dao, written by Chi Thai
Lord of the Flies: The Graphic Novel, illustrated & adapted by Aimée de Jongh, written by William Golding
The Sleeper Train by Baljinder Kaur, written by Mick Jackson
Wildful by Kengo Kurimoto
Freedom Braids by Oboh Moses, written by Monique Duncan
The Paper Bridge by Seng Soun Ratanavanh, written by Joelle Veyrenc, translated by Katy Lockwood-Holmes
Wiggling Words by Kate Rolfe
Winners of the Shadowers' Choice Medals--voted for and awarded by the children and young people who shadow the medals--will also be presented at the ceremony. They will receive a medal and £500 (about $665) worth of books to donate to a library of their choice.