The Yoto Carnegies 2023 shortlist is out today, and this year’s list showcases diversity and creativity in authorship and in illustration.

The Yoto Carnegies, managed by CILIP, are the UK’s longest running and best-loved book awards for children and young people.

An all-female shortlist dominates young adult (YA) fiction for the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing, and critically acclaimed authors Jessie Burton, Patrice Lawrence, Sita Brahmachari and Manon Steffan Ros appear for the first time.

The shortlist for the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration features a diverse and bold range of illustrative and artistic styles, from a manga-inspired graphic novel, to traditional Chinese paper-cutting, from sharp, simple ink drawings to expansive watercolours.

The Yoto Carnegies are the UK’s longest running and best-loved book awards for children and young people, and is managed by CILIP.

13 books have been shortlisted in total; seven for the Carnegie Medal for Writing and six for the Carnegie Medal for Illustration.

The 31 longlisted titles were whittled down by the expert judging panel, which includes 12 librarians from CILIP’s Youth Libraries Group (YLG).

See the full nominations list here

Janet Noble, Chair of Judges for The Yoto Carnegies 2023, said:

"This year's shortlists clearly demonstrate that authors, illustrators and publishers are continuing to create outstanding books for children and young people that represent a wide range of identities, helping to ensure the diversity of experiences across the UK is reflected. Stories of bravery, compassion and community are told authentically and sensitively in a range of distinctive written and illustrative styles, with fantastic debuts taking pride of place alongside well-known names.”

The winners will be announced on Wednesday 21 June at a live and streamed ceremony at The Barbican, hosted by former Children’s Laureate Lauren Child CBE, who won the Carnegie Medal for Illustration (then known as the Kate Greenaway Medal) in 2000 for her first Charlie and Lola book, I Will Not Ever Never Eat A Tomato.

The winners each receive £500 worth of books to donate to a library of their choice, a specially commissioned and newly designed golden medal and a £5,000 Colin Mears Award cash prize. The Shadowers’ Choice Medals, voted for and awarded by children and young people shadowing the shortlist from today, will also be presented at the ceremony.

Visit the Yoto Carnegies site for more information