The Blue Book of Nebo (Firefly Press), written and translated by Manon Steffan Ros, has won the Yoto Carnegie medal for Writing, and Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear, a graphic novel has received the Medal for Illustration.

The Yoto Carnegies is run and delivered by CILIP, in collaboration with CILIP’s Youth Libraries’ group, to raise the profile of children’s books and encourage young readers to look to the future and find a passion for reading.

Mackenzie Warner, Awards Manager for CILIP said:

“All the entries were of an exceptional calibre but it’s fantastic that a book in translation has won this year’s Medal for Writing for the first time.

“A big highlight of the event was seeing the audience’s reactions to hearing from the children in the shadowing groups that selected the Shadower’s Choice Medals. After all, these books are written for kids, and to hear from them first-hand how and why they liked the books, underscores the value of the Carnegies as a celebration of children’s literature and reading.”

The Yoto Carnegies recognise outstanding achievement in children’s writing and illustration and are unique in being judged by an expert panel of children’s and youth librarians, including 12 librarians from CILIP, the library and information association’s Youth Libraries Group.

Shadowing medals are selected by children who shadow the judging process and read all the entries. They discuss and review the books on each shortlist, engage in reading related activity which they can share online, and vote for their favourites to win the Shadowers’ Choice Awards.

The Blue Book of Nebo is set in a post-apocalyptic world, and explores Welsh identity and culture, and offers a beautiful appreciation of language, through a dual narrative story told by mother and son.

The original Welsh publication, Llyfr Glas Nebo, won multiple awards, including the 2019 Wales Book of the Year.

Jeet Zdung received the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration for Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear, (Kingfisher, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Books), a book inspired by the real life of Vietnamese wildlife conservationist Dr Trang Nguyen.

The 2023 Yoto Carnegie Shadowers’ Choice Medal for Illustration went to The Comet by Joe Todd-Stanton, and the Shadowers’ Choice Medal for Writing was awarded for I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys!

Find out more about the Carnegie 2023 finalists and awards ceremony, visit the official Yoto Carnegies Site