Carnegies Longlists Announced

Wednesday 12th February 2025: The Carnegies, the UK’s longest running and best loved book awards for children and young people, today announced their longlists for 2025.

British writers and independent publishers dominate the Medal for Writing this year with masculinity and a search for self, grief and recovery, prevalent themes in stories that reflect the realities of young lives while offering hope in the future. International illustrators are at the forefront of the Medal for Illustration list with the transformative power of books, nature and the environment celebrated in stories that speak through bold and innovative interplays of colour, texture and technique.

A total of 35 titles have been selected from 19 different publishers; 19 titles for the Carnegie Medal for Writing, and 16 for the Carnegie Medal for Illustration.

The Carnegies celebrate outstanding reading experiences in books for children and young people.  They are judged by librarians, with the Shadowers’ Choice Medal voted for by children and young people.

The awards aim to spark a lifelong passion for reading by connecting more children with books that will change lives.

The longlists were chosen from 119 nominations by the judging panel which includes 14 children’s and youth librarians from CILIP’s Youth Libraries Group.

The shortlists for the 2025 Carnegies will be announced at a panel event at London Book Fair beginning at 3.15pm on Tuesday 11th March.

The winners’ ceremony will be hosted live at the Cambridge Theatre and streamed on Thursday 19 June. 

Details of titles here