Carnegie Medal Criteria

The Library Association Carnegie Medal is awarded annually for an outstanding book for children and young people.

Eligibility:

The book must be written in the English language
The book must be published originally for children and young people
The book must have received its first publication in the United Kingdom or have had co-publication elsewhere within a three month time lapse. In the case of e-books and short stories previously published in a magazine or elsewhere, the point of publication should be considered as the date when the work is published as a whole
All categories of books for children and young people are eligible
Books by previous Carnegie Medal winners are eligible

Criteria:

The book that wins the Carnegie Medal should be a book of outstanding literary quality. The whole work should provide pleasure, not merely from the surface enjoyment of a good read, but also the deeper subconscious satisfaction of having gone through a vicarious, but at the time of reading, a real experience that is retained afterwards.
All criteria will not necessarily be relevant to every title nominated. Where appropriate, consider and assess the following:

The plot:

Is it well-constructed?
Does the author appear in control of the plot, making definite and positive decisions about the direction events take and the conclusions they reach?
Do events happen, not necessarily logically, but acceptably within the limits set by the theme?
Is the final resolution of the plot credible in relation to the rest of the book?

Characterisation:

Are the characters believable and convincing?
Are they well-rounded, and do they develop during the course of the book?
Do they interact with each other convincingly?
Are the characters’ behaviour and patterns of speech consistent with their known background and environment?
Do they act consistently in character throughout the book?
How effectively are the characters revealed through narration, dialogue, action, inner dialogue and through the thoughts, reactions and responses of others?

Style:

Is the style or styles appropriate to the subject and theme?
How successfully has the author created mood, and how appropriate is it to the theme?
Do dialogue and narrative work effectively together?
How effective is the author’s use of literary techniques and conventions?
How effective is the author’s use of language in conveying setting, atmosphere, characters, action etc.?
Where rhyme or rhythm are used, is their use accomplished and imaginative?
Where factual information is presented, is this accurate and clear?

Who can nominate and how to do it:

Members of the Library Association, either personally, through their local authority or through their regional YLG
Up to 2 titles with supporting statements of 30 – 50 words
A supporting statement should be a summary of what makes the book outstanding in the view of the nominator, highlighting its strengths against the Carnegie criteria. It should not be a simple retelling of the book’s content.

The Library Association Kate Greenaway Medal is awarded annually for an outstanding book in terms of illustration for children and young people.

Eligibility

The book must be published originally for children and young people
The book must have received its first publication in the United Kingdom or have had co-publication elsewhere within a three month time lapse
All categories of illustrated books for children and young people are eligible
Where there is text, it must be written in English or in Dual Language (one of which must be English)
Books by previous Kate Greenaway Medal winners are eligible

Criteria

The book that wins the Kate Greenaway Medal should be a book of outstanding artistic quality. The whole work should provide pleasure from a stimulating and satisfying visual experience.
Illustrated work needs to be considered primarily in terms of its graphic elements, and where text exists particular attention should be paid to the synergy between the two.
All criteria will not necessarily be relevant to every title nominated. Where appropriate, consider and assess the following:

The artistic style:

The format:

Is the typography (i.e. format, typeface, print size, spacing, novelty features etc.) integral or intrusive?
Does the layout draw the reader in or is it distracting?
How appropriate are the size and shape of the book?
What use is made of covers, end-papers and title page?

Synergy of illustration and text:

Are there recurring visual themes or images that enhance the reader’s understanding of the book?
How well do the illustrations and text relate to each other in terms of layout?
Are the images and text consistent with each other?
Do the illustrations enhance the text or are they ‘pictorial upholstery’, i.e. for decorative purposes only?
In the case of information books, how accurate and clear are the illustrations?

The visual experience:

How well does the book either offer the reader new experiences, or reflect their pre-existing experiences?
Does the book succeed in working at different levels for different readers?
What are the aesthetic qualities of the book?
What is the overall impact of the book on the reader?

Who can nominate and how to do it

Members of the Library Association, either personally, through their local authority or through their regional YLG
Up to 2 titles with supporting statements of 30 – 50 words
A supporting statement should be a summary of what makes the book outstanding in the view of the nominator, highlighting its strengths against the Greenaway criteria. It should not be a simple retelling of the book’s content.

Other Carnegie/Greenaway Articles

Acceptance Speech Beverley Naidoo, winner or the Carnegie Medal 2000

Media Coverage Louise Aldridge, Editor