Jon Klassen seems a bit fixated on hats. He was shortlisted
for the Greenaway award last year with I
Want my Hat Back. Both books are excellent and good fun whatever your age, so do take a look. This is Not my Hat has a bit of a shock
ending, though, so approach with care if you’re of a sensitive disposition!
We should also point out that Klassen doesn’t just write about hats. In fact,
he had an extra chance of winning this year as he was also nominated for The Dark, his collaboration with Lemony
Snicket (of A Series of Unfortunate
Events fame). Nothing to do with hats!
Kevin Brooks is no stranger to the Carnegie Medal, having
been shortlisted three times before for Martyn
Pig (2002), The Road of the Dead
(2007) and Black Rabbit Summer
(2009), so it’s good to see him finally take home the prize. Brooks has never
shied away from tough issues and his books can be a gruelling read. The Bunker Diary deals with homelessness,
drug abuse and imprisonment, amongst other things, and as such has caused some
controversy. It’s certainly not a book for young children! Despite its bleak
nature (Brooks believes that teenagers and young adults don’t always need a
happy ending, and it’s patronising to suggest they do), The Bunker Diary won the judging panel over on good old-fashioned
literary merit and a compelling storyline.
The Carnegie and Greenaway medals are the oldest and most
prestigious awards in children’s literature. They are judged solely by UK
librarians. The process of selecting the long lists started back in the autumn,
with a shortlist announced in March this year. You can find out more about the
awards and this year’s ceremony, including comments from the winners and
judges, on the official CILIP awards website.
The shortlists for both awards are below. All are available from Townhill
Library, so call in and make your own judgement! You’ll find them on our New Books display on the
first floor.
CILIP Carnegie Medal shortlist 2014:-
The
Bunker Diary, Kevin Brooks
Liar
and Spy, Rebecca Stead
Blood
Family, Anne Fine
Rooftoppers,
Katherine Rundell
Ghost
Hawk, Susan Cooper
The
Child’s Elephant, Rachel Campbell-Johnston
All
the Truth That’s in Me, Julie Berry
The
Wall, William Sutcliffe
CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal shortlist 2014:-
This
is Not my Hat, Jon Klassen
The
Paper Dolls, Rebecca Cobb (written by Julia Donaldson)
Where
my Wellies Take me, Olivia Gill (written by Clare and
Michael Morpurgo)
The
Day the Crayons Quit, Oliver Jeffers (written by Drew
Daywalt)
The
Dark, Jon Klassen (written by Lemony Snicket)
Mouse
Bird Snake Wolf, Dave McKean (written by David
Almond)
Oliver,
Birgitta Sif
