Children's & YA · United Kingdom
The Carnegie Medal for Writing
The UK's oldest and most prestigious prize for children's writing, awarded annually by CILIP since 1936. Judged solely by children's librarians. Winners 2000–2024.
Named in honour of philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who founded more than 2,800 libraries worldwide, the Medal is unique in being judged entirely by practising children's librarians — bringing a front-line perspective that distinguishes it from literary panels.
Since 2007 the Medal has been dated by its year of presentation rather than the book's publication year, so no Medal is dated 2006. Notable winners include Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book (2010), Patrick Ness winning consecutively in 2011 and 2012, Elizabeth Acevedo in 2019 and Jason Reynolds in 2021.
Winners
- 2000 The Other Side of Truth Beverley Naidoo Find on Amazon →
- 2001 The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents Terry Pratchett · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2002 Ruby Holler Sharon Creech Find on Amazon →
- 2003 A Gathering Light Jennifer Donnelly Find on Amazon →
- 2004 Millions Frank Cottrell Boyce Find on Amazon →
- 2005 Tamar Mal Peet
- 2007 Just in Case Meg Rosoff
- 2008 Here Lies Arthur Philip Reeve
- 2009 Bog Child Siobhan Dowd
- 2010 The Graveyard Book Neil Gaiman · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2011 Monsters of Men Patrick Ness · more by this author
- 2012 A Monster Calls Patrick Ness · more by this author
- 2013 Maggot Moon Sally Gardner
- 2014 The Bunker Diary Kevin Brooks
- 2015 Buffalo Soldier Tanya Landman
- 2016 One Sarah Crossan
- 2017 Salt to the Sea Ruta Sepetys
- 2018 Where the World Ends Geraldine McCaughrean
- 2019 The Poet X Elizabeth Acevedo · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2020 Lark Anthony McGowan · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2021 Look Both Ways Jason Reynolds · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2022 October, October Katya Balen · more by this author
- 2023 The Blue Book of Nebo Manon Steffan Ros · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
- 2024 The Boy Lost in the Maze Joseph Coelho · more by this author In our catalogue Book club guide →
Pre-2007 entries use publication year; 2007+ use presentation year. No Medal dated 2006. Siobhan Dowd (2009) had died in 2007; Bog Child was published posthumously.
Winners verified against the prize's official records. For the complete history, see the official The Carnegie Medal for Writing site.
Common questions
Who judges the Carnegie Medal?
Entirely by children's librarians in CILIP's Youth Libraries Group — typically 12 judges per year. This makes it unusual among major prizes in having a purely professional judging panel.
Can the same author win twice?
Yes — the original rules prevented it but the restriction was lifted in 1969. Patrick Ness won consecutively in 2011 and 2012.