Carnegies Medal for Illustration Longlist 2026 Pack New Pack

The Carnegies are managed by CILIP, the library and information association, and celebrate outstanding reading experiences in books for children and young people. They are unique in being 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 127 nominations by the Judging Panel which includes 14 children’s and youth librarians from CILIP’s Youth Libraries Group.

The 2026 Carnegie Medal for Illustration longlist is (alphabetical by illustrator surname):

• Sleep Tight, Disgusting Blob by Huw Aaron
• Be Back Soon by Jenny Bloomfield, written Anna Wilson
• Coorie Doon by Jill Calder, written by Jackie Kay
• The Playdate by Clara Dackenberg, written by Uje Brandelius, translated by Nichola Smalley
• The Endless Sea by Linh Dao, written by Chi Thai
• The Ordinary Life of Jacominus Gainsborough by Rébecca Dautremer, translated by Charis Ainslie
• Lord of the Flies: The Graphic Novel illustrated & adapted by Aimée de Jongh, written by Golding William
• Fia and the Last Snow Deer by Dermot Flynn, written by Eilish Fisher
• The Faerie Isle by Dermot Flynn, written by Síne Quinn
• The Sleeper Train by Baljinder Kaur, written by Mick Jackson
• Wildful by Kengo Kurimoto
• Beanie the Bansheenie by Steve McCarthy, written by Eoin Colfer
• Freedom Braids by Oboh Moses, written by Monique Duncan
• The Café at the Edge of the Woods by Mikey Please
• The Paper Bridge by Seng Soun Ratanavanh, written by Joelle Veyrenc, translated by Katy Lockwood-Holmes
• Wiggling Words by Kate Rolfe (Macmillan)
• Don’t Trust Fish by Dan Santat, written by Neil Sharpson
• Higher Ground by Tull Suwannakit
• Good Golden Sun by Brendan Wenzel

Please note Lord of the Flies: The Graphic Novel contains violence and language more suitable for older readers.