Carnegies Medal for Writing 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 Writing longlist is
(alphabetical by author surname):

• Black Star by Kwame Alexander
• Ghostlines by Katya Balen
• Stealing Happy by Brian Conaghan
• On the Wall by Anne Fine
• Fia and the Last Snow Deer by Eilish Fisher, illustrated by Dermot Flynn
• Not Going to Plan by Tia Fisher
• Popcorn by Rob Harrell
• The Boy I Love by William Hussey
• Songs for Ghosts by Clara Kumagai_
• When It’s Your Turn for Midnight by Blessing Musariri
• Birdy Arbuthnot’s Year of ‘Yes!’ by Joanna Nadin
• Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody by Patrick Ness, illustrated by Tim Miller
• Wolf Siren by Beth O’Brien
• Shrapnel Boys by Jenny Pearson
• Handle With Care by Louisa Reid
• Twenty-Four Seconds from Now by Jason Reynolds
• Birdie by J. P. Rose
• Traumaland by Josh Silver
• The Spick and the Span by Pil Van Martin

Please note Not Going to Plan, Handle With Care and Twenty-Four Seconds from Now contain themes and content more suitable for older readers.