2010 CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL SHORTLIST BUCKS THE VAMPIRE TREND

Eight compelling survival stories bring reality to the fore

This year's CILIP Carnegie Medal Shortlist puts eight page- turning novels about survival in the spotlight. Their stories deal with some of life's most challenging issues in an intelligent and highly accessible way, offering heroes and heroines that young readers can relate to and a life affirming sense of hope.

The shortlisted books pull no punches in dealing with themes from natural disaster and global warming to economic turmoil, political immorality, racism, terrorism and devastating war. But in showing how moral dilemmas can be resolved and the right choices made, they demonstrate the value of integrity and generate a sense of hope through rich and entertaining story-telling of outstanding quality.

"It's interesting that the eight titles that really stood out for us buck the current trend for escapism and the paranormal in young adult fiction," comments Margaret Pemberton, Chair of this year's CILIP Carnegie Judging Panel. "Their writers have been brave with their choice of subject matter and have confronted some very real issues, but the quality of the writing carries each and every story. Whether the setting is a graveyard, another planet, a fantasy version of our own planet, the suburbs of a German town, a mental asylum or deep in the history of slavery, each offers a vivid and compelling narrative, whether for children of nine and over, or for young adults."

This year's shortlist also marks the first time for 30 years that a title has appeared on both the CILIP Carnegie and CILIP Kate Greenaway shortlists, in the shape of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, illustrated by Chris Riddell.

Now in its seventy third year, the CILIP Carnegie Medal is the UK's oldest and most prestigious award for children's writing: the prize writers describe as the one they want to win. Although there is no cash reward, its prestige is rooted in the unique judging process which pools the professional expertise of librarians from across the country, who nominate titles for the long list.

Twelve librarians from CILIP's Youth Libraries Group then meet to discuss the long list and agree on up to eight outstanding titles for the shortlist. Members of the panel combine an in-depth knowledge of books with daily experience of working and reading with young people.

Both the Carnegie Medal and its sister award, the Kate Greenaway Medal are awarded annually by CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals. The 2010 winners will be announced at a ceremony at BAFTA in central London on Thursday 24th June.

The CILIP Carnegie Medal Shortlist 2010

ANDERSON, LAURIE HALSE CHAINS
Bloomsbury (Age range 11+)
ISBN: 9780747598077

GAIMAN, NEIL THE GRAVEYARD BOOK
Bloomsbury (Age range 9+)
ISBN: 9780747569015

GRANT, HELEN THE VANISHING OF KATHARINA LINDEN
Penguin (Age range 14+)
ISBN: 9780141325736

HEARN, JULIE ROWAN THE STRANGE
Oxford University Press (Age range 12+)
ISBN: 9780192792150

NESS, PATRICK THE ASK AND THE ANSWER
Walker (Age range 14+)
ISBN: 9781406310269

PRATCHETT, TERRY NATION
Doubleday (Age range 11+)
ISBN: 9780385613705

REEVE, PHILIP FEVER CRUMB
Scholastic (Age range 9+)
ISBN: 9781407102429

SEDGWICK, MARCUS REVOLVER
Orion (Age range 12+)
ISBN: 9781842551868

- Ends -

23 April 2010