A MENAGERIE OF OUTSTANDING PICTURE BOOKS

Dogs, cats, forest fauna, rabbits in top hats, graveyard ghosts, imaginary headgear, a bizarre crowning glory and a band of kids determined to get their own back on a horrible teacher parade across the pages of the eight books shortlisted for this year's CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal, the UK's oldest and most prestigious award for children's book illustration.

In their widely contrasting styles, the illustrations in these eight shortlisted titles encourage children of all ages to consider the world in new ways from the place between magic and reality (Leon and the Place Between); the sad death of a much-loved pet (Harry and Hopper); the importance of looking after our environment (The Great Paper Caper); the power of the imagination (Millie's Marvellous Hat and Crazy Hair); life after death (The Graveyard Book); what teamwork can achieve (The Dunderheads), and the sheer playfulness of felines (There Are Cats in This Book)

The Chair of this year's CILIP Kate Greenaway judging panel is Margaret Pemberton, she comments, "The 2010 shortlist proves that picture books are not just for pre-schoolers. Illustrations can enrich the reading experience of all age-groups, and the eight titles in contention for the 2010 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal are outstanding examples of this".

The Kate Greenaway Medal, named in honour of the distinguished illustrator is awarded for "outstanding illustration in a children's book". First won by Edward Ardizzone in 1956, the Medal has been awarded in more recent years to such famous names as Shirley Hughes, Helen Oxenbury, Janet Ahlberg and Lauren Child.

Both the Kate Greenaway Medal and its sister award, the Carnegie Medal are awarded annually by CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals. The process by which books are nominated and judged for both awards is unique, with the shortlist and winners decided by an expert panel of children's librarians from the Youth Libraries' Group of CILIP. Thanks to a bequest left in 2000 by children's book and illustration collector, Colin Mears, the Kate Greenaway winner also receives a cheque for £5000 in addition to the coveted medal.

The 2010 winners will be announced at a ceremony at BAFTA in central London on Thursday 24th June.

The CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal Shortlist 2010

BAKER-SMITH, GRAHAME (text by Angela McAllister) LEON AND THE PLACE BETWEEN
Templar (Age range: 8+)
ISBN: 9781840118018

BLACKWOOD FREYA (text by Margaret Wild) HARRY & HOPPER
Scholastic (Age range: 6+)
ISBN: 9781407111391

JEFFERS,OLIVER THE GREAT PAPER CAPER
HarperColllins (Age range: 4+)
ISBN: 9780007182299

KITAMURA, SATOSHI MILLIE'S MARVELLOUS HAT
Andersen (Age range:4+ )
ISBN: 9781842709245

MCKEAN, DAVE (text by Neil Gaiman) CRAZY HAIR
Bloomsbury (Age range: 6+)
ISBN: 9780747595267

RIDDELL, CHRIS (text by Neil Gaiman) THE GRAVEYARD BOOK
Bloomsbury (Age range: 9+)
ISBN: 9780747569015

ROBERTS, DAVID (text by Paul Fleischman) THE DUNDERHEADS
Walker (Age range: 8+)
ISBN: 9781406322552

SCHWARZ, VIVIANE THERE ARE CATS IN THIS BOOK
Walker (Age range: 2+)
ISBN: 9781406300949

-Ends-

23 April 2010