Coelho, Becker win Yoto Carnegie medals

In the UK, the winners of the Yoto Carnegie medals for writing and illustration for children and young people have been announced.

Joseph Coelho, the UK’s current Children’s Laureate, won the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing for The Boy Lost in the Maze (illus by Kate Milner, Otter-Barry Books). Coelho is the first Black British author to win the award.

A novel in verse, The Boy Lost in the Maze portrays a boy’s journey into manhood, integrating the ancient legacy of the Minotaur with the contemporary journey of a teenager searching for his biological father. Chair of judges Maura Farrelly said The Boy Lost in the Maze was ‘an extraordinary novel told through poems about two boys searching for their fathers’. ‘It is a multi-layered immersive read which is playful in its language and construction and is as architectural as the mythical maze itself,’ said Farrelly.

Aaron Becker won the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration (previously known as the Kate Greenaway Medal for Illustration) for The Tree and the River (Walker Books), a wordless picture book that looks at the evolution of human impact on the natural environment through the fate of a lone tree and an enduring river. Said Farrelly of Becker’s book: ‘The Tree and the River is a beautiful visual narrative of the natural world and the impact of humankind which invites readers to become absorbed in the landscapes. The epic spreads are alive with intricate detail and gorgeous use of light and colour. Both are ambitious and exciting books that inspire the imagination and empower young readers.’

In a shadow judging process, children and young people in school and library reading groups voted for their favourites from the award shortlists, choosing Becker’s The Tree and the River and Tia Fisher’s debut verse novel Crossing the Line (Bonnier Books UK).

Category: International awards International news