2019 CILIP Carnegie Medal Shortlisted Books

CILIP Carnegie Medal 2019 shortlist – recommended for children aged 9-16+

The CILIP Carnegie Medal 2019 shortlist of books is ideal for new additions to a school library, and children’s and teen holiday reading. What a list it is this year!

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The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo – Carnegie 2019 shortlisted

A vivid and lyrical story about teenage self-loathing and living with an awkward mother. Written in infectious verse, if this book doesn’t grab your disillusioned Year 10 English set, nothing will.

Listen to audiobooks by Elizabeth Acevedo.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo


Rebound by Kwame Alexander

Sharp, clever and cool, this verse novel fleshes out strong characters through an edgy story. Perfect for reluctant readers in KS3 and great to read aloud.

Listen to audiobooks by Kwame Alexander.

Rebound by Kwame Alexander


The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson

Captivating and enchanting, this well-crafted reworking of the traditional Baba Yaga folk tale is perfect for KS2 book clubs and will provoke lots of discussion and writing prompts.

Listen to audiobooks by Sophie Anderson.

The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson


Bone Talk by Candy Gourlay

Set in the last century, this coming of age story follows Samkad a youngster in a Philippine tribe, who desperately wants to be an adult, and his friend Luki who is denied because of her gender. Then the Americans arrive. Masterfully written and perfectly relevant to present day politics.

Listen to audiobooks by Candy Gourlay.

Bone Talk by Candy Gourlay


A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge

A beautifully realised historical drama about struggle in the face of adversity. The characters leap from the page in this darkly religious tour de force. Think a Jacobean handmaid’s tale with a gothic witchery twist. Schools should swerve KS3 history towards the 1640s just as an excuse to read this with classes.

Listen to audiobooks by Frances Hardinge.

A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge


Things A Bright Girl Can Do by Sally Nicholls

A love story set amongst class struggle, political strife, social upheaval, and the Suffragette movement. Ideal for studying literary empathy in KS3 and KS4.

Listen to audiobooks by Sally Nicholls.

Things A Bright Girl Can Do by Sally Nicholls


Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

A micro-verse novel stretching little more than a minute of a real-time gunshot. Tense, nuanced and surgically detailed, the reader experiences every iota of tension, sensory insult and heart-rending emotion in this landmark work. This may well be a staple for more enlightened English departments for years to come.

Listen to audiobooks by Jason Reynolds.

Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds


The Land of Neverendings by Kate Saunders – Carnegie 2019 shortlisted

An inspirational, uplifting and heartwarming story of coping with loss. Beautifully written, this captivating book will appeal to children in Years 4-6 in primary schools.

Listen to audiobooks by Kate Saunders.

The Land of Neverendings by Kate Saunders

2019 shortlist for the Kate Greenaway Medal – pictures books recommended for children aged 3-12


The Day War Came by Nicola DaviesThe Day War Came by Nicola Davies & Rebecca Cobb
Ocean Meets Sky by Eric FanOcean Meets Sky by Eric Fan & Terry Fan
Beyond the Fence by Maria GulemetovaBeyond the Fence by Maria Gulemetova

The Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse by Mac BarnettThe Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse by Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen
Julian Is a Mermaid by Jessica LoveJulian Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love
You're Safe With Me by Chitra SoundarYou’re Safe With Me by Chitra Soundar & Poonam Mistry

Suffragette: The Battle for Equality by David RobertsSuffragette: The Battle for Equality by David Roberts
The Lost Words by Robert MacfarlaneThe Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane & Jackie Morris

Why not have a look at our suggested reading lists for children aged 3-16?

Books for EYFS & ReceptionBooks for Year 1Books for Year 2Books for Year 3Books for Year 4Books for Year 5Books for Year 6Books for Year 7Books for Year 8Books for Year 9Books for Year 10Books for Year 11


To order all the books in this list, or to bulk order class sets of books, click here.

Please respect copyright and don’t copy or reproduce our reviews. Thanks. This page was first published on Apr 04, 2018 and last updated on Apr 17, 2019 @ 6:02 pm.



About Tom Tolkien

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Tom Tolkien is a highly qualified (BA Hons, PGCE, QTS) children's literature expert and teacher with over 25 years of experience. He has led inset courses, developed curriculum materials, spoken at conferences, advised on longlisting for several international children's literature literature awards and written for educational publishers including contributing to a BETT award-nominated app. Social profiles: X | Linkedin