Shaffi, Sarah (7 September 2022). "Wainwright nature writing prize goes to 'inspirational' Goshawk Summer". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 16 February 2023 . Retrieved 7 June 2023. YLG has 12 regional committees covering all of the UK, and each committee advertises and democratically recruits a judge to represent them on the panel of judges. Each judge serves a two-year term and each year the panel is a unique mix of new and experienced judges led by the Chair of Judges. Following the independent diversity review of the Awards, CILIP introduced a co-opting procedure so that if this recruitment process does not result in a sufficiently diverse and representative judging panel, up to two judges will be co-opted to join the panel.

Balen perfectly shows how easy it can be for neurotypical people like October’s mother not to understand, and that it’s (normally) due to ignorance, not malice. And although October’s situation and relationships do improve, she doesn’t “get over it”, as I imagine some stories would be tempted to end with – that wouldn’t be right. Whether she is neurodivergent or not, the story shows that it is a part of her and always will be, and shouldn’t be treated as something to be “fixed”. Balen shows us that she just requires a little more patience and consideration, which October’s mother starts to realise as the story progresses. Thursday 16 th June 2022: The winners of the UK’s longest running and best-loved book awards for children and young people, the Yoto Carnegie Greenaway Awards were announced today in a ceremony at The British Library. Both books ignite imagination and contain themes which help young readers build empathy, providing them with tools to create a better world. They offer hope, comfort and enjoyment, and demonstrate the key role writing and illustration play in children’s development and wellbeing. Congratulations to our 2022 Medal winners, to publishers Bloomsbury and Faber, and to our Shadowers’ Choice winners. And a huge thank you to the young people who have participated, and to the librarians who continue to champion quality children’s books that inspire and empower young readers.” KATYA: Yes, I definitely wanted to avoid stereotypes, because I cannot stand the pigeon-holing of boys and girls and how they should and shouldn’t behave, and what they should and shouldn’t like. It’s so regressive. Other than that, I didn’t particularly plan to have a boy and a girl – it’s just what I decided as I started writing! I’m not a planner. I’m not sure if there’s a specific boy-girl dynamic – again, I think it depends on personalities more than anything.a b c "Interview Katya Balen". British Council Germany. Archived from the original on 14 April 2023 . Retrieved 7 June 2023. In 2021, the Carnegie Medal was won by Jason Reynolds for Look Both Ways, and the Carnegie Shadowers’ Choice was awarded to Manjeet Mann for Run, Rebel. The Kate Greenaway Medal was won by Sydney Smith for Small in the City and Sharon King-Chai was awarded the Greenaway Shadowers’ Choice for Starbird. In 2022, the judging panel includes 14 volunteer judges from CILIP’s Youth Libraries Group. Find out more about this year’s judges here This is a sensitive account of adjusting to change and the grief that comes with it - CBI Mind Yourself 2020 Reading Guide Many reviewers have commented upon your ability to realistically convey the inner life of children facing very difficult problems or situations. What do you think has helped you to do this?

Longlists Announced for 202 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals". The Yoto Carnegies. Archived from the original on 3 March 2023 . Retrieved 7 June 2023. This is a beautiful book, and one that I would thoroughly recommend not just for children, but for adults too. Any teacher, librarian, or parent who cares for neurodivergent children could benefit from the level of insight and understanding that October, October provides, and any neurodivergent child will likely appreciate reading something that reflects them (although we are getting more diverse books, we still have a bit of way to go!). Morpurgo, Clare (Spring 2021). "October, October". The School Librarian. 69 (1): 46. ProQuest 2507263891 October loves treasure-hunting and in the story, you also give us a glimpse into Mudlarking, is this something you have done? October, October, illustrated by Angela Harding, is Balen’s second novel and is about an 11-year-old called October who must learn to spread her wings after a childhood spent living wild in the woods.Absolutely! And you don't have to live in the countryside to connect with nature - I live in London and since writing this book I see nature all over. Birds and foxes, trees and flowers, tiny woods and big green parks. There are hidden corners of nature everywhere. Go and be wild!

I've also just been introduced to the first two stunning children's books by Katya Balen, both published by Bloomsbury: The Space We're In and October, October. If you have a middle-grader, or know one, or are one ... treat yourself -- Daniel Hahn - Books of the Year, The Spectator What I love about this book is how the author embeds stories within it. October is a born scavenger and her ability to seek treasure helps her to develop a vivid imagination for storytelling. The treasures that she seeks in the woods and on the riverbed hold untold stories of mischief and adventure that October helps to verbalise. It is her way of making sense of the world, along with the numerous books that she devours. Katya Balen's October, October is a very special new addition to the shelf and deserves classic status - Times Children's Book of the Week Awards: YOTO Carnegie, Kate Greenaway Winners; Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel Shortlist". Shelf Awareness. 17 June 2022. Archived from the original on 10 February 2023 . Retrieved 7 June 2023. I am honoured and humbled to receive the Yoto Kate Greenaway Medal. Working on Long Way Down, interpreting Jason Reynolds’ beautiful text into images, was a dream project for me and its own reward, but I am thrilled to find that the graphic novel has resonated with readers as well.Reynolds’ original book, published in 2017, is about Will, who gets in a lift with a gun to exact revenge after his brother is shot in a gang crime. As the lift descends, Will is joined by friends he has lost to shootings, prompting him to ask if he really knows what he’s doing. Yoto, the innovative, screen-free audio platform for children, is the headline sponsor for the awards. The awards are also proudly sponsored by Peters, the official book supplier; and ALCS, champions of authors’ rights. Gideon Sterer is an American author whose books include Skyfishing, illustrated by Poly Bernatene, Not Your Nest, illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi, From Ed’s to Ned’s, illustrated by Ruth Cummins, and The Night Knights, illustrated by Cory Godbey, which has been optioned by Sony Pictures. Gideon grew up in the woods of upstate New York, where his parents owned a little zoo where he would run around after-hours and let the animals out. The judges called the book an “evocative exploration of what it means to be truly alive and wholly human”. October, October also won the Shadowers’ Choice award for her category, voted for by young people across the UK. The two medal winners were chosen from a shortlist of 16 – eight for each medal – by an expert team of volunteer judges, featuring 14 librarians from CILIP’s Youth Libraries Group based across the UK.

A timeless, lyrical treasure that sees a girl who's at one with the wild struggle with the world beyond her woods ... An unforgettable story, an unforgettable heroine - LoveReading4Kids A review in The Irish Times states, "The prose is beautiful, the tension blistering: The Light in Everything is a highly recommended read for mature children aged 10+, as well as their adults." [15] In the Irish Independent, Sarah Webb describes October, October as "one of the most extraordinary, immersive children's books I've ever read" and writes, " The Light in Everything is all set to be another lifelong favourite. [...] Her characters are so well drawn you don't read their story, you live it." [16] The Thames and Tide Club [ edit ] Shaffi, Sarah (16 June 2022). "Danica Novgorodoff wins Kate Greenaway medal for graphic novel Long Way Down". The Guardian . Retrieved 15 June 2023. We would love to see you enjoying the resources using #OctoberOctober and tagging KidsBloomsbury and readingagency.Written in Katya Balen’s heart-stoppingly beautiful style, this book is a feast for the senses, filled with the woodsmoke smell of crisp autumn mornings and the sound of wellies squelching in river mud. And, as October fights to find the space to be wild in the whirling chaos of the world beyond the woods, it is also a feast for the soul. KATYA: Before I started writing! My editor suggested it, and she was absolutely right to do so –seeing different sides of the same situation was so brilliant in terms of that understanding and empathy. Concannon, Ruth (19 May 2023). "Sunshine on the bookshelf: The best books for children and teens this month". Irish Examiner. ProQuest 2815639232