Awards: July 1984
Carnegie and Kate Greenaway
On June 8th the Youth Libraries Group of the Library Association announced the winners of this year’s Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals.
The Carnegie Medal, for an outstanding book for children, went to Jan Mark for Handles (Kestrel. 0 7226 5857 5, £5.50).
The selection panel ‘felt her book dealt with relationships with great warmth and humour. The strong narrative drive will capture the reader and the character of Erica. the girl who likes motor-bikes and almost falls in love, will captivate all’.
This is Jan Mark’s second Carnegie Medal: the first was for Thunder and Lightnings in 1976.
The runner-up was James Watson for Talking in Whispers (Gollancz, 0 575 03272 3, £5.95).
About this Highly Commended book the panel said, `James Watson has handled the difficult theme of oppression in Chile, as seen through the eyes of three teenagers, with great honesty and sincerity. The pace of the novel and the careful handling of events such as murder, torture etc were praised as were the qualities of friendship, trust and humanity’.
Two titles were Commended:
The Way to Sattin Shore, Phillipa Pearce, Kestrel, 07226 5882 6, £5.95.
A Little Fear, Patrician Wrightson, Hutchinson, 0 09 152710 4,,t5.50.
The Kate Greenaway Medal for the most distinguished work in the illustration of children’s books went to Anthony Browne for Gorilla (Julia MacRae Books, 0 86203 104 4, £4.95).
The panel felt the book `would enjoy a wide readership from young child to adult and that the brilliant combination of text and illustration offers different levels of appreciation. The central characters, a girl and a gorilla are brought together by wish fulfilment and their adventure is one of both fantasy and reality’. Gorilla has already been awarded the Kurt Maschler Award for 1983.
Commended titles were:
Ten, Nine, Eight, Molly Bang, Julia MacRae Books 0 86203 139 7, £3.95.
The Saga of Erik the Viking, Michael Foreman (story by Terry Jones), Pavilion/Michael Joseph, 0 907516 23 8, £6.95.
My Book, Ron Mans, Julia MacRae Books, 0 86203 144 3, £4.95.
