The Carnegie Medal for Illustration (until 2022 the Kate Greenaway Medal) is a British award that annually recognises "distinguished illustration in a book for children". It is conferred upon the illustrator by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) which inherited it from the Library Association.

The Medal was first named after the 19th-century English illustrator of children's books Kate Greenaway (1846–1901). It was established in 1955 and inaugurated in 1956 for 1955 publications, but no work that year was considered suitable. The first Medal was awarded in 1957 to Edward Ardizzone for Tim All Alone (Oxford, 1956), which he also wrote. That first Medal was dated 1956. Since 2007 the Medal has been dated by its presentation during the year following publication. This medal is a companion to the Carnegie Medal for Writing which recognises an outstanding work of writing for children and young adults.

Nominated books must be first published in the U.K. during the preceding school year (September to August), with English-language text if any.

The award by CILIP is a gold Medal and £500 worth of books donated to the illustrator's chosen library. Since 2000 there is also a £5000 cash prize from a bequest by the children's book collector Colin Mears.

Rules Library and information professionals in CILIP nominate books in September and October, after the close of the publication year. A panel of 12 children's librarians in CILIP's youth interest group judges books for both the Writing and Illustration awards. The shortlist is announced in March and the winner in June.

Candidates must be published in the U.K. during the preceding year (September to August). They must be published for young people, and published in the U.K. originally or within three months in case of co-publication. English must be the language of any text, or one of dual languages. "All categories of illustrated books for children and young people are eligible."

CILIP specifies numerous points of artistic style, format, and visual experience, and also "synergy of illustration and text" that should be considered. Furthermore, "The whole work should provide pleasure from a stimulating and satisfying visual experience which leaves a lasting impression. Illustrated work needs to be considered primarily in terms of its graphic elements, and where text exists particular attention should be paid to the synergy between the two."

Winners Through 2025 there have been 69 Medals awarded in 70 years, covering 1955 to 2024 publications. No eligible book published in 1955 or 1958 was considered suitable. From 2007 the medals are dated by the year of presentation; previously by the calendar year of British publication.

+ Medal winners Date Illustrator Title Author (if different)Publisher2026Kate RolfeWiggling WordsTwo Hoots2025Olivia Lomenech GillClever CrowChris ButterworthWalker Books2024Aaron BeckerThe Tree and the RiverWalker Books2023Jeet ZdungSaving Sorya: Chang and the Sun BearTrang NguyenKingfisher2022Danica NovgorodoffLong Way DownJason ReynoldsFaber & Faber2021Sydney SmithSmall in the City—Walker Books2020Shaun TanTales from the Inner City—Walker Books2019Jackie MorrisThe Lost WordsRobert MacfarlaneHamish Hamilton 2018Sydney SmithTown is by the Sea Joanne SchwartzWalker Books 2017Lane SmithThere is a Tribe of Kids —Two Hoots 2016Chris Riddell The Sleeper and the Spindle Neil GaimanBloomsbury 2015 William Grill Shackleton's Journey — Flying Eye Books 2014 Jon Klassen This Is Not My Hat — Walker Books 2013 Levi Pinfold Black Dog — Templar 2012 Jim Kay A Monster Calls Patrick Ness Walker Books 2011 Grahame Baker-Smith FArTHER — Templar 2010 Freya Blackwood Harry and Hopper Margaret Wild Scholastic 2009 Catherine Rayner Harris Finds His Feet — Little Tiger 2008 Emily Gravett Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears — Pan Macmillan 2007 Mini Grey The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon — Jonathan Cape 2006 (The award date is the year of publication before 2006, the year of presentation after 2006.) 2005 Emily Gravett Wolves — PanMacmillan 2004 Chris Riddell Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver" Jonathan Swift (1726) adapted Walker Books 2003 Shirley Hughes Ella's Big Chance — (Cinderella adapted) Bodley Head 2002 Bob Graham Jethro Byrde, Fairy Child —Walker Books 2001 Chris Riddell Pirate Diary: The Journal of Jake Carpenter Richard Platt (informational)Walker Books 2000 Lauren Child I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato * — Orchard Books 1999 Helen Oxenbury Alice's Adventures in Wonderland * Lewis Carroll (1865) Walker Books 1998 Helen Cooper Pumpkin Soup — Doubleday 1997 P. J. Lynch When Jessie Came Across the Sea Amy Hest Walker Books 1996 Helen Cooper The Baby Who Wouldn't Go To Bed —Doubleday 1995 P. J. Lynch The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey Susan Wojciechowski Walker Books 1994 Gregory Rogers Way Home Libby Hathorn Andersen 1993 Alan Lee Black Ships Before Troy Rosemary Sutcliff Frances Lincoln 1992 Anthony Browne Zoo —Julia MacRae 1991 Janet Ahlberg The Jolly Christmas Postman Allan Ahlberg Heinemann 1990 Gary Blythe The Whales' Song Dyan Sheldon Hutchinson 1989 Michael Foreman War Boy: A Country Childhood — (autobiographical)Pavilion 1988 Barbara Firth Can't You Sleep Little Bear? Martin WaddellWalker Books 1987 Adrienne Kennaway Crafty Chameleon Mwenye Hadithi Hodder & Stoughton 1986 Fiona French Snow White in New York —Oxford 1985 Juan Wijngaard Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady retold by Selina Hastings Walker Books 1984 Errol Le Cain Hiawatha's Childhood Longfellow (1855)Faber 1983 Anthony Browne Gorilla * — Julia MacRae 1982 Michael Foreman Long Neck and Thunder Foot (and) Sleeping Beauty and other favourite fairy tales Helen Piers (and) traditionalKestrel; Gollancz 1981 Charles Keeping The Highwayman * Alfred Noyes (1906) Oxford 1980 Quentin Blake Mr Magnolia * — Jonathan Cape 1979 Jan Pieńkowski Haunted House —Heinemann 1978 Janet Ahlberg Each Peach Pear Plum * Allan Ahlberg Kestrel 1977 Shirley Hughes Dogger * — Bodley Head 1976 Gail E. Haley The Post Office Cat — Bodley Head 1975 Victor Ambrus Horses in Battle (and)Mishka — (nonfiction) — Oxford; Oxford 1974 Pat Hutchins The Wind Blew — (informational)Bodley Head 1973 Raymond Briggs Father Christmas * — Hamish Hamilton 1972 Krystyna Turska The Woodcutter's Duck —Hamish Hamilton 1971 Jan Pieńkowski The Kingdom Under the Sea and other stories retold by Joan AikenJonathan Cape 1970 John Burningham Mr Gumpy's Outing —Jonathan Cape 1969 Helen Oxenbury The Quangle Wangle's Hat (and)The Dragon of an Ordinary Family Edward Lear (unknown); Margaret Mahy (1969)Heinemann, Franklin Watts; Heinemann 1968 Pauline Baynes A Dictionary of Chivalry Grant Uden (reference)Longman 1967 Charles Keeping Charley, Charlotte and the Golden Canary —Oxford 1966 Raymond Briggs Mother Goose Treasury traditionalHamish Hamilton 1965 Victor Ambrus The Three Poor Tailors —Oxford, Hamish Hamilton 1964 C. Walter Hodges Shakespeare's Theatre — (nonfiction)Oxford 1963 John Burningham Borka: The Adventures of a Goose With No Feathers * — Jonathan Cape 1962 Brian Wildsmith ABC (also Brian Wildsmith's ABC) — (no text)Oxford 1961 Antony Maitland Mrs Cockle's Cat Philippa PearceConstable,Longman 1960 Gerald Rose Old Winkle and the Seagulls Elizabeth RoseFaber 1959 William Stobbs Kashtanka (and) A Bundle of Ballads Anton Chekhov (1887); Ruth Manning-Sanders from the Child BalladsOxford; Oxford 1958 (Prize withheld as no book considered suitable) 1957 V. H. Drummond Mrs Easter and the Storks —Faber 1956 Edward Ardizzone Tim All Alone * — Oxford 1955 (Prize withheld as no book considered suitable)

* Named to the 50th Anniversary Top Ten in 2007.

Winners of multiple awards Only one illustrator, Chris Riddell, has won three Medals. Fourteen other illustrators have won two of the 64 Medals awarded through 2021. The first winner of two Medals was John Burningham, 1963 and 1970. The most recent is Sydney Smith in 2018 and 2021.

Only A Monster Calls (Walker Books, 2011), by Patrick Ness and Jim Kay, has won both the Carnegie and Greenaway Medals for writing and illustration (2012).

In 2014, This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen won both the Greenaway Medal and the American Caldecott Medal, which recognises a picture book illustrated by a U.S. citizen or resident. This is the first time the same book has won both medals. The recently common practice of co-publication makes a double win possible. Indeed, This Is Not My Hat was released in Britain and America on the same day, 9 October 2012, by Walker Books and its American subsidiary Candlewick Press.This Is Not My Hat (hardcover). Walker Books. Retrieved 2014-06-29."THIS IS NOT MY HAT by Jon Klassen". Kirkus Reviews. 15 September 2012. Retrieved 2014-06-29.

Gail E. Haley was the first illustrator to win both medals, albeit for different works: the 1971 Caldecott for A Story a Story (1970) and the 1976 Greenaway for The Post Office Cat. She also wrote both books.

Helen Oxenbury, who won the 1969 and 1999 medals, was also a "Highly Commended" runner-up four times from 1989 to 1994; the distinction was used 31 times in 29 years to 2002 and no other illustrator was highly commended more than twice. Michael Foreman, who won the 1982 and 1989 medals, was highly commended once and four times a "Commended" runner-up, a distinction used 68 times in 44 years to 2002.

Walker Books, based in London, with American subsidiary Candlewick Press in Somerville, MA, has published 10 of the 30 Greenaway Medal-winning works from 1985 to 2014.

50-year Greenaway of Greenaways (2007) For the 50th medal anniversary, CILIP posted online information about all of the winning works (1955–2005) and conducted a poll to identify the nation's favourite Kate Greenaway Medalist. The public were invited to send in their nominations between 16 October and 1 December 2006. Polling was subsequently opened between 20 April and 14 June 2007 for ten shortlisted titles determined by a panel and the winner was announced on 21 June 2007 at the British Library. By less than one percentage point Dogger, illustrated and written by Shirley Hughes (1977), outpolled Each Peach Pear Plum illustrated by Janet Ahlberg and written by Allan Ahlberg (1978).

The nation, and international voters too, considered a ballot or all-time shortlist comprising ten of the 50 Medal-winning works, selected by six "children's book experts". The panel provided annotations including recommended ages that range from 1+ to 10+ years; age 4+ for the winner.70 Years Celebration The CILIP Book Awards.

50th Anniversary Top Ten Janet Ahlberg, Each Peach Pear Plum (Kestrel, 1978), written by Allan Ahlberg Edward Ardizzone, Tim All Alone (Oxford, 1956) Quentin Blake, Mr Magnolia (Jonathan Cape, 1980) Raymond Briggs, Father Christmas (Hamish Hamilton, 1973) Anthony Browne, Gorilla (Julia MacRae, 1983) John Burningham, Borka: The Adventures of a Goose With No Feathers (Jonathan Cape, 1963) Lauren Child, I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato (Orchard, 2000) Shirley Hughes, Dogger (Bodley Head, 1977) Charles Keeping, The Highwayman (Oxford, 1981), an edition of the 1906 poem by Alfred Noyes Helen Oxenbury, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Walker, 1999), an edition of the 1865 novel by Lewis Carroll

Shortlists and Honorees Headings give the official award dates: years of publication before 2006; years of presentation after 2006.

Prior to the 1990's these listings cover only the Medalist and known Highly Commended (+) or Commended (–) books.

1954 Carnegie Medal