CLIP Carnegie Award 2014 Nominees Shortlist Announced

Eight groundbreaking teen novels compete for one prestigious British award- get reading!
The Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CLIP) have announced the final shortlist of nominees for the 2014 edition of their annual Carnegie Award. Each of the eight selected texts were chosen by a panel of British literary judges on the basis of their narratives, their stylistic innovations and their appeal for the teenage demographic of readers.

Just as you'd hope for a teen fiction award which is held in such high esteem, this year's shortlist is as diverse and engaging as ever, warranting the attention of keen readers across the globe over the next few months. This writer has had the pleasure of reading through multiple Carnegie shortlists in their entirety in the past, and can safely say that he's encountered some of his all-time favourite literary works as a result, so if nothing else, we'd hope that you'll give it a try at some point on the basis of our endorsement alone. Here's our full round-up of the eight texts which comprise the 2014 Carnegie Medal shortlist:

• All The Truth That's In Me (Julie Berry)- "Judith can't speak. Ever since the horrifying trauma that left her best friend dead and Judith without her tongue, she's been a pariah in her close-knit community of Roswell Station; even her own mother won't look her in the eye. All Judith can do is silently pour out her thoughts and feelings to the love of her life- Lucas. But when Roswell Station is attacked by enemies, long-buried secrets come to light..."
• The Bunker Diary (Kevin Brookes)- "16-year-old Linus Weems has woken up in a low-ceilinged rectangular building, made entirely of whitewashed concrete, with no windows and no doors. The lift is the only way out. But this time, when the lift comes, it isn't empty."
• The Child's Elephant (Rachel Campbell-Johnston)- "When a baby elephant is left orphaned on the African Savannah, Bat, a young herdsboy, takes her home and cares for her. But there are rumours borne on the wind; frightening stories of kidnapping and suffering and war. Bat and his closest friend, Muka, are catapulted into a new life of unimaginable terror."
• Ghost Hawk (Susan Cooper)- "In the winter of his 11th year, Little Hawk goes deep into the forest, where he must endure a three-month test of solitude and survival which will turn him into a man. But outside the woods, the world is changing. English settlers are landing on the shores of the New World, and tensions between native tribes and the invaders are rising."
• Blood Family (Anne Fine)- "Edward is four-years-old when he is locked away with his mother by her abusive, alcoholic partner. By the time an elderly neighbour spots him and raises the alarm, he is seven. Rescue comes, but lasting damage has been done. One fateful day, Edward catches a glimpse of himself in a photograph. What he sees shocks him to the core- a vision of Harris. Every step of progress Edward has made swiftly begins to unravel, and he has to decide whether his blood will determine his future."
• Rooftoppers (Katherine Rundell)- "Sophie is found floating in a cello case in the middle of the English Channel on her first birthday. Her dramatic survival at such a young age is the perfect backdrop to an unconventional childhood. But despite her absolute devotion to her guardian Charles, Sophie struggles to accept that she's an orphan. In fact, she's convinced that her mother is still alive and when no one believes her, she sets out to prove them wrong."
• Liar & Spy (Rebecca Stead)- "Georges (the s is silent) has just moved apartment, his dad has lost his job, and his best friend has started hanging out with the cool kids at school. When he responds to the notice "Spy Club Meeting- Today!", he meets Safer, a twelve year old loner and self-appointed spy. As Safer's new recruit, Georges' first assignment is to spy on the mysterious Mr X in the apartment upstairs. But as the boys delve deeper into the Mr X mystery and Safer becomes more and more demanding, the line between games, lies and reality begins to blur."
• The Wall (William Sutcliffe)- "Joshua is a troubled boy who lives with his mother and stepfather in a divided city. A wall and soldiers separate two communities. One day, Joshua stumbles upon the entrance to a tunnel which takes him under the wall and across to the other side. Joshua finds himself in forbidden, dangerous and violent territory which a boy like him - visibly different - shouldn't stray into. An act of kindness from a girl saves his life, but leads to a brutal act of cruelty and a terrible debt he's determined to repay."

The winner of the 2014 Carnegie Medal will be announced at a special invite-only event in June.