This year Amy will be involved with a project through the Youth Libraries Group, funded by the Siobhan Dowd Trust, which will use Kate Greenaway shadowing with foster children and their foster parents. It feels an exciting opportunity to show how shared reading can bring people together. “There is something very powerful in uniting with others – more this year than ever – there are thousands of other young people reading the books. This is a chance to be part of something with such a strong history. Being faced with eight to 16 books can be overwhelming for young people, it can feel daunting, but there’s an incentive in knowing that others are doing likewise, working towards a common goal. Shadowing is a collective experience.
It transcends what we do in traditional reading groups and is a lot of fun!”
A selection of six past winners showcasing the forms illustration can take:
Dogger Shirley Hughes
This classic picture book won the medal in 1977 and went on to win a public vote to become the public’s favourite Kate Greenaway medal winner during the award’s 50th anniversary.
The Jolly Christmas Postman Janet Ahlberg
This innovative book featured letters, cards and even a board game that children could play as they followed the titular postman on his Christmas rounds in this 1991 winner.
Father Christmas Raymond Briggs
Another festive winner, Raymond Briggs was awarded his second medal in 1973 with Father Christmas, a graphic novel about a cantankerous and beleaguered Father Christmas.
Haunted House Jan Pienkowski
A patient relays their complaints to a doctor making a house visit in this 1979 winner – Jan Pienkowski’s second win – but the fun comes from the pop-up pictures which tell quite another story!
The Lost Words Jackie Morris
The 2019 winner of the medals based around nature words removed from a junior illustrated dictionary due to non-use. These became the base for a remarkable book formed of triptychs of art and a series of spells by author Robert MacFarlane. The book took on a life of its own with folk music sequences and even a special event at the Proms!
Shackleton’s Journey William Grill
An illustrated biography of Ernest Shackleton won in 2015, the pencil crayon illustrations perfectly evoke the starkness of the explorer’s Antarctic voyage.
Make the most of shadowing
We spoke with judge for Wales and Kate Greenaway shadower-extraordinaire Alison King who gave us some top tips for Greenaway shadowing. l If you have more shadowers than books on the shortlist, consider drawing some previous winners into the mix. It can be useful for shadowers to have an idea of what outstanding illustration looks like and it provides a terrific opportunity to discuss the criteria within the context of a particular title. l Multiple shadowing groups can coexist quite happily so consider running a second group of older shadowers who can introduce the books to your younger group. An adult group could also yield interesting discussion and introduce a little healthy competition, with prizes on offer to whichever group correctly guesses the winning title. l If you’re operating in a school environment, invite a member of your art department onboard. They’ll provide a fresh perspective, moral support and their technical knowledge might come in handy. l Don’t pressure your group to
. 24 PEN&INC. Spring-Summer 2021
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