‘‘
Sitting in a room with a group of people who are
as equally as experienced as equally as passionate as you are, with regard to children’s literature, is just one of the most wonderful things.
character being an 11-year-old girl. It’s great that it is a female character as well. There is the magic element, and she goes on this journey of discovery. It also features high academic achievement and it’s certainly a worthy, compelling read and shows the black characters with agency.”
She adds that readers are starting to discover something different in the books they are reading, explaining: “I work in a multicultural school in North London. And those sorts of books are very much appreciated by children. It shows publishers that there needs to be a broader range of topics and backgrounds.
“I think the mainstream publishing industry will eventually pick up on it and I’m hoping it doesn’t just become a short-term trend.”
Phyllis points to the role of de-colonising libraries as a starting point for making long-lasting changes. Librarians are already on the journey, but research shows that not all schools have a trained librarian working for them, meaning it can be difficult to know where to begin. Local authorities’ school library services are a good place to seek advice. Other resources are available, including
www.booksforkeeps.co.uk, which offers free articles and reviews. Inclusive Books for Children launched in September (see page 22), and Pen&inc. also features hundreds of new and inclusive titles in its listings. Subscribe to receive the print issue at
www.cilip.org.uk/penandinc As well as being able to recommend more books featuring characters like Amari, Anisha and Omar in her day job as a school librarian, Phyllis has also been part of the judging panel for CILIP’s long running and respected children’s book awards, the Yoto Carnegies.
Phyllis is half-way through her two years as a judge, which she describes as “incredibly hard work, but incredibly
Autumn-Winter 2023
rewarding”. That hard work starts with the announcement of the year’s nominated titles – a list that can stretch to well over 100 books in each category – for writing and illustration. Within a few months, those books have to be read and evaluated before drawing up a longlist for further consideration as a judging panel – this is announced in early spring, followed by the shortlist announcement which is due in March. So the turnaround is incredibly quick, and like many judges Phyllis has already started reading eligible books in order to get a head start. Despite the very, very long reading list, Phyllis says the experience is one that she is incredibly proud to be part of. She says: “Sitting in a room with a group of people who are as equally as experienced as equally as passionate as you are, with regard to children’s literature, is just one of the most wonderful things. It feels like an absolute privilege and it’s a joy to be part of. It has been incredible.” The Medals have been through their own process of change in recent times, as CILIP looked to create a more inclusive and representative awards. That saw an independent review carried out by Margaret Caseley-Hayford, and a series of recommendations were implemented. Among those was a change to the judging criteria and moves to ensure a more diverse judging panel.
Judges for the awards must be CILIP members and be active in children’s librarianship. Phyllis became involved following a call for new judges from award organisers. She says: “An email came through at work, specifically asking for judges of colour and I thought ‘I fit the bill’. The Carnegies were something I’ve followed throughout my career, so I decided to go for it and I applied.” As well as being a judge, Phyllis also ran her own shadowing group in the school where she works, saying it is not only a great way to engage students, but it also helped her with judging. She
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says: “It’s a great way to get through all the reading and it is also useful to hear the perspectives of my students. When Ruta Sepetys won the Shadowers’ Choice award, I was not remotely surprised because I Will Betray You was very much favoured, not just by my group but also others that I spoke to.
“The shadowing process is incredibly positive. Because there isn’t always a consensus, students can really get involved in discussions with each other and it generates some very good debates. It’s very worthwhile.”
You can find out more about the Yoto Carnegies and the Shadowing Scheme at
www.yotocarnegies.co.uk. PEN&INC.
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