AwardsBooks & Magazine
Youngest-Ever Carnegie Medal Winner Shines with ‘Glasgow Boys’
Margaret McDonald becomes the youngest-ever winner of the prestigious UK Carnegie Medal for Glasgow Boys, with King of Nothing taking the Shadowers’ Choice. Award stats, quirky highlights and next-gen bookworms included.
The Highlights
- Margaret McDonald, just 27, strikes gold as the youngest-ever winner of the Carnegie Medal for Writing with Glasgow Boys, a raw and touching tale of friendship between two lads growing up in care.
- The Shadowers’ Choice (judged by young lit-lovers) went to Nathanael Lessore for King of Nothing, a teen comedy that dives into masculinity and grief.
- In the illustration stakes, Olivia Lomenech Gill scooped the Carnegie Medal for Clever Crow, while Theo Parish took the Shadowers’ Choice with Homebody.
Award Wins & Prize Split
| Category | Winner | Age | Prize £ | Prize Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Writing (Medal) | Margaret McDonald (Glasgow Boys) | 27 | £5,000 | Donated to Action for Children; youngest ever winner |
| Writing (Shadowers’) | Nathanael Lessore (King of Nothing) | – | £500 | Donated to school libraries |
| Illustration (Medal) | Olivia Lomenech Gill (Clever Crow) | – | £5,000 | Funding Palestinian education & libraries |
| Illustration (Shadowers’) | Theo Parish (Homebody) | – | £500 | Donated to youth reading projects |
Notable Bits, With a Grin
- Glasgow Boys was co-created with a children’s therapist to ensure it hit the mark in depicting life in care.
- King of Nothing earlier bagged top honours in the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and the Jhalak YA Award, so it’s got brains and brawn.
- Clever Crow flips the bird on creepy crow stereotypes, earning praise for giving feathered friends a fair shake.
- Homebody nudged readers gently into conversations on non-binary and trans lives—think Heartstopper-adjacent vibes.
Why It Matters
- The Carnegie Medals, founded in 1936 (writing) and 1955 (illustration), remain the gold standard for UK children’s lit.
- Previous winners include literary big names like CS Lewis, Philip Pullman, and Ruta Sepetys—and illustrators such as Quentin Blake.
- Glasgow Boys resonates because it’s authentic, emotive, and Scots-lingo-rich—sparking empathy for boys who’ve known little nurturing.
- And it’s heartening to see major charitable causes win too—Action for Children, education in Palestine, library funding—feel-good all round!
Bottom Line:
Margaret McDonald’s milestone as the youngest recipient is a cracking sign that bold, diverse voices are bubbling to the top of children’s literature. With King of Nothing, Clever Crow, and Homebody also shining, it’s clear that heartfelt, inclusive storytelling is the big winner here.
