Small in the City

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Not all picture book illustrators write the story, nor do they need to. However, here is a book that essentially has a shared narrative in text and in illustration. At first it is unclear why the child, who I took to be a little boy, is travelling alone on public transport. It is a cold, dark, frightening city that he emerges into, rain lashes down, becomes sleet, becomes snow, but still the child marches on alone across traffic-heavy roads. He takes no notice of passers-by, and they ignore him. At first he appears to be about 4 years old, but is perhaps 8 or 9. Whatever, he’s a child alone. The first picture book that the award-winning Sydney Smith has both written and illustrated is a story about feeling small in the city — and finding your way home. I shall choose Malaga over Cordoba, Seville and Granada. Constrained by the mountains and the Med, it is used by most visitors as a hopping-off point for the Costa del Sol or the white villages, but it shouldn’t be — it’s finally capitalised on its Picasso connection to become a boutique destination with real cultural clout.

The Medals celebrate outstanding achievement in children’s writing and illustration respectively and are unique in being judged by librarians. Both winning books explore urban landscapes through a child’s eyes, with Chair of Judges Ellen Krajewski describing them as ‘compelling stories told from a child’s viewpoint that deliver a powerful emotional punch.’ On a snowy day in a big city, a little boy hops off a streetcar and walks through downtown, between office buildings, through parks and down busy streets. Along the way, he provides helpful tips about which alleys make good shortcuts, which trees to climb and where to find a friendly face. All the while, the boy searches for what he has lost … Like the projects before this one, I had been inspired by photography. For this story, Saul Leiter, Lee Friedlander and Robert Frank dominated the inspiration folder. Their city photographs, having innovative compositions, were often near-abstract in how they shot through windows, focused on reflections and cropped their subjects. What a perfect way to describe an overwhelming, and often confusing, city environment or state of mind. The river Ljubljanica passes beneath Ljubljana’s castle (Alamy) 3. Ljubljana, Slovenia (pop 285,000) The atmosphere will draw listeners in immediately . . . “ — The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, Starred Review

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This is the first Carnegie Medal win for US poet and author Jason Reynolds – who is the US National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature – following a shortlisting in 2019 for Long Way Down. Look Both Ways (Knights Of) is a collection of 10 standalone but intertwined, interconnecting stories chronicling the 15 minutes of unsupervised independence of the walk home from school. The judges called it a “breathtakingly gripping”, “innocent tale which covers hard hitting issues including bullying, homophobia and bereavement” that “challenges the reader to see differently in an engaging and fresh way.” Ellen Krajewski, Chair of the 2021 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals judging panel, comments: Being small can be overwhelming in a city. People don’t see you. The loud sounds of the sirens and cyclists can be scary. And the streets are so busy it can make your brain feel like there’s too much stuff in it. We follow our little protagonist, who knows all about what it’s like to be small in the city, as he gives his best advice for surviving there.

Sidewalk Flowers was about discovering beauty in the busy city and sharing it. I worked on that book when I first moved to Toronto. Town is by the Sea is about struggle, family, and legacy. My first child, my son, was born while I was working on that book. It helped me process the significance of the moment. Now it’s Small in the City. It’s about navigating the nonstop urban life while also walking the path of grief after losing a loved one. Sheila Barry, my friend and editor, passed away as I was developing this book. Through this character I am able to project and process my own emotion after losing someone that important to me. The most important reader of a picture book has to be a child. However talented the artist, however major the award, a book only works if the child reader responds to it – better still, if they respond positively! Royal National Institute of Blind People RNIB and Calibre Audio Library will be producing the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medal shortlisted books in accessible formats (compatibility permitting), including braille, giant print and audio books. Now in its third year, this award has evolved out of CILIP’s Diversity Review, which identified opportunities to empower and celebrate the young people involved in the Medals through the shadowing scheme.When I was a kid my dad went to a psychic. He asked them about his children and they said that I should be a movie director and that I would be as famous as Spielberg. I never forgot about that. I get a lot of inspiration from the innovation film and languages of film and picture book illustrations are very similar. Growing up in Nova Scotia, what aspects of your early years there influenced your creative work? And in what ways? Fortunately, the streetwise kid telling Sydney Smith’s atmospheric story has some advice for fellow kids negotiating a city: which alleys to use as shortcuts, and which to avoid; which trees to hide in and which houses to stand outside to hear music, be warmed by a hot air vent or even be given free fish. Small in the City’ is the best picture book I’ve seen so far this year, and among the most moving I know. For the right child it will be revelatory.”— The New York Times Book Review

From The 2021 CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal Shortlist: Starbird illustrated and written By Sharon King-Chai (Two Hoots) Look Both Ways features 10 intertwining, interconnecting stories from the international bestselling author Jason Reynolds about those 15 minutes of unsupervised independence; the walk home from school. Starbird’s songs weave the richest dreams and delight all who hear him, but when the Moon King traps him in a cage, the colour and life in his voice begin to drip away. What follows is a story with the feel of a timeless myth, with the message that that captivity dims even the brightest star. Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show. Sydney Smithis based in Toronto and has illustrated multiple children’s books. He has been shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway three times, the first time was in 2016 for Footpath Flowers, which was also a New York Times Children’s Book of the Year. Small in the City marks Smith’s first shortlisting and first win for a book he not only illustrated but also authored. SHADOWERS’ CHOICE

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Four year old Charlie was too frightened by the illustrations to finish it, even when guided by his mother. He spent little time looking at the illustrations, and couldn’t relate to the text when it was read to him. JUDGES CITE ‘POWERFUL EMOTIONAL PUNCH’ DELIVERED BY TWO BOOKS THAT EXPLORE LIFE THROUGH A CHILD’S EYES It can be a little scary to be small in a big city, but this child has some good advice for a very special friend in need.

As a human, it got me thinking about the habitual thought patterns that lead us in certain directions, sometimes based on incorrect assumptions. Small in the City’ is full of faith and compassion, and gorgeous to look at, as well.”— The Washington Post As this is taking place, a winter storm arrives and steadily intensifies. At the conclusion of the child’s journey, a mother waits outside and greets the child with an affectionate hug. By this time, there is a healthy accumulation of snow.

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Congratulations to our 2021 Medal winners, to independent publishers Knights Of and Walker Books, to our Shadowers’ Choice winners,it’s such a wonderfully diverse range of stories and always exciting to see how engaged children and young people are in voting for their favourites. A huge thank you to those voters and to all the children, librarians and teachers who participated this year without whom the Medals would not be possible.”