To receive any award is such a boost for a writer, but there’s something very special about winning an award from librarians – it’s the ultimate recognition.

Sharon Creech

American author, Sharon Creech has won the CILIP Carnegie Medal 2002 for ‘Ruby Holler’. The award was announced at a ceremony at the British Library in London earlier today.

Creech finally landed the prestigious UK children’s literary award after having been shortlisted for the past three years.

She is the first American to win the CILIP Carnegie, and also the first author in history to win both the top US children’s award, the Newbery Medal, and the top UK award.

Anne Marley, Chair of judges for the prize, described 'Ruby Holler' as a “deserving winner... It is a very gentle tale of love and self-discovery told with great subtlety, humour and lightness of touch... The characters are well defined and Creech’s use of language and imagery create a vivid and unusual atmosphere in which they make their ‘journeys’.”

In 2001 ‘The Wanderer’ was shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie 2000, the title already having received a Newbery Honor; in 2002 she was again shortlisted for the CILIP Carnegie 2001 for ‘Love that Dog’ which was Commended by the judges.

‘Up on Cloud Nine’ written by former Children’s Laureate, Anne Fine also received a Highly Commended accolade.

Creech came to England with her two children and took up a teaching post at an American school in Thorpe, Surrey in 1979 spending a total of 17 years in the UK.

She describes her family’s time here as their own ‘Ruby Holler’ – “a magical time and a great place to bring up children.”

The Carnegie Medal is awarded annually by CILIP: the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals for ‘an outstanding book for children and young people”.

Now almost 70 years old, its first winner was Arthur Ransome in 1936, since when it has been awarded to many of the great names of children’s literature including CS Lewis, Eleanor Farjeon, Anne Fine and Philip Pullman.