A NEW version of Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels, including a caricature of a certain political leader, has made it on to the shortlist of one of the most prestigious awards for illustrated children’s books.

Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver, by Martin Jenkins with drawings by Chris Riddell, one of seven shortlisted titles, is a retelling of the original aimed at children from the age of 10 upwards.

The Kate Greenaway Medal — established in 1956 to recognise outstanding illustration in a children’s book — is awarded annually by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals.

Like its sister award, the institute’s Carnegie Medal — Britain’s oldest and most renowned children’s book award — it is judged by an expert panel of children’s librarians.

The Carnegie Medal marks its 70th anniversary next year. The six shortlisted contenders for 2004 are also announced today. Five of the titles are for readers aged from 8 to 11 years. The sixth is recommended for teenagers aged 13 and above.

Sharon Sperling, the chairman of the judges, said that the “younger than usual” Carnegie shortlist puts the spotlight back on the quality of work available for children who are at a crucial stage in their reading lives. “It illustrates not only the quality of storytelling that’s available for this age group but also the depth and subtlety of these writers and their power to engage young people,” she said.

Two former Carnegie winners — Sharon Creech and Philip Pullman — are on the shortlist, with three writers whose work has been shortlisted for important children’s literary prizes within the past year:Anne Cassidy (Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year), Frank Cottrell Boyce (Guardian Children’s Fiction Award) and Eva Ibbotson (Smarties Prize).

Looking for JJ, by Anne Cassidy, was inspired by the murder of James Bulger. It is the story of ten-year-old Jennifer Jones, who murders a young girl. Six years later she is released with a new identity and lives in fear that the media will find her.

The shortlist is completed by a second novel from a relatively new voice, Gennifer Choldenko. The winners of both the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway will be announced on July 8.

‘Important ministers in governments seem to forget very quickly things they have promised . . . anyone who had business with such a minister should finish the meeting by tweaking the minister’s nose, or kicking him in the stomach, or pulling his ears, or treading on his toes, or sticking a pin in his bottom, or pinching him black and blue, to make sure he remembered what had been discussed.’

FROM JONATHAN SWIFT’S GULLIVER

KATE GREENAWAY MEDAL

Ian Andrew The Boat (Text by Helen Ward)
Russell Ayto One More Sheep (Mij Kelly)
Simon Bartram Dougal’s Deep-Sea Diary
Quentin Blake Michael Rosen’s Sad Book (Michael Rosen)
Nick Butterworth The Whisperer
John Kelly Guess Who’s Coming For Dinner? (Cathy Tincknell)
Chris Riddell Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver (Martin Jenkins)

CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL

Anne Cassidy Looking for JJ
Gennifer Choldenko Al Capone Does My Shirts
Frank Cottrell Boyce Millions
Sharon Creech Heartbeat
Eva Ibbotson The Star of Kazan
Philip Pullman The Scarecrow and His Servant

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