Reinstate Kate Greenaway's name on CILIP illustration award, a statement by Dr Rose Roberto and Tamsin Roswell, petition creators

The decision to change the name without consultation was brutal and disrespectful. There's no denying that money matters and Andrew Carnagie had money to spend on the libraries. But it's so inelegant and short-sighted to rebrand the medal to suit the current sponsor who is probably buying himself a conscience and obtaining free -- so to speak -- publicity from the medal.

I find this to be an incredibly insensitive move. For me it has muddied the waters around these two important awards - each one is important in its own right. To remove Kate Greenaway's name from the illustration award is short sighted at best. At worst it is yet another example of the patriarchy at work, refusing to acknowledge the achievements of women. Women doing the work and men once again taking the credit.

It is a terrible shame that this historic Award has been "rebranded".

She wasn't pushed aside because she was "old fashioned" Andrew Carnegie was older than her, and he didn't illustrate anything.

They seem to be thinking if they change it without publizcising their decision, and stonewalling any questions afterwards, they will get away with.

I’m shocked to see the medal has been renamed. Bring back Kaye Greenaway please!

Erasing Kate Greenaway's name is an anti-feminist move.

How did I miss this? What were they thinking?

I had no idea it had changed. I was a proud judge many years ago. It is quite arrogant of Cilip to think that the public can not understand that there are two awards with different names. Also it looks a bit mysogynistic to change it from a woman illustrator to a man who became a philanthropist after exploiting his workers to gain masses of wealth.

Please stop erasing hugely influential women!

Why denigrate such a leading woman .

This remains relevant. Kate Greenaway is an excellent, self-made, still impactful female artist. There is a history and tradition of the medal. We do not need another award with a fancy corporate name irrelevant to the work it purports to recognize. The Carnegie name is many other places and does not need this attention, on top of which Andrew Carnegie is a problematic historical figure. I have children and even own a Yoto player, but it has no place on an illustration award (not least as it is an audio rather than visual device). This is a move akin to Detroit's Joe Louis Arena being renamed Little Caesars Arena.

This is now quite ridiculous that Cilip still hasn't had the gumption to face up to the repeated calls by actual former Kate Greenaway Medal winners and Librarians ( amongst many others! ) to face reality and re-instate Kate Greenaway's name on the medal for the most outstanding contribution to illustration in children's books. Make your voice heard and sign the petition!

Kate Greenaway led the way! She is honored worldwide for the beauty and timeless quality of her art, her children and their childhood. She is in a stellar league of her own!

Horrified to discover this change what on earth is CILIP doing bowing to commercial pressure. I expect better

That we are still having this debate is incredible. The Kate Greenaway award is one of the few things that maintained traction and relevance in the wider, often no longer book using world. This isolationism and lack of open, outward looking, engaging decision making, is entirely at odds with what we, as professional librarians should be doing.

the naming of the Kate Greenaway Medal matters, representing as it does a key female illustrator from the golden age of book illustration. Please reinstate it.

She is the illustrator who inspired this award

I am the current Chair of the Female School of Art Foundation and am saddened to hear of this, and hope it will be remedied.

I write in protest and disbelief on behalf of the Kate Greenaway Action Group, Rolleston, a small village in rural Nottinghamshire where Kate herself spent much of her time until adulthood. The group was formed to raise awareness of this remarkable woman; her roots and early influences, and in an effort to protect the home and garden which she loved and visited so frequently, and which faces a very uncertain future. We were horrified to find more of Kate's legacy under threat by the non-sensical renaming of this prestigious award. How can Yoto Carnegie possibly claim that the interests of 'empowerment' and 'diversity' are furthered by removing the name of this unique trailblazing woman? Her very achievements and tenacity were a testament to just those principles. Own up Yoto Carnegie - to this appalling 'own goal'. Here in Rolleston we shall be celebrating Kate Greenaway's legacy with a village event (June 2024) to mark the Kate Greenaway Prize over the years. We are inviting villagers to make their own art and share the joy of books and imagination (over tea and cake of course). How right it would be if we could also celebrate the reinstatement of her name on this award.