Stay! Deefer Dog, the “heartbreaking and comforting” (Books for Little Worms) debut picture book by Fran Harlow and Ellie McKenna, has been nominated for the 2027 Carnegie Medal for Illustration.

The winners will be announced in an awards ceremony on Tuesday 22nd June 2027.

Read more here.

Deefer, an obedient dog, has been told by his owner to ‘stay’, which he dutifully does. He patiently awaits his owner’s return while life goes on around him, but as the day goes on, what will happen if his owner doesn’t return? And why has he been told to ‘stay’ next to a suitcase?

Stay! Deefer Dog is out now. Grab your copies here or, better via your local bookstore or bookshop.org.

Follow Fran on Instagram @fran_deefer and follow Ellie on Instagram ellie.mckenna_illustrator.