The prestigious Blue Peter Book Awards were established in 2000.
Winners are shortlisted by a panel of adult judges; then a group of young Blue Peter viewers judges the three categories:
Book I Couldn’t Put Down
Best Book with Facts
Most Fun Story with Pictures
The winners of each category then compete for the accolade Blue Peter Book of the Year.
The shortlists for the Awards were announced on 10 November.
Best Book With Facts
Archaeology Detectives by Simon Adams (Oxford University Press)
100 Most Dangerous Things on the Planet by Anna Claybourne (A&C Black)
Horrible Geography Handbooks: Planet in Peril by Anita Ganeri, illustrated by Mike Phillips (Scholastic)
Book I Couldn't Put Down
Abela by Berlie Doherty (Andersen Press)
Shadow Forest by Matt Haig (Corgi)
Foul Play by Tom Palmer (Puffin)
Most Fun Story with Pictures
Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear by Andy Stanton, illustrated by David Tazzyman (Egmont)
Fleabag by Helen Stephens (Alison Green Books)
Lost! The Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Dog by Jeremy Strong, illustrated by Rowan Clifford (Puffin Books)
The winning author and/or illustrator in each category will be awarded a special Blue Peter Book Award Trophy on screen. In addition, an extract from each of the nine shortlisted titles will be dramatised on the programme.
The winner of the Blue Peter Book Awards will be announced in the spring of 2009, to coincide with World Book Day.
Read the shortlist press release (Microsoft Word.doc 366Kb)
Viv Bird, Director of Booktrust: 'The Blue Peter Book Awards have always been a prestigious prize, not only because they are chosen both by adult judges and Blue Peter viewers, but because some really wonderful books have been chosen. We’re delighted to have the opportunity to administer the prize and work with the Blue Peter team to further raise its profile.’
Tim Levell, Editor of Blue Peter: 'Booktrust has built an impressive portfolio of prizes with their own Early Years Awards and Booktrust Teenage Prize to name a few. We're delighted that Booktrust will be taking on the administration of our Awards during Blue Peter's 50th anniversary year.
'The Blue Peter Book Awards will undoubtedly benefit from Booktrust’s expertise and knowledge and we look forward to working with them.'
Read the launch press release (Microsoft Word.doc 123Kb)
Prize administration
Prize information
Rosa Anderson
t 020 8516 2973
e rosa@booktrust.org.uk
Press information
Katherine Solomon
t 0208 875 4583
e katherine.solomon@booktrust.org.uk
