Blue Peter Book Awards 2021

Since 2000, the enormously popular and influential Blue Peter Book Awards have been recognising and celebrating the best authors, the most creative illustrators and the greatest reads for children.

The 2021 winners are announced!

We are very excited to share the winners of the 2021 Blue Peter Book Awards! The winners were announced during a special edition of Blue Peter on World Book Day, Thursday 4 March 2021.

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Best Story

The award for Best Story was awarded to A Kind of Spark, the brilliant debut novel by Elle McNicoll. Offering an utterly convincing and honest narrative voice, A Kind of Spark challenges the stereotypes that can be associated with autism, and teaches us that there are 'many different ways to be autistic.'

Elle said: "As someone who grew up watching Blue Peter and discovering brilliant new books from the show, it is an extraordinary moment to be recognised. To be a part of their World Book Day celebrations is great, and to have been voted the winner by readers is life changing.”

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll

Read our review of A Kind of Spark

Read the blog: Elle McNicoll on being a a neurodivergent author

Best Book with Facts

The award for Best Book with Facts went to Mike Barfield and illustrator Jess Bradley's hilarious book,  A Day In The Life Of A Poo, A Gnu And You. Packed full of zany trivia about everything worth knowing - from pimples to porcupines- each element is written in the form of a first person diary and brilliantly presented in cartoon strips. 

Mike and Jess said: “Winning any award is a huge honour but winning the Blue Peter Book Award is extra special. I adored the programme as a child, and again as a parent, watching it with my own (now grown-up) children. The child in me that still persists to this day does find it rather amusing that a book with ‘Poo’ in its title will now have to be mentioned several times on the show.

I had so much fun drawing everything from poos to gnus, and I’m really happy to know that so many children enjoyed reading about them!”

A Day In The Life Of A Poo, A Gnu And You by Mike Barfield and Jess Bradley

Read our review of A Day In The Life Of A Poo, A Gnu And You

Test your knowledge with this fun quiz

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