Shortlist revealed for the Blue Peter Book Awards

Booktrust is pleased to announce the shortlist for the Blue Peter Book Awards. These enormously popular and influential awards have been recognising and celebrating the best authors, the most creative illustrators and the greatest reads for children since 2000.

The shortlist is:

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 (Puffin Books)

The panel of adult judges comprises author Anthony McGowan, school librarian Karen Bhatti and Blue Peter Editor Tim Levell to judge the three categories: Book I Couldn’t Put Down, Best Book with Facts and Most Fun Story with Pictures.

The final nine books will then be judged by a selection of young Blue Peter viewers, who will decide the winners in each category and the overall winner which deserves the ultimate accolade, Blue Peter Book of the Year. Their judging meeting will be broadcast on Blue Peter in March 2009.

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. Booktrust was awarded administration for the Blue Peter Book Awards in May 2008.