Blue Peter Book Awards 2016 - Shortlist #BPBA

Yesterday saw the announcement of the shortlist for the Blue Peter Book Awards for 2016. This highly prized award has been running since 2000 and the judges had a tough time whittling down the entries. These are the four people who have faced this challenge:

• Angelica Bell - TV Presenter and blogger
• Pamela Butchart - Author and previous winner
• Jim Sells - National Literacy Trust Programme Manager
• Ewan Vinnicombe - Blue Peter Editor

These are the books that are now up for vote by 200 school children from 10 schools across the UK:

Best Story

The Astounding Broccoli Boy written by Frank Cottrell-Boyce and illustrated by Steven Lenton (Pan Macmillan)

Rory Rooney is unremarkable in almost everything, apart from his capacity to attract the attention of the school bully. But when he suddenly and spectacularly turns green, he becomes a superhero!

The Boy Who Sailed the Ocean in an Armchair written by Lara Williamson (Usborne)

Becket Rumsey decides to investigate the reasons behind the strange actions of some of the adults in his life.  With the help of his brother Billy and his pet snail Brian he uncovers some difficult truths and some beautiful ones.

The Nowhere Emporium written by Ross MacKenzie(Kelpies) 

Daniel is constantly picked on by Spud Harper and his gang of bullies. However, his life changes forever when he stumbles upon The Nowhere Emporium, which has mysteriously arrived in Glasgow.


Best Book with Facts

The Epic Book of Epicness written and illustrated by Adam Frost (Bloomsbury) 

Did you know that at Christmas time in Norway, you should leave a bowl of porridge outside your door - otherwise gnomes will play tricks on you? Or that a beach in Hawaii has green sand? The Epic Book of Epicness will teach you all this and more.

The Silly Book of Weird and Wacky Words written by Andy Seed and illustrated by Scott Garrett (Bloomsbury) 

The Silly Book of Weird and Wacky Words addresses every possible funny wordy subject in a series of lists and games: from jokes, puns and cockney rhyming slang to spoonerisms, made-up languages and more.

FactFeed written by Penny Arlon (Scholastic)

This bright and highly illustrated large format paperback is chock full of facts about everything from computer viruses to weather, weird foods to gross jobs, and more or less anything else you could think of.

I wouldn't like to have to choose just one of these books! Good luck to the young people who have that tough job to do!